Soleggiato e Freddo ..... il tempo per un lavoro

We are off to a slow start today.  It is beautiful outside, but a bit on the cold and windy side, so we are hanging around in the studio for a while.  I thought it would be good to post a few of our ongoing "studio" activities......to at least offer evidence that we are doing more than eating gelato, drinking amazing coffee and consuming evening beverages!  

We have to admit that there is a wonderful variation in pace during the course of a day that is quite refreshing.  The level of physical activity, particularly walking, has been wonderful......as has the requisite siesta to recover.  For fun, we have been keeping track of our daily exercise pace.  Probably modest to some, this pace is pushing our bones and muscles a bit......and the belt line is starting to shrink!

The chart below shows where we are after day 20 of our trip........67 miles of walking! 

That being said and documented, a few of us decided to go out to lunch today.  We love the food at the Foundation, but we had an urge to drift into town and have a pizza.  The effort was a bit misguided as the few ristorante that are in Bogliasco do not start their pizza ovens until the evening.  We found a fun place, however, and had a great discussion with the owner.  We will go back again for pizza in the evening!

Andrea, Ilona, Robin and Marian
Ilona and her husband, Marian are from Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia
Robin is currently teaching at Yale/National University of Singapore

One of the nicest parts of this experience is being able to spend more time together in a  more relaxed environment........occasionally an adjustment, but always an opportunity to understand each other better. Sharing this special experience has allowed us to move back and forth across boundaries that we don't always fully recognize or appreciate.  It is nice to have the day to day routines of Wayland life removed for a while!

We are also showing some of our recent illustrations.  These work efforts somewhat parallel several other activities which include photographic documentation of three 'essays' related to a common theme-

SHARED SPACE

1.   Cultivation and Natural Order 
      (a study of the interaction between landscape & built forms)

2.   Layered Revelations of Time 
      (a documentation of balance between surface stability and erosion)

3.   Facade Coverings 
      (an essay illustrating 'hanging laundry')

Each of these activities is part of the thematic exploration of my work through new perspectives.  The focus of my thesis remains on sustainable buildings and landscapes, but the focus has shifted to a more personal evaluation of the investigative processes that are underlying much of my design work.  The hope is that this type of exploration will allow me to expand on some strategies which may be more broad in their application.  

In any case, the discovery process is at the heart of the effort.......and the self-reflection is something that the fellowship time allows for.......such a luxury!  

There will be more explanation as ideas become more defined, so the development to date is intentionally random and somewhat unguided.  The painting and sketching helps to set directions and stimulate ideas.  The iterative process has been both frustrating and stimulating.......good days, and not so productive days.  Again, what a luxury! The ability to withdraw and explore through trial and error is refreshing.  The answers are not supposed to always be right.  The mistakes are as helpful as the innovations......

Some of the painting and sketching shown before in earlier blog posts was an indication of what has captivated us about our trip.  The strongest influence has clearly been the drama of the landscape.  The topography and the interaction between the landforms of the coast line and the sea are inescapable factors that effect our daily routine and our sense of belonging to this place.  

This convergence and interplay of  built forms and landscape are extraordinary.......hence the developing theme of 'SHARED SPACE.'  The attempt is to understand some of the underlying forces and patterns behind this energy.  Most of what we are investigating has started with the immediate surroundings of the Foundation Study Center and gardens.......which mandates an understanding of the presence of the phenomenal umbrella pines, the rocky coast and the long-distance views of water and sky. 

The selected images here show a prodding beyond the figural solutions of representation......not to paint just what we see, but what we are feeling.  This abstraction is intentional as a way to extract very selective themes and patterns. I think of this as moving through abstract layers of transitional boundaries......some linear, some spatial and some through patterns of both.

I am hoping to organize this exploration into an idea which I am calling the "Ecology of Relationships.".......still grasping to figure out where this goes........apologies in advance for the vagueness.......work in progress!

We feel like we are still at the beginning!

Andi has a more delicate touch (you can tell which are hers?).......I am jealous!