"The law of the past cannot be eluded, The law of the present and future cannot be eluded, The law of the living cannot be eluded—it is eternal..." - Walt Whitman, To Think of Time As Walt Whitman in the 19th century, I am a wanderer. A discoverer. A watcher. I note the details of the world, and I am inspired by them. Like him, I am an optimist. Like him, I am bound by the time in which I live, and my own prejudices. Travel, whether around the world or in one's own city, helps break down those prejudices- but in some cases, it can reinforce them. Lucky for me, I had little time to think about my prejudices as I was immersed in an experience so intense that I barely had time to make art in th
I am home again in Buffalo, and it is surreal. During my stay in Europe, I gained a lot of insight about myself, my work, and the mix of cultures I come from. I am forever changed; that's for certain. These vistas and experiences will stay with me for the rest of my life. Sleeping on the couches and guest beds of friends and family, I witnessed their lives, patterns, communication styles, and work relationships. I gained understanding about what is important to them, what motivates them. In many ways, it is the same as people back here. However, there are some major differences. No matter whether you work in a co-working space, or as a housewife, life is slower in Italy. People take conversa
Norma, my ancestral hometown in the Italian province of Lazio, is anything but normale. It is an ancient hill town- where the NEWER part of town was built in the 12th century! Where my many cousins speak Italian, and a specialized Romanese dialect. Where an evening passiegata turns into a family reunion every night. I grew up in a very small town, but this paese piccolo is very different. First, as in all of Italy, everyone takes a stroll in the evening and eats dinner late. They love to socialize and prende un caffe quickly, but linger on the street. Cars are not king, but they are plenty. There is not a single smooth surface on the street- be it brick, stone or pavement. The food is ALL lo
