People

Ciao!!!

Wow this week was intense! Again, this week was our people shooting assignment...not my best but no one had extremely good luck with it. I've included some pictures I'm not quite done editing yet. We went to Burano (pictures of colorful buildings in next post) on Wednesday for photo. It wasn't the best place to shoot people unfortunately it was all tourist or angry Italians. But the buildings are gorgeous. Next assignment is shadow and light, which is great because I already have tons for it!!! 

Yesterday we switched gears in art history and discussed domestic architecture and HOW they built houses in Venice (considering they were building on damp sand). 

Venecians did research into what kinds of tree trunks and stone could resist water. Turns out the foundations of houses are layed in piles of larch tree (high sap content). Venecians would hammer the trunks into the sand down into the clay where walls would be built. Then Istrian Stone (water resistant) would make the foundation. Some of the nice palaces are made entirely of Istrian Stone, specifically the classical ones because of the white color. 

 It's cool to be able to look at a facade and be able to tell what century it is from based on the style of the pilasters, architectural members, arch shapes, materials, etc. The coolest facades are mixed; began by one architect and finished by another. Our art history professor calls these "schizo" facades haha. An example of this is San Zaccaria, which is close to PSM. 

The bottom floor is Gothic and decorative because it was initially being built by an architect Antonio Gambello but finished by Mauro Codusi, who studied classical antiquity. We also discusses family structure; the first born son and daughter got to marry off but any 2nd or 3rd daughter or son would join the church. Spirituality was forced on the nuns of S. Zaccaria. Kristina told us these nuns were "Bad" and would sneak out to be courted by men and to lead a normal life. 

We got to go inside Ca'D'Oro, which means house of gold. It was originally all covered in gold leaflet but now only grey and pink marble remain. In Venice in the 14th and 15th Century it was all about trading, seeing, and being seen. 1st floors were open to the water for trade, which also displayed a confidence that Florence didn't have. Open first floor arcades (also found on the Ducal Palace) demonstrated that Venecians weren't afraid of invasion. The rich only entered off the water...the streets were for the poor to walk on. In Florence, you're lucky to find an eye level window on the first floor. Florentines were afraid for their lives. Speaking of Florence, I am trying to plan a trip there next week. I'm also trying to make it to Milan but with all of these assignments the outlook is bleak for side trips. I hope they work out. 

Anyways, big group crit with advanced class (nervous) gotta run! Can't believe this trip is half over already ah!!!! Sorry the pictures never match the text art history and photo don't align and I don't bring my big camera with me everywhere.

Love much,

Sarah

 

PRoud moment

Salve,

True to my new nickname (G.D for garbage disposal because I eat all my food and everyone elses' leftovers when out to dinner) I am gorging on three different kinds of salads (bean, caprese, and verdure all'italiana) solo in the cafe because I have to head out to do my shooting of street photo (a.k.a pics of people which is so hard and not what I'm good at). Mostly, I'm afraid to piss off Venecian locals. I think instead I'll head to Piazza San Marco and take pics of dorky tourists and hope it turns out well? Andrea Raynor (one of the profs) her husband is giving us a class on how to shoot people tomorrow (photo not with a gun!). But we're still supposed to have some shots tomorrow for show. 

We spent all day at the gallerie Accademia learning about the 14th-16th Centuries with Kristina. We focused on the transition in Venice from Abstract to Gothic to Renaissance. It was a sampler and of course we got to finally talk about the 3 big whigs: Veronese, Titian, and Tintoretto. We learned how to analyze these kinds of works (altar pieces, commisioned pieces, etc) so that we can do our first writing assignment. Analyze three different assigned paintings and one architectural work on our own and write one page about each! 

Side trips are in the works. I'm trying to head to Milan and Lake Cuomo maybe this weekend and everyone's trying to make it to Florence. Florence is a main basis for comparison in our art history class. Though I've been, I think I'd have a whole new appreciation for it vs. when I went after senior year of high school. Verona is an easy cheap day trip we're going to try and hack on a half day of class (Tuesdays are 9-1pm).

Thursday we're discussing domestic architecture along the grand canal and Ca'd'Oro and early renaissance painting for altars and confraternities. We touched on these things at the Accademia today as well. 

Gotta go shoot and then go to Jenna and Krissy's room. We're all bringing snacks and pushing 4 twin beds together in hopes that all 18 of us will fit. 

We're setting up a projector (we have huge white walls in our rooms) and speakers. Should b

e fun! Sorry my writing is sloppy in these blogs.

Peace!

Love,

Sarah

Pictures (don't relate to text haha): 

Top lady riding bike in rain in Padua last Friday

 Middle boat in canal by Santa Margherita for color assignment

Bottom 9/11 Memorial in Padua

A few more pics...

A few more pictures from near my vaparetto stop.

Ciao!

Weekend 2!

Buona Sera!!!

It's Sunday night and I'm fried to a crisp from being on the beach at Lido for 4 hours today! It was magical. It was a crazy weekend and didn't end up raining one 

from. I guess I should start back at Thursday because that's where I left off.

Thursday we went to Torcello, a beautiful island in the lagoon that only has 14 residents! It takes an hour to get there on the vaparetto. I went to a 

Cathedral, chapel, garden, bell tower etc. The reason why Torcello is significant is because it wasn't updated when the Renaissance became hip. 

The original frescos and glass mosaics are then still abstract, 2D, Bizintine. This is unlike Piazza San Marco because PSM is a collage of both Eastern and Westen influences and has a slew of different centuries art work and style. We had a

 big group lunch at a restaurant in a garden--penne with cheese and speck sauce and caprese salad = YUM! We finished up the day by going into 

Church of St. Mark's in PSM. (PSM=Piazza San 

Marco)

Thursday night I met up with Maxine, a friend of Katya's, at Cafe Blue with my friends Jenna and Krissy. 

There was beer and merriment and karaoke (both Italian and English). Her friends Federico and Mattia took us to a party at an Italian University near the train station. They were having a full blown dance party in the courtyard of what I think was their dorm it was fun!

Friday was a little rainy. After class I headed to Padova on the train with some peoples. One of the TA's Vanessa wanted to see the Church of San Antonio. 

It was a fun day trip adventure. The picture of the trolley is one of the pictures from Padova. Interestingly, they had a VERY classy memorial for Sept 11th. Quite random but nice. The Cathedral of San Antonio of a lil hard to find, but then again we didn't have a map and none of us had ever been there. The Cathedral houses his relics, of course, but has his voice box, tongue, and mandible on display. I think they are embalmed but the believers of that church think they were preserved because he was such a famous preacher that the parts of the body used to speak were preserved. 

Saturday I was totally pooped so after lunch I laid around, edited some pictures, and slept. They run us hard here but it's amazing. We made a big dinner in the back courtyard with groceries bought at Billa, a big grocery store we are quickly coming to love because it's cheap. Last night we all went to the bars in Santa Margherita (it's a big square nearby) because that's really the only place that young locals and young people in general hang out! 

Today I woke up to the shrill of a baby in the room next door (I think a young family is here for the weekend) and bells as usual haha. I had to get up anyways we wanted to get our butts to Lido to the beach. I floated around in the water out there, read my new book, and managed to get burnt because I'm too proud to wear sunscreen (cough cough I learn it from my dad haha). Next time I will I learned my lesson! 

Got back from the beach and set out to do my photo homework for the weekend (color and non color photos). We have a small group critique tomorrow. Things are REALLY going to pick up this week. It's very fast paced but it's super fun and interesting so it doesn't actually feel like work. We're trying to organize a trip to Cinque Terre for next weekend. People are going to Florence the following weekend but I don't know if I'm going to go cause I've been already. I heard Milan is a reasonable day trip. We're making a big group buffet tomorrow in the dining area with food from the Billa. We're also pushing tons of beds together and using a projector from the classroom to have a big movie night tomorrow night! 

Anyways, time is slipping away and it already 11 pm and I have a list of things to do. Might get up early before breakfast tomorrow to shoot in morning light. Quickly becoming a fan of this photo thing! But, the pics I put up here are mostly unedited and touristy because you'll get to see any of my "good" stuff at the end!

Buona Sera!

Love,

Sarah

Sorry my post are SO A.D.D. we're so busy but it's going to be rainy this weekend (sad face) so I'm going to write a good one with new pics! <3

Ciao! 

Yesterday was the first day of our Venecian Art History class and it was AMAZING!!! We went with Dr. Krystina Stymbole, who's very young and extremely intelligent. She is from Canada and teaches BU Fall and Spring. She has her Ph.D in Art History, 16th Century Venecian Art History. We spent 4 hours in Piazza San Marco! I learned so much I hardly know where to start. She talked about the political history of Venice and how it has effected it's formation, art, and style. We focused on the architecture and arches in order to predict Eastern and Western styles and time period significance. We visited the Museo Correr and I feel in the love with the old maps of Venice and a stone sculpture depicting the story of the Icarus and Daedulus by Canova. The father is attached feathers to his son with wax to make wings so he can fly to the sun. But as he approaches the sun the wax melts and he comes plummeting down to his death. We have many different projects that will make up our final grade. Tomorrow we're taking a trip to the island of Torcello to see The Last Judgement and to Piazza San Marco to finish up there.

San Marco is super touristy but I have a whole new respect for it because of the history. It is considered the foyer of Venice. Fisherman on the mainland escaped to the islands in the lagoon to hide from hoards of troops coming over the alps in the 6th Century. All they could harvest in the lagoon was fish and salt.

Anyways, tonight we're going to dinner at Holly's. Last night we went to Santa Margherita area bars for Jillie's 21st. I woke up in time to shoot before class. I went 3 days in a row to my vaparetto stop but I still need to go back with my tripod for some things that need to be shot with a low low shutter speed. I don't think I'm going to get to see Aron!

 He's leaving Sunday for Boston I think. IRONIC! I would head over Friday but it's supposed to be rainy this weekend BOO! I'm meeting up with Katya's friend Maxine on Thursday. She's here abroad from BU.

Just as a disclaimer...all these photos are unedited etc.....

First assignment etc

Yesterday we had our first day of class and, of course, I'm in Digital Photo 1 and my prof is Holly Pedlosky. I learned a TON about Bridge and how my camera works and that BASICS of all basics that I never took the time to learn like ISO, aperture, shutter speed and which works best where. During our 2 hour lunch break I grabbed tapas, again, and we laid out on the docks on la Guidecca Canal right by the Don. 

We got our first assignment yesterday too and I went out to start shooting for it. We each got a slip of paper with a vaparetto stop that we need to go to and investigate. Images are due on Wednesday and big group critique is Friday with both classes combined. My stop is Ca' Rezzonico. Sadly, the main building to see at that stop is under renovation but it's more about investigating the neighborhood and reporting back so that we all learn about different areas in Venice. We had dinner just over the Ponte Accademia last night, pizza duh. I stumbled across a fruit vendor yesterday thank goodness and bought strawberries (fragoli). I'm going back to this supermercado I found yesterday called Punto in the Santa Margherita area to buy snack bars, fruit, and veggies.

I'm really excited because we are going to have dinner at all of the Profs' apartments while we're here. Tomorrow night I go with my photo 1 class to Holly's apt, next week we go to A-ray's (Andrea Raynor), and then we go all together the third week to Andrea G's for cocktails! Pics aren't posting for some reason right now...maybe later. 

<3