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I’m still organizing photos from our trip to Italy in March. Here are some noteworthy photos from Florence.

Florence is a very beautiful city and not that big. There’s no public transportation, which is no problem. It’s fun to walk and view!

Florence is known for it’s duomo (cathedral) with it’s amazing domed roof. It was the first of its type and was later copied for St. Peter’s Basillica, in the Vatican. However, it’s really hard to get a good shot since the duomo is surrounded by streets and buildings.

This is my best shot showing the front. However, it’s mostly hidden by a separate church building in the foreground. Both structures are built from white and green marble. The dome is brick.

The smaller building is octagonal and has impressive doors. This is the east facing door during a moment of sunshine. Yes, it’s gold.

This shows some of the ABUNDANT sculptural details all over the duomo.

And here’s the “view” from the back.

As an aside, we found THE BEST gelatto at a gellatoria around the corner. (Recommended in the Rick Steves guide book.) We got pistachio, our first time to try it. It was so good we got right back in line and shared another cone. We recommend it!

Off to see some art. First, we went to Academia, which housed an abundance of amazing statues. Of course, we saw David, by Michelangelo, which did not disappoint.

It’s 12′ tall and is mounted above head height, which made for great viewing. There’s room on all sides, so you can move around it to study it.  Our tour guide said it depicts David before he killed Goliath, which explains his steely gaze. He seems to be sizing up the situation.

And he still has his stones in his right hand.

Nearby were incomplete works, showing Michelangelo’s technique. (Yes, he chiseled them.)

Later, we went to Ufizzi, which housed mostly paintings. The best ones were very crowded with all of us tourists trying to get a photo. Here’s my best attempt at The Birth of Venus, by Boticelli.

Time for pizza. And gelatto, of course!

Ellen Lindner
P.S. Check out our fun pasta making class in Florence.

I’ve finished my latest quilt, I’ll Bring the Kiwi.

I’ll Bring the Kiwi

I especially like the hand embroidery I added.

Another detail shot

The artist statement says:
It’s a gorgeous day for a picnic. You bring the cherries and I’ll bring the kiwi.

This piece is made completely with fabrics I printed and dyed myself.

It’s a little smaller than most of my recent work. This in-situ photo gives you an idea of how it might look in an interior space.

At 31”h x 28”w it’s priced at $395. I hope you like it!

Ellen Lindner

My quilt, Mr. and Mrs., is finally complete.

Mr. and Mrs.

Here’s a detail shot.

This quilt is about my parents. There were married 66 years. My dad was a hard-working farmer and my mom did the book work and cared for four children. Although not prone to romantic gestures, they were devoted to one another. Their complementary roles resulted in a thriving family and a prosperous business.

I printed all the fabric (with thickened dye.) I pieced the background like a complex Tetris game. That took a LONG time, but I’m very happy with it. And with the whole quilt.

This quilt is available for purchase. I think it would look really great in someone’s home!
43.5”h x 42”w, $1900

Ellen Lindner

Maybe you’re familiar with the fiber art of Jill Kerttula. She’s known for her realistic scenes and rich textural techniques. I recently got to meet up with her to see her exhibit in Charlottesville, VA.

We were greeted by this fabulous piece, Crowd of Strangers. And that’s Jill standing with it.

Most of the pavement in the piece above is actually woven to create texture. The whole piece really deserved study.

As you can tell, Jill is a people watcher. She showed us her sketchbook that she carries with her at all times. She uses it to sketch people in everyday situations, such as riding a bus or waiting in line.

Jill is also an extremely talented photographer with a keen eye for composition. She often photographs everyday events and uses them as inspiration for fiber art or paintings. For this exhibit, it was mostly the latter. I just love these!

Ciggy Break

Summer Reading

Dance Lessons

Fresh Daily

Aren’t they great? They’re very much in the “slice of life” genre and I really enjoyed seeing them.

Jill’s exhibit has now closed, but you can see all the pieces on her website. I encourage you to take a look.

Thanks for the tour, Jill!

Ellen Lindner