Oils and Pastels by Margaret Dyer

It’s my last day in Florence. I fly out tomorrow at 7:30 a.m. I’m hoping my climbing pink roses are still in bloom; they were budding furiously when I left home and promised to be spectacular after my spring pruning. I planted tender baby heirloom tomato plants, grown from seeds Anna gave me for Mother’s Day; I wonder if they’ve survived my neglect. My cat, Molly, might give me the silent treatment for a while. I have a stack of bills waiting to be attended to. And my 11 year old grandson, Victor, comes to stay with me next week while he’s in science camp in Atlanta. It’s time to go home. I also want to catch up on the news in the USA. I have an artist friend, Robin Hix, who lost everything in the Texas floods this week: her home and art studio. A lifetime of work gone . If anybody cares to contribute something to help her begin again, however small a contribution, it would be a significant help to Robin.  There's a link on her web site to contribute. Please do:  ...

Yesterday morning Roza left to visit her sister in Poland before heading home to the US. The rest of us walked to the oltrarno, the other side of the Arno River, where the medieval streets are a maze of artisans' workshops. Here we discovered a quieter Florence, away from the throngs of tourists and gelato shops. We fantasized about our own little studios (mine would have to be un an upper floor-- I would need a garden of some sort) overlooking the narrow streets, meeting artist friends in the evenings for wine. We spent time in Luigi's workshop. Luigi is the restorer I had the opportunity to visit with Debra and Ivano when I first arrived in Florence 2 weeks ago (was it only 2 weeks ago??? It seems like a lifetime). He repairs centuries old sculpture, frames and furniture. He showed us photos of some of the work he has done through the years and demonstrated his carving and gold leafing process for us (all in Italian with our guide translating). Luigi's restorations are...

Sunday was our free day. Our last day together before people start heading home. Katie and Kim went to a High Mass at the Duomo, the rest of us went to the Museo Nazionale del Bargello ,  the oldest public building in Florence. The museum is a fortified palace built in the 1200's. In the 1500's it was used as a prison where executions took place until they were abolished in 1786. In 1859 it was converted to a national museum displaying Italy's largest collection of Gothic and Renaissance sculptures. Afterwards, while we were sipping our cappuccino at an outdoor cafe, we noticed Katie and Kim strolling by. We waved them down from across the street and then we all spent the rest of our long day leisurely stepping in and out of shops in the leather district, picking up souvenirs. Along our way we ran into Alexandra, our brilliant tour guide from earlier in the week, leading a herd of college students from San Diego. Later we passed Beata and her cousin and family, and stil...

Saturday morning a private bus took us   to Siena, about an hour southwest, to meet our tour guide, Stella. We also met up with an artist friend of mine, Lisa, who used to live in Atlanta but now in Scottsdale, AZ, and who just happened to be in Italy while we were there. Lisa joined us for the day as Stella led us in the rain through Siena--to the Piazza del Campo, where the Palio, their traditional medieval horse race takes place; through the fantastic 12th century Romanesque-Gothic Siena Cathedral, the Duomo, where we viewed ornate inlaid marble mosaic floors, sculptures and paintings by Donatello, Bernini and Michelangelo, illuminated choir books and frescoes. We had lunch in a restaurant on the piazza, and Ivano and Rosa entertained us with a duet, "Oh Solo Mio."  

My class is over. Everyone worked hard and created beautiful work. Here we are: Beata, Cheryl, Jane, Jen, Katie, Kim, Michelle, Roza and me working through lunch. And here's Harison, Debra's and Ivano's son, who made friends with the sculptors at the art studio, Debra, who worked tirelessly, and finally Ivano, who worked just as hard as the rest of us.    It's not all over yet. Tomorrow we play before everyone leaves for home; we catch a bus to Sienna.