“Creativity takes courage.” — Henri Matisse
Where would we be without Art?
The world of ART is a fascinating place, filled with all kinds of unusual beauty, stories of artists that inspire, and creative endeavors that are simply astounding. If we listen closely Art will talk to us… and if we open our eyes and really look we will discover through ART new truths about ourselves.
It is true! The EARTH without “ART” would be just “EH.”
Latest from the Art of Loving Italy Blog
Spotlight on French painter Thomas Saliot
The other day surfing the internet, I came across the work of Thomas Saliot and found it extremely intriguing. Born in Paris in 1968, Saliot is a prolific artist who characterizes his style as “mildly modernized Pop art.” Saliot works on large canvases, using oil paint. The images which he draws freehand he finds on…
The amazing world of Massimo Balestrini
It is a pleasure to introduce you to a very good friend of mine—Massimo Balestrini and share with you his art! Massimo Balestrini was born in Milan at the end of the ’60s and after his art studies in high school he graduated in Computer Science from the State University of Milan and shortly there…
Raphael’s “The School of Athens” – Fun facts and rivalries
If you have been to the Vatican museums and wandered through the halls taking in the vast assortment of art and sculpture, then surely you have also happened upon the “Raphael” rooms located on the second floor of the Vatican Palace. In 1509 through 1511, Raphael Sanzio from Urbino, a rock-star of painters at the…
Continue Reading Raphael’s “The School of Athens” – Fun facts and rivalries
Teresa Oaxaca — Contemporary American Artist who Paints with a Renaissance Twist
I am entranced by the American painter Teresa Oaxaca—not only by her paintings but also by the artist herself. At the age of 12, she discovered Leonardo da Vinci and by age 15 she decided to make art her career. Oaxaca, originally from Sacramento, California, studied in Florence, Italy, and now lives in the Washington…
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The Art of Beautiful TV: Medici 3
I just finished up watching the third season of The Medici — Masters of Florence that is now available on Netflix. To read the article in Italian click here: Spoiler alert: Lorenzo de’ Medici – il magnificodies at the age of forty-three, and his wife Clarice dies at the age of thirty-eight! All kidding aside,…
Spotlight on Georgy Kurasov – Contemporary, Colorful, Emotive Cubist Painter
Recently I came across the work of Georgy Kurasov and was drawn in by the fantastical colorful images, reminiscent of 1920’s cubism. So, first, I was surprised to learn Kurasov is a contemporary painter. And then, I was amazed to learn that as a young art student, Georgy’s teachers initially thought he had a total…
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Happy 568th Birthday Leo!
Today, April 15, 2020 Leonardo turns 568 years old! Buon compleanno, Maestro! One could wax on and on about the genius of Leonardo (and over the years many people have!) how he was an inventor, painter, sculptor, architect and military engineer. He was a gifted man with a curious mind. His intellect knew no bound.…
Art, Life, Marriage in time of Covaid-19
To read the original post in Italian click here! Despite the entire world being locked up in quarantine, and many routines and plans being postponed and canceled, my family finds a moment to celebrate a momentous event in our lives. Today my son is getting married. We are joining the celebration via Facebook Live Streaming.…
SmARTalec — Art Cartoons
Today, just for fun… let’s go a little art hysterical! It’s time for a little levity in Art. These days we could all use a good dose of laughter. Did you know that Art doesn’t have to be a dusty, recitation of intellectual facts? No, not at all! You can always find humor in Art!…
The author
Meet Melissa
Melissa Muldoon is an artist, illustrator, graphic designer, and the principal behind Matta Press. She is the author of “Dreaming Sophia” and “Waking Isabella,” and Eternally Artemisia She has also co-translated her second novel, “Waking Isabella,” into Italian — “Il risveglio di Isabella.”
Through books, blogs, videos, podcasts, social media, and programs to learn Italian in Italy, Melissa promotes the study of Italian language and culture.
