a true artistic prodigy

When I set out to conquer the world, no one ever told me that there were certain things I would just never be good at. One of these things happens to be drawing, and as it turns out, I’m taking an art class. I’ve frequented art galleries most of my life, I’ve interviewed renowned artists, hell, I’ve even had a few of my own masterpieces adorn the refrigerator of my beloved mother. But attempting to recreate some of the works of genius in Florentine museums in my sketchpad is just belittling. And I know that the sheepish grin I give my professor when he’s gazing over my shoulder at the utter disarray lying in my lap says it all. Not only have I regressed to the level of a two year old when it comes to my communication skills, but I’ve also lost ground when it comes to my proficiency level in a class…though when it came to drawing, did I ever really have it? Thankfully, as all young human beings need a guiding force, there is Fillipo Rossi there to hold my hand throughout the progression. Not to mention that art teachers are like this anyway, as we live in a society where everyone is special and subjectivity when it comes to art in a classroom just doesn’t exist.

So as I meandered the halls of Il Museo di Archeologico, searching for my two favorite artifacts to sketch, I imagined that I was one of the accomplished artists who were scattered throughout, copying down their own renditions. And finally I stumbled upon the thing I was to re-master. Did I choose a perfectly shapely, symmetrical Egyptian sarcophagus? Or even settle upon an endearingly simple scarab? No, no. Not I. I decided to tackle the roaring lion with a snake for a tail, which happened to be biting the head off of an antelope that reared out of said lion’s back. That’s right. I went big. I even gathered a small audience at certain points during my creative process – nosy tourists who were sorely disappointed to see the majestic creature botched before their very eyes. But that’s okay; I wasn’t worried about destroying their fantasy…I was fulfilling mine.

So there you have it. My first day of classes, and already I possess the cockiness of a five year old strolling into kindergarten (I was never one of those criers). Tomorrow I intend to take on the Duomo, and after that – who knows? Maybe even the entire Tuscan region itself. One step at a time, my friends. Baby steps.