traveling alone is wonderful/traveling alone is awful

yum!!!

a fun little detail on the Duomo. I spend probably an hour (or more) every day just staring at the facade.

oh my god the colors here!

Sorry about being so dreadful about posts this week, I have been very busy settling into Florence and the studio.

The week was lovely-lots of sunshine, very warm (65 everyday!), and lots to do/see. I got settled into the studio space, which I like quite a bit. There are not very many students at the school, and there is only one other person doing a residency right now. So I really have the whole painting area to myself. Everyone is so nice and fun! It's great being in a studio again...just the smell of it makes me happy. This past week I was a bit all over the place about work- I never felt that I could nail down what I was doing. But Friday I pushed through, and now I feel settled into the studio, with direction and conviction. I have so much time to make stuff, and there is so much stuff that I want to be making, that I'm seeing/feeling and want to be reflecting on, that it's almost overwhelming. I think that's good though. Because I can work as hard as I can this month, then come home and still have so much "material" to work from. Does that make sense?

Being back in Florence again is wonderful, but also quite strange to tell the truth. Ahhh seeing the Duomo every day is pure magic, pure bliss. And all the food is, of course, to die for. I am so enjoying taking long walks around the city, watching people, soaking up all of the beauty.....

I enjoy all of the alone time I have, I feel like I'm finally having a chance to catch my breath. I'm wandering around, taking pictures, sketching, reading....I love it. Making my own schedule, following my own regime and doing whatever the heck I want is quite invigorating. Right now it still feels like I'm living in a dream, to be honest.

But I am also missing everyone that I was here with the last time. I did not expect for this to happen, but I guess I should have. Of course the reason my last trip here was so wonderful was because I was here with and meeting some amazing people. The last time I was here was when it (finally) occurred to me that it's all about the people in your life. And here I am in Florence again, all by myself. Now, don't go thinking I'm unhappy or freaking out. I'm not. I'm quite enjoying myself. And I'm not even really alone at all-Matt will be here Friday. I guess I'm learning that as much as I love to travel (and oh my do I love to travel), I love to travel with people.

But right now, this is the first chance I've had in a long time to just focus on making stuff. And I'm enjoying that fact quite a bit.

I love you all and miss you xoxox