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Art of Loving Italy

Art of Loving Italy

Art & Beauty are all around us.

Leonardo’s advice—Sketch everything you see

October 8, 2016 by Melissa Muldoon 1 Comment

sketch-books-florence-leonardo-advice-learn-draw-train-eye
Photo Credit: Art of Loving Italy, Adobe Stock

“Now…let me see, where do I start? Yes, well…naturally an artist must begin by carefully studying all the inconsequential things around them—horses, gears, muscles, cats, dogs, noses, fingers, and toes. Look closely. Let nothing escape your inquisitive eye.”

This is the advice Leonardo da Vinci gives to Sophia, the protagonist of “Dreaming Sophia” when she meets him in the novel Dreaming Sophia. He urges her to view her world with fresh eyes, slow her pace and capture everything thing she sees—from the soaring arc of the Duomo to the bronze door knocker of a medieval palace.

sketch-books-florence-leonardo-advice-learn-draw-train-eye
Photo Credit: Pinterest

Creativity has always been a part of my nature. I have always been fascinated by luscious colors, unusual textures and quirky details that catch my eye as I walk down the street, wander through a gallery or simply gaze out a bus window. Like Sophia in “Dreaming Sophia”, over the years I too have kept many many journals in which I capture the details of the world around me. When I lived in Italy as an art student, half the time I walked around with my head in the clouds, transfixed by the art and architecture all around me. When I found myself in front of a Caravaggio painting, a fountain sculpted by Bernini, or a Madonna cradling her son by Michelangelo, my fingers itched to capture the images. I couldn’t help myself. Reaching into my bag, like Sophia, I too inevitably drew out my sketchbook and set to work observing the details with quick strokes of my pen.

sketch-books-florence-leonardo-advice-learn-draw-train-eye
Photo Credit: Pinterest

Often times people looked over my shoulder, would sigh, and say, “I wish I was an artist. I wish I could draw too”. While it is true that artists are born with a natural inclination for drawing and rendering, to fully develop their creative talent it is important and necessary to draw daily, observing the world carefully in all its infinite detail. I think there is a bit of creativity in all of us and drawing is really just the mechanical part of being creative. Certainly, it is an eye-hand coordination skill. With time and patience, many can learn the technical aspect of drawing. It takes training, just as it takes training to learn to play a musical instrument.

sketch-books-florence-leonardo-advice-learn-draw-train-eye
Photo Credit: Pinterest

But, what makes a person truly an artist, is his ability to take the most mundane object and see great beauty where others see only ugliness. It is the connection the artist makes to his surroundings and his “openness” to see things others miss. It is his ability to appreciate how the late afternoon light sparkles and plays through the leaves of a tree, the purple tones of storm clouds, or the luminescence of a pearl necklace that adorns a woman’s neck. It is the artist’s eagerness and responsiveness to translate these details for others to see, helping to make our lives just a little more bearable and beautiful.

sketch-books-florence-leonardo-advice-learn-draw-train-eye
Photo Credit: Art of Loving Italy

 As I was writing Dreaming Sophia, I got the urge to dig under the bed and pull out a box that contained my Art History notebooks as well as my sketch pads. Just like Sophia, I too was inspired to sketch the tomb Michelangelo designed for the Medici princes. Take a peek into one of the sketchbooks I kept during my time in Florence…these are rapid sketches, quick renderings that capture a moment in time.

sketch-books-florence-leonardo-advice-learn-draw-train-eye
Photo Credit: Pietro Cataudella

Now take a peek into what I imagine would be Sophia’s very own sketchbook. 

It is a collection of other sketches by young artists in Florence I have found on Pinterest. To me, these renderings reflect very well Leonardo’s urgings to young artists: “sketch everything you see!”

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Filed Under: Renaissance Tagged With: Dreaming Sophia, Florence, Leonardo da Vinci, Melissa Muldoon, Sketch book

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My girls on mugs! Artemisia, Sophia, Sofonisba and My girls on mugs! Artemisia, Sophia, Sofonisba and Eleonora… the heroines of my four novels set in Italy.

Escape to Italy in the pages of a novel!

Melissa Muldoon is the author of four novels set in Italy: Dreaming Sophia, Waking Isabella, Eternally Artemisia, and The Secret Life of Sofonisba Anguissola. All four books tell the stories of women and their journeys of self-discovery to find love, uncover hidden truths, and follow their destinies to shape a better future for themselves. 

Available on Amazon in Print, Epub, and Audio. Links in bio.

5 Stars - Dianne Hales (author of La Bella Lingua, La Passione, and Mona Lisa-A Life Discovered): A true Renaissance woman, Melissa Muldoon weaves her passions for art and Italy into a stirring saga that sweeps across centuries. As her time-traveling heroine, Maddie reconnects with kindred souls, we meet Artemisia Gentileschi, the 17th–century artist who overcame rape and ignominy to gain respect and acclaim. Historical figures such as Galileo and Mussolini also come to life in this intricately plotted novel. Still, the women who defy all constraints to take control of their destinies are the ones who prove to be eternally fascinating. 
 
5 Stars - Lize Amazon Reader: What a lovely story! Melissa weaves the lives of 4 women across time, all with some connection to Artemisia Gentileschi, a 16th-century Italy painter. They represent the feminine strength that arises from life challenges, each with unique intelligence. Underlying their stories is the idea that love transcends all, even time; love is timeless. As with her other books, Melissa fills the story out with interesting facts and references to Italian life, culture, and its history; her attention to detail is immaculate. I loved the many connections in this story that tied it all together; very cleverly done. Wonderful read; I would highly recommend it.

#MelissaMuldoon #IndieAuthor #artemisiagentileschi #NovelsetinItaly
#Medici #Tuscany #Rome #Montepulciano #Florence #SofonisbaAnguissola #IsabellaMedici #Medici #ARezzo
Ciao! Sono Melissa, la studentessa Matta. Sono c Ciao! Sono Melissa, la studentessa Matta. 

Sono contenta che mi stia seguendo qui su Instagram!

I’m pleased you are following me on Instagram. I help you to learn Italian.

I organize, with my partner schools in Italy, small group language immersion programs in Arezzo, Lucca and Montepulciano.

For 10 or 12 days, you will study at the school at your level in the mornings and in the afternoons we will participate in activities and go on excursions— like make pasta, drink wine, talk to local artisans and see churches, museums, art —even the giostra del Saracino - the jousting festival if you join me in Arezzo.

Accommodations and most evening meals are all included AND you will have unlimited conversation practice and language learning when you meet my Italian friends and teachers from the schools who will accompany us.

The dates for 2023 Matta Italian Language Programs are

2023 Matta and Arezzo Italian Language Program: June 11 - 23

2023 Matta and Lucca Italian Language Program: August 24 - Sept 2
 
2023 Matta September Arezzo Joust Weekend: September 2 - 4, 2023 (Open to Italian learners and English speakers) 

2023 Matta and Montepulciano Italian Language Program: September 10 - 22

Join me in Italy 2023 and take your Italian language skills further.

More information and to sign up can be found on the StudentessaMatta.com website

Alla prossima! Ciao!

#learnItalian #ItalianImmersionPrograms #StudentessaMatta #Arrezzo #Montepulciano #Lucca #LuccaItalianSchool #LIS #Culture_Italiana_Arezzo #IlSasso #LearnInItaly#TravelItaly #tuscanylovers
Modi di dire con rospo, rana, ranocchio! Italian i Modi di dire con rospo, rana, ranocchio! Italian idiomatic expressions involving frogs and toads.

New post on the StudentessaMatta.com blog site.

Today I'm talking about lively idioms that practically jump up and down. These idiomatic expressions involve frogs and toads and will surely put a spring in your step and make you jump a level up. Want to sound like a native Italian speaker? Here is a chance to brush up on some Italian idioms involving our little web-footed friends.

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Image credit: AdobeStock
Out on the town with Ryan last night to see "Prett Out on the town with Ryan last night to see "Pretty Woman the Musical" at Bass Concert Hall in Austin. ( His Christmas gift to me this year!) We had so much fun! Began the evening with drinks at the Otopia rooftop bar to watch the sunset, then dinner at Acre 41. The show was fantastic, well staged, great singing — just a lot of fun to watch live theater again! #prettywomanthemusical #austintexas #bassconcerthall #theater
New on the Studentessa Matta Blog! Alessandra, It New on the Studentessa Matta Blog!

Alessandra, Italian teacher from Livorno, shares recipes for a successful homestay and a delectable dish

Alessandra, an Italian teacher from Livorno, shares recipes for a successful homestay and a delectable spaghetti dish made with artichokes and anchovies. 

In her guest post Alessandra tells us about Livorno and more about herself and her background. Alessandra has traveled extensively and made homestays in America so she knows what it’s like to be away from home and how important it is to find a warm and friendly environment that makes you feel comfortable as a family or among friends.

Find out more about the Italian Language Homestay opportunities offered on the StudentessaMatta.com website : See links in Bio.

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Addio a Gina Lollobrigida. Lo star del cinema ital Addio a Gina Lollobrigida. Lo star del cinema italiano è scomparsa. È successo ieri, Mercoledì 18 gennaio. La diva italiana aveva 95 anni. 

Più ricordata come un modello e attrice - una vera bomba, molto sexy e seducente, Gina Lollobrigida era una donna di talenti incredibili che comprendeva tutte le arti - cinema, fotografia e scultore. 

Leggi il nuovo post su StudentessaMatta.com

#studentessamatta #GinaLollobrigida #Lollo #ItalianCinema #ItalianFilmStar #attriceitaliana✨👑🎬🎥
Ieri sera ho ricevuto una dolce sorpresa. Una vici Ieri sera ho ricevuto una dolce sorpresa. Una vicina di casa ha fatto marmellata in casa e mi ha dato un vasetto! Oggi l'ho spalmata sul mio toast! Il gusto è veramente ottimo! Grazie Brianna!

#marmellata #vasetto #vincina #dolce #italiano

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