24.12.15
17.12.15
URBAN JUNGLE BLOGGERS 25 > PLANTY WISHES 2016
 |
| I love the pink spikes of this mammillaria, a few orchid leaves pop from its back an exemplar from dracena is on the right. |
I also love winter, the idea of snow covering soon the hills around house, the fireplace keeping us warm and many mini-breaks with hot tea and sweets. Snowflakes are pretty much a symbol for all this, to me. Their shape is more than wonderful too. That's why this year I decided to go for it, and decorate my home plenty of snowflakes.
I fixed to the wall (used blue tag, not damaging the surfaces) felt showflakes from a local garden center, and snow flakes I made with beads. Read more here about this diy.
Elsewhere in the house I used paper snowflakes like these ones here.
This is the last Urban Jungle Bloggers' appointment for 2015. It has been a Joy to be part of it and as always many thanks to Judith and Igor who initiated this series. I send you all my best planty wishes for 2016, with 2 of my favourite cacti. Did you encounter them various times before here right? I love to move them around, from room to room. I They often star in my pictures. I hope they don't mind too much; luckily they seem to be doing fine anyway.
Happy and green end of the year everyone!
|| |||| || ||| || ||| ||| || ||| ||| || ||| || ||| || ||| ||| || ||| ||||| || | | ||| ||| || |||| || ||| || ||| ||| || ||| ||| || ||| || ||| || ||| ||| || ||| ||||| || | | ||| |||
|| |||| || ||| || ||| ||| || ||| ||| || ||| || ||| || ||| ||| || ||| ||||| || | | ||| ||| || |||| || ||| || ||| ||| || ||| ||| || ||| || ||| || ||| ||| || ||| ||||| || | | ||| |||
27.11.15
ON THE IMPORTANCE OF MEMORIES
 |
*
I was invited to show in a personal exhibition my photographic project on memory. The work was previously included in two collective shows, but for this occasion I had the chance to expand it -something that kept me quite busy this month.
This exhibition is part of a series called Racconti fogofrafici al femminile -women's point of view in photography and arts, presented this year by the cultural association Felsina Factory. It is still on as we speak until 2nd of December, at the Cafè de la Paix-Bologna.
I am the second lady of three exhibiting. Before me Stefania Polidoro exhibited and Cristina Lovadina will follow. I will share about their work on another dedicated post.
To remember is very important to me. For this reason I write a diary since I was a child. If it were not for my diaries and the fact I can read today facts of my past written with my handwriting, I would not even be sure some things had happened.
It's like my memories of the past fluctuate in water, soundless and colourless.
In this project I explored this feeling.
I felt touched when I realised that this work did trigger deep emotions in many people who saw it. By looking at my pictures they felt somehow "emphatically" connected with my life but also immediately went back to their own memories and got in touch with their own past, which is a strong feeling I think.
I'd like to thank again Felsina Factory for giving me the chance to exhibit my work in a solo exhibition, the photographer Simone Martinetto who coached this project from the beginning, MrT who is always supportive of my work, all the friends and people who came to visit the show.
If you want to see/read more about this project read here, here and here.
{credits and acknowledgements}
*exhibition poster designed by Cristina Lovadina.
*exhibition poster designed by Cristina Lovadina.
The blue photographic composition in pict 4 also by her.
|||
5.11.15
URBANJUGLEBLOGGERS 23 > PLANTSHELFIE II
Here we are with the new topic, Urban Jungle Bloggers will show a new #plantshelfie in November. If you follow this group, you might remember another #plantshelfie previously posted. It was one of the most liked by everyone, so Igor and Judith -who started this series- decided to give it a second round to see what has happened in the meantime.
Well... my plants have grown, where moved around, I have added new props to the compositions: it's a playful world. I am sharing here two shelves in the bathroom, a different place from my previous one { you find it here by the way }.
I decided it when I saw my pots in the warm glow of the day just started. The light is quite magic there early in the morning when the sun is rising in front of the window.
++ natural soap bars by SoloNatura Biocosmetic boutique
++ raku ceramics with gems by myself
|| |||| || ||| || ||| ||| || ||| ||| || ||| || ||| || ||| ||| || ||| ||||| || | | ||| ||| || |||| || ||| || ||| ||| || ||| ||| || ||| || ||| || ||| ||| || ||| ||||| || | | ||| |||
|| |||| || ||| || ||| ||| || ||| ||| || ||| || ||| || ||| ||| || ||| ||||| || | | ||| ||| || |||| || ||| || ||| ||| || ||| ||| || ||| || ||| || ||| ||| || ||| ||||| || | | ||| |||
31.10.15
LIFE-CHANGING POWER OF TIDYING UP
I came across a book some of you might have heard of already: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of decluttering and organising by Marie Kondo.
I believe we don't find things by coincidence -even though it was introduced by dear friends- I like to think book did actually find me. Maybe simply because for me the right time has come to declutter my closets and most importantly my life.
I have the soul of a collector and as such I am not very good at disposing of my things. Making decisions purely based on objects' functional value is not easy for me. Nevertheless I want to live in a place where I don't feel suffocated by things anymore.
Marie Kondo's book has taught me that I should only keep what truly makes me happy, happy now not happy yesterday. Some things can still be meaningful after years, but other things fulfilled their purpose already so they must be send off.
Well, I decided to give it a go and follow the Konmari method.
1. start by discarding
2. do everything thoroughly, completely and in one go
3. only afterwords you can start organising your things and give each item its proper space
Kondo suggests to procede following a specific order when deciding what to keep and what to send off -items should be grouped in categories. First clothes, then books and so on.
This way by the time we get to the most difficult category -the sentimental items- we have developed better judgement skills in understanding what we really need.
This is what I have been doing in the past 5 days. I started with the content of my wardrobe. Layed out all together in one go my clothes in front of me, touched each of them one by one and asked myself if I really need it, why I like it if I still do, why I do not use it anymore if I don't.
And slowly, unbelievably, not always smoothly ... it happened. Well, there are various reason why we do keep more things that we need. It's important to understand those reasons in order to let the unnecessary go. Thank the thing we discard for what they did for us and let them peacefully go.
Ok, I have just started. The road seems a long long one -the process can last as long as 6 months sometimes Kondo says- but I am determined to complete it.
Will this change me? I think it already has, a little. In facts we do not only declutter our belongings, but our life as well. The big lesson I am learning here, I suppose, is to get rid of the past in order to embrace the future.
After all, can we all think of anything better than being surrounded just by the things we love, the things we really need and that still spark joy?
If you are not particularly attached to things, probably you posses the right amount of clothes, objects and maybe this book is not for you. If you, like me, are a little lazy, like to collect things, feel the objects you collected over the years are part of yourself and have a piece of your soul... well, this book is for you, believe me!
I definitely recommend it. It contains also practical advice on how to fold things (oh soooo clever believe me!), how to divide them and organise them in your home.
If you have read it I'd like to know what you think. Did it work for you? Was it inspiring?
Or maybe I inspired someone by sharing my experience here? Let me know.
ooo
21.10.15
VERDE, MOLTO VERDE, VERDISSIMO
My 6 years old child joined a summer camp for young kids organised by mamBO -Bologna's Museum of Modern Arts.
Starting from its title Verde, molto verde, verdissimo, this course program did immediately appeal to me: activities were centred around the idea of letting children experiencing nature in relation to art. A great combination, if you ask me.
All new experiences can be a little scary at first but I thought this one could be a good transition to the huge life change awaiting: the first day of elementary school.
Also, meeting new kids, making new friends, getting to know new teachers was a good preparation for Primary School.
The children discovered the work of various artists, searched for labyrinths in old gardens in a wonderful location such as Villa delle Rose, that is part of Mambo museum actually.
Totally immersed in nature and guided by a group of professionals from the Educational Department, they produced a variety of artefacts as well. All activities were organised for the children to play together, be engaged in projects with direct participation and be creative. At the end of the week, Erik took home some interesting things.
This cute little drake for instance was born from a workshop on camouflage and now is hanging in Erik's room.
From the beautiful illustrated book Linnea in Monet's Garden kids got to learn about the wonderful world of Monet and made each a personal version of his garden. Using colours on paper and object found in the park.
I love my boy's bridge on top of a circular garden full of flowers. Absolutely lovely work by the other kids as well I think. Always interesting to see all different interpretations based on the same subject.
the work done in the park was truly impressive.
A beautiful tree assembled using simple white paper was laid on the ground, where che children could glue coloured leaves made by themselves and interesting thoughts about nature they prepared beforehand.
In the background stood a circle of blackboards with paintings they did en plain air after talking about Monet, his painting and the Impressionism.
This was Erik's first attempt at painting with a real painter palet, observing things from reality. This is the tree he painted. It's now proudly hanging on the living room walls at home.
Overall I really recommend this course organised by the Mambo's Educational Department.
Children started each day by relaxing in the park, observing nature and play. Sometimes illustrated stories were suggestions for personal and creative elaborations. Other times just observing while wandering in the park did the trick.
If you have children, try to have a look at your local museum to see if they organise things like that or even a day workshop to be involved in art in a fun way. Good for both adults and kids.
If you live near Bologna, check out Mambo's site.
The course included:
Sensible Explorations - workshop dedicated to Canadian conceptual artist Keri Smith author of several books and apps about creativity.
Camouflage -workshop finalised to the creation of personal stories using as a starting point the idea of mimetic in nature
Natural Shelters -activity ispired by the work of Mario Mertz and his primordial shelters
Artist Gardens -dedicated to Claude Monet
En Plein Air -activity dedicated to Impressionism.
Well done everyone.
ooo
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
