Susan Carlson Fabric Collage Dispatch: A Long Weekend in Italy

My fabric collage class in Citta della Pieve, the small town halfway between Rome and Florence, ended last Thursday night. I and my sister Heidi, who had accompanied me, caught a train the next morning to Florence.

By that afternoon we had dropped off our bags and were exploring the small bit of that historic city we had time to experience. Art, architecture, food—even the small taste we got will I’m sure create lasting memories.

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DISPATCH:
A message or report sent in haste, like a journalist’s report from a distant location.

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By Sunday we were in Venice, ensconced in our room with a canal view. By Monday, we were ready to escape the crowds so we ferried over to the little canal town of Burano, famous for its brightly painted houses. We ate, we walked, we gazed around, drank a toast to our Tante Lisa and were on our way north to Germany Tuesday morning.

I will be returning to teach at Strada Toscana in Citta delle Pieve next year in October of 2026. For more information about that upcoming adventure or to register, please visit this link.

And please return next week when I start sharing the glowing sun portraits la mia fantastica classe, and the moments we shared in una gloriosa settimana (week) in Italia.

Two Days in Florence

My class in Citta della Pieve ended on Thursday. Friday morning Heidi and I hit the tracks for a train to Florence (Firenze) with probably a bit too much luggage—even with the excuse of class materials and a few gifts for relatives. We learned where to do better next time, and received help when needed.

In Florence, Heidi signed us up for a foodie tour—a different kind of adventure that was set up to accommodated us vegetarians. The next day we sought out a trattoria we were introduced to the night before.

Our visit to Florence was perfect timing for a “once-in-a-lifetime” exhibit of the  Early Renaissance paintings of Fra’ Beato Angelico, a friar who lived in the early 1400’s. The photos above are samples of his work—decorative, bold color, gold leaf, flowing folds of fabric. This particular exhibit of artwork was collected from multiple museums and countries around the world and reassembled for the first time in hundreds of years. They will be on exhibit at both the Strozzi Palace and Museum on San Marco in Florence, until the end of January 2026.

On a Florence history tour we were introduced to this amazing courtyard in the Palazzo Vecchio—across the piazza (plaza) from our Airbnb. We visited it one more time to linger with our morning cappuccinos.

Built around one of the defensive towers erected during the Middle Ages, this courtyard was redesigned in 1470 with its intricate columns and frescoes—still there to see—even with a roof open to the elements. When looking closer, there are all sorts of fanciful creatures weaving in and out of the painted scenes.

Hercules (and  pigeons). At his feet lie the heads of his unfortunate foes. One of the many original statues from this plaza all created during the Renaissance of the 1400s and 1500s.

Two Days in Venice (and Burano!)

You know you’re in Venice (Venezia) when you receive the following message from your B&B:

 

Monday morning sunrise in the district of San Marco, Venice.

Monday mid-day heading to the nearby island of Burano. It is said that the brightly painted houses—which attracted Heidi and I to the island in the first place—were so the fishermen could pick out their home as they returned at the end of the day.

We wandered through Burano past sunset…

… and caught an evening vaperetto (water bus) to see Venice and San Marco Square from the water at night.

Alas, our time was too short…

On Tuesday morning, we caught a train heading north toward our family in Germany. As we passed through Austria, Heidi caught the moonrise over the Alps. It reminded us of the moonrise over Venice the evening before.