As a long awaited sequel to my first video titled “My Italy” that focused on my travels and experiences in Calabria I now bring you a new video on Sicily. Ragusa, Ibla is a gem of a place where my father was born.
Adorned with Baroque architecture and rich in culture and beauty it stands proud and sure that it will remain forever. A stark contrast to the lazy, pastoral and fragile Ferruzzano from where my mother came. Click on the play button in the middle of the screen below and enjoy the trip!
Wan’t to experience more Sicilian delights? Visit one of my very favorite blogs Baroque Sicily where Jann Huizenga writes about her life and experiences while living in Ragusa Ibla. And by the way her photographs of the people, architecture, colors and beauty are exquisite. Well worth a look! Enjoy!
So anyone that knows me really well knows that I thoroughly enjoy the journey life takes me on through the observation of “signs” usually in the form of animals in our beautiful natural world.
The Mourning Dove is a favorite as they are a reminder of a rite of passage I went through as a young adult. Now 13 years later they have come back and 2 doves have “woven” a nest by my dining room window.
Look closely! Here’s Lucy!! (as I call her) patiently sitting on her clutch within the Bougainvillia. It has been a full week now, and I understand 1 more to go before the tiny eggs hatch….how exciting!!
So here it was, the final sign I needed to follow a dream I have had ever since acquiring my grandmothers hand woven linens a long time ago. “I will try and learn how to weave!”
A humble beginner’s class will be my first foray into this ancient craft. I am unsure of how I will fair so I will begin the journey as a tribute to my heritage, a continuous attempt to forge a stronger connection to my Italian roots, and I will try and just ‘trust’ where it leads. I will trust the path and enjoy the journey…wanna come for the ride??
I am transported back to a trip to Calabria in the summer of 2008 where I was astonished by the quality and abundance of hand woven linens within the drawers and cupboards of this one household consisting of 4 special women.
Carefully preserved in darkness and an abundance of moth balls I was treated by a private viewing and colorful display I will never forget!
I make a new friend, her name is Vittoria after her grandmother. She will be the proud beneficiary of these fine linens as they are part of her trousseau…how lucky is she??!!
As a special treat I was able to watch some linen being woven on an antique loom still in operation.
The linen was not only hand woven, but also, hand picked AND home spun as can be seen below!!
My biggest challenge was how to acquire a small piece for myself, in a culture where money is not of the utmost importance I eventually traded a small fresco for 2 pieces of linen…a fair trade???
The fresco painting on this antique roof tile depicts the ancestral home of my new friend, Vittoria, her mother and aunt. They are all pleased! Although the home is abandoned it is now immortalized in fresco!…Transaction complete!
As always an added bonus to travelling in these quaint Italian villages are the charming photo ‘opps’ that abound…every nook and cranny is full of delight and may make a fine fresco one day! Any takers out there?
So I will see where this journey takes me and I am already inspired and awestruck at the connections that have been made as a result.
So far I have found 4 blogs and 1 website of special interest! My nephew and his girlfriend have been blogging about their travels throughout South America and I found it poignant that they would post about weaving on their blog “Birds of a Feather”. It became even more wonderful when a link was forwarded regarding Calina’s volunteer work with “Threads of Peru” an organization that helps woman improve their quality of life through , what else? …weaving!
I found Mary Tacconi’s writing while “surfing” for references to Italian weaving. Mary is a native to California, but she lived, married and raised 2 children in Umbria. Read her “Reflectionson my 40 years in Umbria” for a taste of authentic Italy. I was mesmorized by the writing and the “reflections” as they matched many of my own and they led me to the beautiful works and website of Giuditta Brozzetti a handweaving laboratory in Perugia, as well as Michelle Fabio’s “Bleeding Espresso”. Another gem of a blog…Michelle is an American writer and attorney who left Pennsylvania for her family’s ancestral village of Badolato in Calabria! Inspiring!!
I am sure you will agree, this has already been quite a journey! Could there be more to weaving then just thread? Stay posted!
A journey to my father’s hometown of Ragusa, will culminate into a series of frescoes of Sicily .
From my mother’s village in Calabria, Ragusa is “close but yet so far.” You can take a bus or train to Villa San Giovanni in the city of Reggio, where a 45 minute ferry takes you across the strait of Messina.
Above is the view towards Calabria from the ferry, below is the view towards Sicily.
From Messina the bus or train continues on to Catania where you need to board a bus to Ragusa….a 12 hour venture. By car it could take as little as 4 but there is some lovely things to see on the way.
Places like Isola Bella above, Toarmina and Castelmonte below.
Upon arrival to Ragusa and the ancient town of Ibla, a Unesco world heritage site, you are faced with the beautiful facade of San Giorgio in a most beautiful piazza.
Navigating through the cobblestoned streets and many stairs throughout the town I came across this lovely scene.
I became inspired to take over 1000 photographs during this 4 day visit. These were both taken from the stairs of Santa Maria delle Scale of which there are over 300!
This fresco on a rustic limestone tile has a 1941 5 centessimo coin inserted into the plaster.
View this and more at the upcoming Celebration of Fine Art in Scottsdale Arizona. www.celebrateart.com
Celebrating 19 years of continued exploration and specialization in fresco painting, an ancient art that requires painting into wet plaster with pure pigment.
Liana Sofia creates small to medium frescoes on panels of wood, tile, stone or cement board, while larger works are detachments from wall to cloth, the result of a restoration process called “The Strappo Technique.” or Fresco detachments.
Rich with the memory of the moment of capture, each fresco begins with a photograph taken within the villages of Liana Sofia's parents and grandparents. She aims to re-live the experience and beauty of each place as she paints it, to evoke a sense of presence to the viewer.
Fine art collectors across the country have become intrigued by Liana Sofia's work when they understand the historical significance of the medium as well as it’s challenges,complexity and unique beauty.
Italian Film I LOVE!
*Golden Door (Nuovomondo)
The Leopard (Gattopardo)
Mafioso
Cinema Paradiso
Kaos
Respiro
Life is Beautiful
*The Tiger and the Snow (La Tigre e la Neve)
Il Postino
The Flowers of St Francis
The Bicycle Thief
*Mid-August Lunch(Pranzo di Ferragosto)
Wildflower (Fiorile)
Quiet Chaos (Caos Calmo)
The Nativity Story (well not
Italian but filmed in Calabria)
