Adapting to Florence

I have been living here a the Monastero di Santa Marta on the outskirts of Florence for a little over a month now, and I might say that the initial shock of being in a new country has worn off enough that I have settled into a routine.

On a normal day, I get up around 7:30/8, sit down with breakfast and a little something to study or read, then I hop on the bicycle that I dragged up the hill the day before and fly down at an astonishing speed (a moment I truly enjoy) into the city below, where it’s a matter of what will I collide with first: a car, a tram, a motorcycle, a bus, another bicycle, or a careless pedestrian, until I arrive safely at our charming school situated in the beautiful Cascine park by the Arno. The rest of the morning is spent under the attentive eye of our Italian painting instructor, Sofia, who advises us based on our individual skill levels and insists that we take frequent breaks. I do not complain.

The coffee machine is a regular part of my day. You push a button and it serves up little cappuccinos and macchiatos and hot chocolates into a tiny cup with a little stirring stick. Where can I find these machines in the US?

Then it’s back to painting as I mix colors on my palette, trying to find the right shade (they don’t tell you that so much of painting is just searching for the right color on your palette, but I’ve certainly found this to be the case!). My instructor tells me when I need more contrast, smoother blend, warmer or colder transition tones, less precision, more quantity of paint, an open brush, etc. etc. I have been learning a lot!

Lunch is spent with my fellow students, who span a wide range of ages, backgrounds, and languages. One connection we all share is the decision to invest in a craft that has become quite misunderstood and neglected over the centuries: the production of sacred art. Not everyone has the same vision for their artwork, of course, but the love for beauty is certainly there, and each person at the school takes their art seriously.

The location of the school is quite intentional, as it daily puts before our eyes a reminder of a time when production of sacred art was one of the most powerful driving forces in western civilization. Popes and princes poured their wealth into the beautification of churches and the patronage of artists to such an extent that a current of artistic excellence arose, powerful enough to produce works of unimaginable magnificence. This truth is evident the instant you set eyes on the Duomo in Florence.

And now back to my routine 🙂 … as I finish up for the day at school (which is usually around 6pm), I wash my brushes (a tedious process) and normally ride back to the monastery, where I will mostly likely find a friendly Italian, German, Afghan, Moroccan, French, or American face to welcome me.

I have always enjoyed novelty, and I have been given a large serving of it lately… yet how can I possibly process such a complete shift of worlds? The people, the languages, the landscape, the architecture, the food, the kitchen appliances, the bathrooms – all sensational and different!

Leaving behind the “comforts of home” has also given me a new awareness of what my bare essentials look like… butter, olive oil, coffee, and milk. Daily prayer, too (and more importantly), is a necessary part of my diet. I am sincerely in love with the activities that fill up my day, and while its true that the numbers in my bank account are getting smaller, I am choosing to see this time as the reward of much waiting, working, and dreaming I have done over the recent years, and hopefully a doorway into a richer and more purpose-filled life!