Ms. Katie Cole
Florence, Italy Summer 2008
During the summer of 2008, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Florence, THE capital of Renaissance art, and gained so many great qualities from the experience.
Becoming a part of a diverse country, such as that of Italy, has made me more aware and eager to share diversity and culture with my students. We each have a story; each town/city has many stories; and each piece of artwork big or small tells a story. My goal is to show students that these stories exist, have them react, and ultimately express their own stories, emotions, and beliefs.
Exposing students to the beauty of their own culture and exploring the beauty of other cultures outside of their own is a big part of why I am an artist-teacher. Throughout the photos I have taken, the experiences I have recorded, and the artwork I have created, I feel capable and excited to bring a little bit of Italy into the classroom to share with my students.
Churches of Florence
Duomo In Florence.
San Miniato, foothills of Florence
These were my first two encounters with churches in Italy. The Duomo is HUGE, it has ornate details throughout and overwhelms you upon looking at it. San Miniato on the other hand is much smaller. It is quiet and peaceful outside of the city limits. I spent a lot of time sketching in the beautiful cemetary at this church.
Sunsets on the Arno
Every evening we would travel to one of the many bridges over the Arno in Florence to watch the sunset. They varied greatly as seen in these images.
Some Cities I visited:
Rome, Venice, Sienna, Pisa, Lucca, Cinque Terre
My favorite city that I visited would be Venice. It gets quite a bad reputation but I found it exquisite. The three small islands that are close to Venice were a real treat. They each specialize in one art trade. I visited the glass island and the lace Island. All of the people that live on the island work in the glass or lace industry by making art or owning little shops.
