painting, cooking, etc.

Ciao,

After a few weeks of drawing, I dipped my hand into some paint (not literally - that stuff is toxic).

Working with oil colors on 9 x 12 canvases, our assignment was a monochrome piece with a burnt siena (we are in Siena) palette.  For this first painting, I chose to paint the Torre del Mangia which stands over the Piazza del Campo, which I frequent nightly.

Three hours later, I smelt of turpentine, but I was glad to have taken my first stabs at the oil medium. There's also hope in editing the piece in a few weeks. I'll be sure to post any touch-ups I do with this, or any subsequent painting.

Cooking class followed painting. a five minute walk away . Our teacher, Elisabetta, is extremely nice. Fortunately for us, her kindness and hospitality  for our group are overshadowed only by the delicious food she helped us make.  

Each class consists of a complete three-course meal. For the first class, we prepared (1) pesto alla Genovese to top tagliatelle pasta, (2) melanzane alla parmigiana (eggplant parmesean), and (3) biscotti cantucci with dessert wine to finish. 

Elisabetta was kind enough to spare the pesto of its customary pine nuts because of my allergy to them. This was very nice considering the minor conflicts I had with dinners Carey had prepared the two previous nights. 

The food was exquisite and it was nice to relax in a family-like setting. I'm extremely excited for the later classes considering this one went so well. I hear we might make gnocchi next week.

I hope all is well.

Love,

Michael

sie-attle?

Ciao,

Sitting in my apartment, I started to sense the presence of an old friend: Rain!

It came down pretty hard for a nice twenty minute time spurt. With the borderline triple-digit temperatures, it was nice to have a reminder of Seattle. Here are some photos:

Love,
Michael

san gimignano

Dear everyone,

This morning we took a bus over to San Gimignano, aka Siena Jr.

After some morning coffee, we took to the breathtaking hills for some good ol' sketching action. Though the sun was killer (my legs were burning!), the amazing landscapes did more than quiet those feelings.

Here are some of the views:

Love,
Michael

michaela

Dear Michaela,

I just heard. Read, actually.

The weather here has been hot, sunny, no clouds at all, and this morning was no different. When I was reading the updates and the e-mails from our friends about what had happened, the grief took me so much by surprise that I looked up. I guess when your world is turned upside down there isn't much else you can do, and as I did, I saw a little wisp of a cloud, floating, almost hiding in the sky. Just so you know (and you probably do), it was the only cloud I can remember seeing the whole day.

Unsure about it all, I reflected and started drawing. There was a church (San Francesco) I had passed by during the first few days here. For some reason, I was called to it. So I drew.

It probably won't really hit me until I get back to the States or talk to someone about you face to face, but that doesn't change how much I miss you.

I would just like to say thanks.

Thanks for your hugs, positive attitude, and laughter.
Thanks for my impromptu birthday party.
Thanks for sleepovers, snack-duty, and making me the DBD of The Fam.
Thanks for the deep talks and endless support.
Thanks for putting up with my bad jokes and toilet humor.
Thanks for making me feel humbled, supremely important, and everything in-between all at the same time.
Thanks for your friendship.
Thanks for you.

I'll miss you.

Love,
Michael

duomo

Howdy,

This morning, our class met for our first drawing study outside of the Duomo. It was very hot (again) and my drawing was not the best (which was a little frustrating), but all those emotions soon disappeared after we entered the church.

Outside, the church was adorned with all sorts of sculpture and decor. The inside of the church was no different. The floors were composed of ilustrated large tiles, while the walls each contained paintings of the Stations of the Cross. Each of the Duomo's tall columns were wrapped by the characteristic Sienese black and white stripes. The church had some really nice looking stained glass as well.

Pooped from the sensory overload, I am going to take advantage of some siesta time. Look for upcoming posts on my Italian cooking class and trip to San Gimignano. Pace fuori.



Love,
Michael

views from siena

Ciao,

In the first of many (probs), here is a visual sampling from my first week in Siena:

Love,
Michael

i miei roomi

Yo yo yo,

Michael Fehrenbach (F-Bach), Carey Smith, Peter Loyd, and I have just moved in to our accommodations.

Michael has been in Italy for about a month, as he was also part of the Philosophy & Theology trip in Florence headed by Dr. Andrews and Fr. Cobb. He and I and share musical tastes, interests in Macintosh computers and graphic design, enrollment in the Matteo Ricci College, and seem to have a similar sense of humor.

Carey has taken up the role of cook of the house. So far, we have enjoyed a nice array of Italian dishes, which help in being as frugal as possible in this foreign country. Carey is also very funny and is more of the "wild-man" type. He has been in Europe for more than a month, traveling alone in places ranging from Paris to Budapest.

Peter is a little more subdued, but no less fun than my other two roommates. He is pretty introverted, but when expressive, is extremely insightful and entertaining. I was supposed meet Peter in Rome, but unfortunately, his flight was delayed.

This is a quick initial glance at the three dudes I will be living with for the next month. Hopefully, I will enjoy them as much as you like reading about them. Peace.

Love,
Michael

PS - There's an Italian moth on my screen as I sit on a street neighboring my apartment. Mike and I are mooching Wi-fi. I think the moth might have an accent, but I can't tell.

siena

Greetings,

Sleeping was hard to come by during my night in Rome, so when it was bright enough outside, I started reading Harry Potter instead.

(To people who have read it - As soon as I finish, we should talk)

I was able to mow down about 150 pages and see Anna, David, and Ecuadorian-friend off before I left on my own for Siena. Enjoying a bread, butter, and jam breakfast, a McDonald's lunch (I know - It's only been like 30 hours in Europe, but I had to. I love my McNuggets.) I caught a subway, and transferred to a bus that would lead me to Siena.

On the bus to Siena, this really attractive blonde girl sat in front of me. She was really pretty and watched the Sopranos on her laptop.

Eventually, I departed from my bus and found my way to my accommodations for the night: Hotel Canon d'Oro. The place was very nice. Even nicer considering I walked in the wrong direction (again - luckily it was only for five minutes this time, opposed to the half-an-hour in Rome) before I had finally found it.

At Hotel Canon d'Oro, I was extremely relieved to see Danila Rumold, the Siena program coordinator and drawing professor at Seattle U. After catching up with her, I received my room keys made my way to my room. My roommates, Michael and Carey, looked as if they had been there for days. It was really nice hanging out with people I could actually recognize.

As soon as the rest of the group finished trickling into the hotel, we received our orientation and were let loose. Even though it is brutally hot, I am very excited for the month ahead. Thank you for reading and I hope you are all well.

Love,
Michael

Brewskis on the Campo - (L-R: Nina, Blaire, Danila, Dakota, Margaret, & Peter)

when in rome

(I will be documenting my travels chronologically, so this blog will be a few days behind. Please pardon the delay.)

Ciao a tutti,

After twelve hours of traveling (nine hours from Seattle to London, three hours from London to Rome), I arrived in Rome. The nine hour flight was a bit draining (especially since I accepted the wine option), but after the initial apprehension, the trip went well. My favorite part was listening to all the British accents once I landed at Heathrow. The people there were probably annoyed at how enamored I was, which was probably very obvious.

The three hour section to Rome was littered with hip-looking Italian belli that reminded me of miniature Enrico Martinezes (both girl and boy versions). Once in Rome, I lugged my bags to the Leonardo Express train (which would take me to my sleeping arrangements for the night), where I was forced to use my limited Italian for the first time. This was not easy, since it was 83248235489328 degrees (Celsius, man.) outside.

Fortunately, I made it to the Rome's central train station, and, after walking in the wrong direction for half an hour, arrived at my hostel. My roommates were sick. Though I met two of them as I was leaving the subsequent morning while there were half-asleep (their kind sounding moans told me they were cool), the other three were very nice.

Two (Anna and David) were from the University of Maryland, in the process of a grand European tour. Anna had just graduated and we engaged in intense dialectic discourse about the pressures experienced by youth Asian culture and the resulting epidemic of suicide (Cool, huh?). David was a 39-year old teacher that looked like he was 25, tops. He hooked me up with a phone card that didn't really work (Papa - this is that call you received where I couldn't hear you). The third was from Ecuador and knew very little English. Unfortunately, I didn't remember his name, but we were (surprisingly) able to converse in Spanish. I just wish my Italian was as sharp.

Because of the heat and new time zone, I could barely sleep.

All-in-all it's been fun! I'll try to keep the updates coming, even though I'm about a week behind. Pace fuori.

On the Leonardo Express to Termini Stazione

View outside my hostel window #1

View outside my hostel window #2

Love,
Michael

pace fuori, seattle.

Pace fuori, Gabe.

Pace fuori, casa e MikeHawk.

Pace fuori, Space Needle.

Pace fuori, famiglia.


Love,
Michael