Part 3 of 3: "What You Can Learn from a Bucket List"

Our celebration Friday dinner was lovely and an additional guest staying on the property joined us.  Since she was also German, the lively conversation heavily leaned toward their common language. Around 10 or so, I bid everyone a good night and said how much I enjoyed it.  Happy dance when I got home especially since Rainer told me Wolfgang had finished the hair and greatly improved my “Muse” during my afternoon away.  I have included the excellent almost finished projects by Gaby and Rainer at the end of this blog.  Rainer had some experience and really made significant progress.  Amazing what each accomplished in a week!  I was not the star pupil.

The week was a success for me – even with my ups and downs -  I learned it is important to follow your dreams, even if they do not turn out to be spectacular or even a mistake. I remembered the importance of friendship from a friend that sent encouragement all during the week.  I learned to listen to others and be quiet for a change.  I learned different cultures add interest to life, everyone does not have our same values, and Americans have much to learn. I also learned to try to hang in there as long as possible.

My Version of  The Muse 

A downside to the week was many general conversations at lunch, dinner and during working on sculptures were in German.  Many times, someone translated, but on retelling, stories seem to lose their punch. They would ask me things in English and speak in English when everyone remembered I was there. Wolfgang translated as much as he could.  I sometimes felt like I did not belong in this group and was an anomaly.  Even the couple commented I was brave to do this – which really says it all in a nice way. I do think everyone did the best they could in this awkward social/work situation.

I have much more awareness of the immense talent of old masters like Bellini and Michaeangelo  who sculpted true masterpieces chip by chip.  It is a God given talent I obviously do not possess.

I will keep the small block of marble on my desk. However it now represents humility and a knowledge of my lack of skill in stone sculpture and many other things. It also represents having the nerve to follow your curiosity and learn new things.  I did reach my main goal of learning the process, basic tools and techniques.  Maybe, just maybe, I'll get this 70 pound hunk of marble back home!

Part 2: "I've Hit Rock Bottom" (no pun intended)

I awoke the 2nd day with sore hands and praying that I will do better work today.  Wolfgang is an excellent teacher and tries to be patient with me.  All I can do is try, he responds “Don’t try, DO!”  So far, I have wondered about a thousand times why I wanted to do this so much that I would put it first during this sabbatical.  Maybe to try something that seems almost impossible to me at this age, see if there is a creative bone in my body, and be open to cultural differences. I am amazed how hard this is to do.  There is NOTHING easy about this.

Each day is about the same: Breakfast, WORK, Lunch, WORK, Dinner out at 7:30 and home around 11 pm when I crash. One afternoon we have a lovely masseuse and I opt for the last appointment and after working the morning and about an hour in afternoon blow off the last hour reading.  By Wednesday, I hated that huge block of unyielding marble.It seems never-ending as you do different things to every area, sometimes 2 or 3 times to get it right.  Wolfgang is often marking areas in red or black for me to sculpt deeper or better.

I have decided the cost of this week is worth it and a good value overall.  No amount of money would be worth teaching beginners how to do this!  I have been comfortable with the location, excellent food, amenities, people and surroundings. I am not as comfortable with my ability or my project.   By Wednesday, I felt like stopping as I now understand this is not going to be a future creative experience.  I kept going but started counting the hours and days left in the class. The really hard and tedious work seemed easy when he came and showed me a technique for the umpteenth time.  I’m sure he was as frustrated as I was.  The group made a decision to not go to nearby Perugia for an afternoon in order to continue work on our projects.  I had been looking forward to a work afternoon off, but was too tired to go anywhere so was fine with that decision.

On Thursday afternoon, I decided I was crazy to do this and after 39 plus hours of work during the week said I would work through Friday at lunch and be done.  I immediately could see the end of it and quit counting the hours and happily finished all I could Friday morning.  Wolfgang was probably just as happy for me to be away since it had been a long week for both of us.  After lunch, I went for a swim, rested, viewed the sunset, read, packed and felt better. They worked until 8 pm on Friday and looked worn out when they arrived for dinner. 

A good friend later said about my work on this sculpture: “Remember how many people are just like this rock.  You work and work on then but it just wears you out and they never really change.”  Too true.

We were about to celebrate the end of the week and our finished projects.  Rainer had had some experience and did an amazing job of his women with flowing hair.  He seemed to learn a lot from Wolfgang's teaching and his project was truly worthy of any garden.  He modeled his work on his girlfriend.  

Gaby, his girlfriend, worked hard and seemed to get good help from Wolfgang too.  Her shell turned out so well except for her minor disappointment that one false move took a bit more than desired out of her sculpture.  I had wished a hundred times that I had thought of a shell.  Getting her contours right made it a difficult project.  

Next is Part 3 : What I learned from this unique experience.

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Part 1: "It Started with a Block of Marble"

I apologize for the length of this and will put it in 3 parts you can read at once or later.

I always kept a small block of marble on my desk as a reminder of my desire to someday learn the process and techniques of rock sculpture.

When I had the opportunity to spend several months in Italy, I decided this was the time to experience this "bucket list" item.  I began to research possible locations.  Villa La Rogaia has

Main building

a wonderful mix of opportunities for anyone seeking a different vacation from the usual sightseeing and is situated amid rolling hills, scenic vistas and beautiful sunsets in amazing Umbria.  It is an old country house with outbuildings, a large garden and pool.  You can relax in one of their well-appointed holiday apartments or take creative courses in Italian cooking, painting, rock sculpting or even intensive salsa and tango lessons. 

In addition to my intensive sculpting lessons, all meals were included with excursions to Perugia or other nearby villages.  A massage mid-week was a relief for sore muscles. The web information was well done and I signed up!

My experience began even before I left when Wolfgang, my instructor, emailed and we began planning what I might do for my individual stone carving project. He suggested a stylized “Brancusi-Muse“ face.  I was not thrilled but did not have another alternative and felt he knew best. A few months later, I took the train from Florence to Passignano Sul Trasimeno , an historic picturesque village on Lake Trasimeno which is the 4^thlargest lake in Italy.

Annette, from Villa La Rogaia was waiting at the Passignano Sul Trasimeno train station and warmly welcomed me. As we drove through the area, she told me about fishing and boating excursions on the lake, some of the history and how they came to live in this beautiful countryside.  Umbria is the green heart of Italy with hardwoods, silvery olive groves and lighter green vineyards. Lake Trasimeno is enclosed by endless hills and charming little villages.  Less crowded than Tuscany to the West, it is a haven for country holidays away from the bustle of tourists with half hidden retreats which offer a rare opportunity for relaxation, and short trips to Assisi, Perugia, Cortona, Arezzo, and Siena.

We drove higher and higher passing vineyards and olive groves with far views of Perugia and the lake view growing smaller in the distance.  The last 2.5 km was a country road leading to La Rogaia.  

Path to my apartment

I was shown to my spacious apartment “La Grapo”– perfect for 3 or more with a large bedroom, updated bathroom, kitchen and living area with an inviting patio.   I was shown the pool area and also met “Mamma Ornella” a delightful cook gathering fresh herbs for our meal together the first night.  She had been one of the reasons for my selection of this location, but she only cooked two night meals but we were served equally well by “Rosell”, a friendly Filipino who mostly spoke English.

Mamma Ornella and Wolfgang

At eight pm, the dinner bell rang and I walked past the lavender bushes to meet my instructor and the other participants. Rainer and Gaby are an attractive younger German couple who politely spoke English. We had appetizers and wine while we began to get acquainted and visited with Annette, Wolfgang's wife.  Wolfgang, our instructor, joined the group and we soon sat down to a wonderful meal with pasta, meat, potatoes and a very nice dessert.  As the night lingered we discussed politics, our work, and the tango classes they have.  Wolfgang discussed the week’s work. Ideally, it is best to take it with you and I had not considered that enough beforehand.    Enjoyable night and everyone was friendly and nice. Slept well. 

It is hard to describe my nervousness as I walked past garden sculptures to my first class the next morning. Wolfgang had our marble work area ready to view and went over his plan of teaching with each of us.  He gave us our set of tools and showed us how to sharpen them in his workshop. My stone looked huge and forbidding.  We returned to our stones.

A good chip

Smiling while kicking self

This was hard slow work, chipping off areas of stone to reveal the shape.  By lunchtime, I had barely made a dent in my project and I wondered if I was up to this.  Any beginner can do it with taught techniques, lots of patience and time.  Anyone who knows me knows patience is not a strong trait of mine.  

My first day was an eyeopener – first with how hard it is to make something from a block of marble using a hand tool and a hammer alone.  Chip by chip, bit by bit for almost 8 hours.  We worked from 9:30 – 1:00, had a light lunch, then an hour’s rest and returned at 3:30. We finally stopped at 7:00 pm when Wolfgang announced we were going to a restaurant in 30 minutes!  A shower and a glass of wine would have suited me better at that moment but I was just happy we were finally done for the day.

 

Rushed to get ready and off we went barreling down the mountain and feeling every bump! Everyone was ordering 3 courses at the excellent lake restaurant and each course was exquisite with plenty of wine.

I was exhausted but enjoyed watching the Italian families having a great time.  We made it home by 11 pm and I fell into bed.

Part 2 will include my progress as well as that of my more talented fellow- students. 

Part 3 will show our completed projects and how much I learned about myself and the fine art of chipping away stone to reveal a finished sculpture.

A Week in the Life

It is always interesting to see changes in Italian day to day life. Liz and I passed a large designer mall last Sunday.  It was a first for this area and I was interested in visiting it at some point.  I drove down on Monday and spent time walking around, going into a few shops, eating lunch and people watching.  The mall was Disneyesque and had many upscale shops as well as our usual American mall brands – which are big over here.  From Guess to Prada with prices to match, I did not buy anything but an Italian curling iron for ten euros.  I was mostly interested in how shoppers dressed. For the first time, I saw many wearing blue jeans, tennis shoes and shorter pants.  Italians usually dress very well - especially the men. I ordered a sauced fish dish and a plate of vegetables at a cafeteria.  To my dismay, the fish turned out to be octopus!  At least the vegetables were good.

I went out for afternoon drinks with Phil, a friend who is married to an Italian friend.  To my surprise, a guy who joined our table had lived in Laurel, MS (my hometown) as a reserve officer for two years. Phil is in black and the guy is in green.  Others are Italians Phil knew.  

One of my favorite nearby villages is Polcenigo. Lois took us to lunch near there. I loved seeing the river running through and the charming old mill house on the property.  

  

 Ended the week with a visit to a new antique market in Aviano, which is 10 min away from my village. Loved seeing lots of neat things – interesting to see demijohns for just 5 Euro!  Note these are not the expensive hand blown ones you see around – but generally look the same. Noted a group of vendors having their wine, bread, and salami complete with table cloth behind their tent of items.

 

Drove down the mountain highway and noticed lots of vans on side of road.  There must have been a bicycle race/tour coming behind.  

Would have loved to stop and take time for them to catch up, but
that can take hours.  You always see decked out bicyclists almost every day just out for fun.

 Next week, I am at my rock sculpture class in Umbria – hope that is worth the time and money!  Just something I have always wanted to do.

Villas and Antiques in the Veneto

 I returned to one of my favorite antique markets in Italy Sunday with Liz, a friend who is married to an Italian and speaks fluent Italian – a must when negotiating. Curbed my buying impulse although they had some Murano glasses I collect.  I plan to attend another antique show in Aviano this  weekend. This was a favorite pastime when I lived here.





   

The highlight was a tour of the nearby Villa Contarini – one of the most beautiful I have ever seen.  I had visited this area many times, but never took time to take the tour.  The tour was in Italian but I got the basics and Liz provided sone translation of high points.

One of the large long rooms had every wall decorated with millions of sea shells!  It was a reminder to me to take time to see these type places.  

On the way back, we ran into significant traffic around Padua – found out there was a "Pearl Jam" concert at a large stadium.  From the traffic, Italian love American rock groups! 

Italian "Roundabouts" and Getting Lost

Italian road planners love “Roundabouts “ and they have multiplied significantly since I lived here years ago.  There is one every few miles of 2-lane highways in Italy, and many have 20 cars going into one at a time! One even had about 20 grape vines growing in the middle of the circle! 

I decided to travel to one of my favorite towns – Asolo - yesterday and also drop into a favorite ceramics shop in Nove that sells to Williams Sonoma and Tiffany. I did not realize so many changes and new roads and got really lost during the 2 hour trip there.

I thought I knew the way as I had been there numerous times, but a road work detour sent me a different way and I ended up on a higher mountain road that that went through the prosecco region through towns I had never visited.  At one point, I thought “I am sure glad I am by myself as I would hate anyone to see me so lost!” Of course, another person might have had a better sense of direction!

 I was exhausted when I finally reached Asolo and stopped and had lunch at a nice outdoor place with a view of the town and regrouped.  Had time for a more complete visit of Catrina Cornaro’s castle.

 She has long been a favorite subject of mine.  She was of a noble family, was married off to the King of Cyprus to cement Venice’s needed control of the area. Her husband and baby son died within a year or two and she ruled Cyprus several more years.  As a Queen, politically she could not return to Venice so was exiled to Asolo with her court as the Lady of Asolo in 1489.  She died 21 years later and is buried in Venice.  In 1798, a theater was built in the castle .  Ringling Brothers bought it in the 1950’s and painstakingly moved it to Sarasota, Florida.  It is a charming little town on a hilltop with wonderful views in every direction.

All along the way, I enjoyed seeing the wonderful old villas that abound everywhere in varying conditions.  They range from huge castle-like edifices with walls to smaller 3 story square buildings with beautiful decorations on the facades.  Maser Villa is amazing and the town of Marostica also worth visiting.                                                                                                            

                 

I visited Nove, a wonderful ceramic town.  I bought few things as shipping is expensive but thought of my neighbor Maggie when I saw their huge kiln.  When I left, I noticed some nice fish dishes and saw they were putting on price stickers for a large store in S. Korea! 

  

As I travel I notice that there are a lot of new births in Italy at this time noted by large pink and blue ribbons on many doorways.  As a lover of our silver king corn, it is interesting that you never see fresh corn in supermarkets. Corn is grown here but only for feed for animals.  Bought some delicious cherries from a road vendor and noticed a huge number of small town markets that sell clothes, fish, fresh vegetables, cheese, and small kitchen goods. I went to one in Aviano earlier this week so did not need anything.  Everything going well -mainly due to being able to stay near Aviano for a nice long period and take side trips.

     

Return to Aviano and visit to Sacile, Italy

My heart actually hurt when I drove into Aviano, seeing the beautiful mountains and small villages nearby and all the places I remembered.  I moved today to Debbie's house in San Foca where I am happily settling in for the next month or so.  Aviano is one of my "happy" places.

Had a nice visit with friends the other day. I met them over the 5+ years living here. I went by my old house (they added a garage) and ate at a new place near the beautiful white Palazzo in center of town where a friend lives who is married to an Italian  – he makes a wonderful Policreti Prosecco! Plan to make some side trips with friends when possible. 

Reading, Relaxing, Thinking Porch

I will spend time on my own personal journey on the wonderful 2nd story porch overlooking a small vineyard. It is a luxury to have time to read and reflect in this great place.  What a great friend Debbie has been to allow this sabbatical time for me without worry about moving every 4 days.

Yesterday, I wanted to try to take the train to Sacile, a beautiful small town nearby. Surprised to find no one selling tickets though train was scheduled.  Oh well.  I ended up driving my rental car and had a lovely walk and nice lunch on the beautiful river that runs through this picturesque town– so spent a blessed and beautiful Sunday.

My old house in Masure

Sacile

Debbie's House