ICON WORKSHOP WITH
ANDREA MATUS DEMENG AND MICHAEL DEMENG
CORTONA, ITALY
MARCH, 2016
Thursday, March 10
Today we are joined by Michael deMeng for the second part of the workshop: the assemblage. The class sample is intimidating but all the art that I have seen in Florence and the cool stuff from the flea market is enough to get going.
For lunch today it was a quick soup with Marilyn, Michael and Colleen.
That afternoon I decided to walk up the hill to the Chiesa Inferiore di Santa Marco. The views on the walk up are spectacular but it is straight up hill and I have to stop a few times to catch my breath.
I visited the Chiesa Convento San Francesco.
Stacey was nice enough to invite the entire crew to her 550 year old house which was once the last home of the famous Cortona painter Luca Signorelli. Rumor has it that after he fell from a scaffold at the age of 78, he was brought back to his house to die. And this is where Stacey lives when she is in Cortona.
Stacey's workshop
After the party my table mate Marilyn and I worked on our projects until 11:00 p.m.
Friday, March 11
...and then I worked alone in the studio until 1 a.m.—so I turned 62 making art as March 11th is my birthday.
I was back in the studio by 7:15 a.m. to get my painting done. I even skipped lunch because we had today's critique looming up in the late afternoon.
My art buddies were nice enough to celebrate my birthday with a special gift.
Despite all the fun we have all week long on a Michael deMeng excursion, the highlight is often the critique. The whole class gets together and we hear what Michael thinks of our efforts.
Saturday, March 12
I had to get up at 7:00 a.m. Florence (Midnight CST) to be ready to be in the van with Enzo at 8:30 a.m. Florence (1:30 a.m. CST—up 1 ½ hours).
My flight to Paris took off at 1:00 p.m. Florence (6:00 a.m. CST—up 6 hours) and I arrived in Paris at 3:00 p.m. Florence (8:00 a.m. CST—up 8 hours). By 4:00 p.m. I was on my way the US (9:00 a.m.—up 9 hours).
Plane viewing included:
Planet of the Apes
On the Town
Banksy Does New York (HBO)
At 7:00 p.m. (CST—up 18 hours) I was in Atlanta. The plane to Milwaukee did not depart until 9:30 p.m. )CST—up 20.5 hours). 11:30 p.m. (CST—up 22.5 hours) found me at O’Hare airport in Chicago where Denice picked me up in baggage claim. After a two hour drive home, I was in my own bed after being up 25 hours.
This was a magical trip to a magical place and I am grateful to Stacey and Michael for organizing, leading and teaching me things I could only experience in this (dare I say) magical place.
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