Postscript... La Macina di San Cresci Residency
Having been successful in my application to attend the La Macina di San Cresci residency, my family and I traveled to the beautiful and historic town of Greve in Chianti, 50 km south of Florence, last year to spend a month at this artistic oasis.
Steeped in history, the residency is set within the grounds of San Cresci, the oldest standing church in Florence. Some of the earliest recorded history dates back to the 10th century, when pilgrims traveling to Rome would stay at the church and leave their valued possessions there for safekeeping until their return.
La Macina means the millstone in Italian, and deep in the villa’s lower levels, you can still find the original olive press once used by monks. The site’s history extends into modern times as well—French philosopher Guy Debord lived there as a child.
Today, the estate (still owned by the Catholic Church) has been lovingly restored by its current tenants. Architect Demetria (Mimma) Verduci and world-renowned light sculptor Professor Duccio Trassinelli have transformed the space, opening it up as a residency for international artists about 15 years ago. At any given time, the estate accommodates up to five artists across various disciplines. During our stay, we shared the facilities with three other artists: a choreographer, a visual artist, and another graphic designer/visual artist, all from the USA.
We were incredibly fortunate to find a residency in the heart of Tuscany—just 40 minutes from Florence, surrounded by the rolling hills of the Chianti region, renowned for its wine and olive groves. Our apartment had breathtaking views over Chianti, and I had access to a fully equipped studio with 24/7 facilities. The entire experience was truly unique and special.
The courtyard at La Macina Di San Cresci
In Season: A Residency Project
During my time at the residency, I developed a self-directed project inspired by the local produce and ceramics of the Chianti area. Italy is famous for its relaxed lifestyle and abundance of fresh, seasonal food, and I was particularly drawn to the weekly village markets, where we bought fresh fruit and vegetables from local growers. The produce was visually stunning and delicious, and this, combined with our evening communal meals shared with fellow artists and our hosts, became the foundation of my project—In Season.
Our hosts, Mimma and Duccio, were incredibly welcoming. Many nights were spent in their beautiful garden, speaking a mix of broken English and Italian, enjoying delicious food, and drinking local wine with the other resident artists. I came to understand that an intrinsic part of Italian culture is the communal sharing of food—mealtimes are a celebration of the day’s events and a way of bringing people together.
Focusing on local, seasonal produce, I began with preliminary sketches, which I later developed into larger drawings, emphasizing the importance of the subject matter. Georgia O’Keeffe once wrote:
“I decided that if I could paint that flower in a huge scale, you could not ignore its beauty.”
Similarly, I wanted my drawings to highlight the vibrancy and significance of seasonal eating. Living on a vineyard in the Hunter Valley, where we grow our own vegetables and fruit, I’m deeply aware of how eating seasonally sourced food directly impacts health and well-being.
Materials & Process
All drawings created during the residency—and later in Australia—are done in watercolor, charcoal, pastel, and conté on Fabriano paper. I specifically chose Fabriano, an Italian-made, high-quality paper with a 300gsm weight, allowing it to withstand vigorous treatment. Its cold-pressed, textured surface is something I love working with, as it lends itself to frottage (texture rubbing) techniques in my drawings.
While in Italy, I took my work beyond the studio, bringing it to the floor of San Cresci church itself. It was an incredible experience to create site-specific work, reflecting on the thousands of pilgrims who had walked those very stones over the last 1,000 years. The church still bears remnants of Renaissance frescoes on its ceilings, adding to its historic atmosphere.
Continuing the Journey
The exhibition "In Season" will be shown at Muswellbrook Regional Art Centre in June 2015.
Yours in art,
Bec xx
