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“Creativity takes courage.” — Henri Matisse

Where would we be without Art?

Art adds richness to our lives.
Without “Art” The EARTH would be just “EH.”

Welcome to “The Art of Loving Italy,” your gateway to exploring the rich tapestry of Italy’s art and artists, from ancient times to contemporary masterpieces. But Art is more than a collection of creative works; it is a universal language that speaks to our souls, revealing unusual beauty, inspiring stories, and astounding creativity.

Did you know art will actually talk to you if you are open and stop to listen?

Engaging with art allows us to uncover new truths about ourselves and the world around us. It challenges us to look beyond the surface, offering profound insights and igniting our imaginations. Through art, we gain a deeper understanding of our identities and surroundings.

When we take the time to truly observe, we discover beauty everywhere.

Artists create subjective interpretations of the world through painting, sculpture, literature, or music rather than literal reproductions. By manipulating colors, shapes, words, and sounds, they evoke emotions, convey ideas, and tell stories. This freedom to express ideas is beautiful, reminding us that beauty is everywhere if we take the time to see it.

Let’s open our eyes (and ears) to what art has to say.
It will be a fascinating conversation!

Latest from the Art of Loving Italy Blog

20th Century, Contemporary | Modern, 18th, 19th, Contemporary

Spotlight on French painter Thomas Saliot

The other day surfing the internet, I came across the work of Thomas Saliot and found it extremely intriguing. Born in Paris in 1968, Saliot is a prolific artist who characterizes his style as “mildly modernized Pop art.” Saliot works on large canvases, using oil paint. The images which he draws freehand he finds on…

20th Century, Contemporary | Modern, 18th, 19th, Contemporary

The amazing world of Massimo Balestrini

It is a pleasure to introduce you to a very good friend of mine—Massimo Balestrini and share with you his art! Massimo Balestrini was born in Milan at the end of the ’60s and after his art studies in high school he graduated in Computer Science from the State University of Milan and shortly there…

Renaissance

Raphael’s “The School of Athens” – Fun facts and rivalries

If you have been to the Vatican museums and wandered through the halls taking in the vast assortment of art and sculpture, then surely you have also happened upon the “Raphael” rooms located on the second floor of the Vatican Palace. In 1509 through 1511, Raphael Sanzio from Urbino, a rock-star of painters at the…

20th Century, Contemporary | Renaissance

Teresa Oaxaca — Contemporary American Artist who Paints with a Renaissance Twist

I am entranced by the American painter Teresa Oaxaca—not only by her paintings but also by the artist herself. At the age of 12, she discovered Leonardo da Vinci and by age 15 she decided to make art her career. Oaxaca, originally from Sacramento, California, studied in Florence, Italy, and now lives in the Washington…

Film, Theater

The Art of Beautiful TV: Medici 3

I just finished up watching the third season of The Medici — Masters of Florence that is now available on Netflix. To read the article in Italian click here: Spoiler alert: Lorenzo de’ Medici – il magnificodies at the age of forty-three, and his wife Clarice dies at the age of thirty-eight! All kidding aside,…

Modern, 18th, 19th, Contemporary

Spotlight on Georgy Kurasov: Contemporary, Colorful, Emotive Cubist Painter

Recently I came across the work of Georgy Kurasov and was drawn in by the fantastical colorful images, reminiscent of 1920’s cubism. So, first, I was surprised to learn Kurasov is a contemporary painter. And then, I was amazed to learn that as a young art student, Georgy’s teachers initially thought he had a total…

Meet Melissa

Welcome to “The Art of Loving Italy,” a vibrant blog site created by Melissa Muldoon—an artist, illustrator, graphic designer, author, and art historian. Here, Melissa shares her profound passion for Italy and its rich artistic heritage.

Additionally, Melissa promotes the study of Italian through her educational website, “StudentessaMatta.com.” As an acclaimed author, Melissa has written four novels set in Italy, weaving the stories of remarkable Italian female artists such as Artemisia Gentileschi and Sofonisba Anguissola