tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196809992012-02-08T17:22:56.102-08:00Paintings Below Zero in ItalyThe adventures of artist & crew creating "Pitture Sotto Zero", a unique installation of panitings in ice at Fortezza di Fenestrelle for the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin. Artist Gordon Halloran was Canada's only official representative to the Cultural Olympiad there.Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.comBlogger661100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1165196138654793912006-12-03T17:28:00.000-08:002012-02-08T17:22:56.131-08:00The blink of an eyelid and it’s dinnertime. A year later! The Turin Olympics are over, we've been home for the summer and now we’re heading out again. To Niagara-on-the-Lake and Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto.To create ephemeral paintings in ice designed by Gord Halloran, the maestro of sparkling abstract Below Zero colour.We continue the story with a new Ontario blog. Go to Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1141238545054125362006-03-01T10:38:00.000-08:002012-02-08T17:19:09.008-08:00I’m back home. The project is finished. Family members arrived and we walked the lighted streets of Torino together. The Olympic flame has been passed to its next host. We've fulfilled our obligations, achieved what we attempted. Home, where I can eat the foods that nourish me and be in the company of friends who love me, feel the fabrics and materials I am familiar with, touch my cats, speak Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1140605279046940192006-02-22T02:46:00.000-08:002006-02-22T02:47:59.076-08:00I have been slammed with a strong neck pain. Can't move for now. I'll be back on line when I can...Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1140387512946451502006-02-19T13:46:00.002-08:002006-03-01T21:09:29.296-08:00Just the other day, the last day we made the l.5 hour trek up to the Fortezza, during the l.5 hour trek back Gord said, “No more media. We’re closing down the show. That’s it, it’s the end.” He was tired, he was driving and he was fed up. He hadn’t had a day of rest since after Christmas; and the weather was warm, nothing to be done about the paintings against the walls, they were, simply, Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1140287646795875772006-02-18T09:31:00.000-08:002006-02-18T10:53:26.763-08:00To the fortezza yesterday. Met Hiroshi Kobasyashi, curling commentator for Japanese television, and his Italian translator, Isabella Guarino. The 'mostra' is still magnificent.And then we found ourselves at Palazzo Cavour, Canada Place, where you need a Canadian passport - and a recommendation - to get in. A place for Canadians. Not the big log house made to attract business to BC and attention Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1140124700906206252006-02-16T13:01:00.002-08:002006-07-01T06:06:25.590-07:00Feb 16, 2006 - 10 PMCheck it out! http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/olympics/2006/writers/02/15/olympic.blog.6/index.htmlThe Sports Illustrated guys came through! The article is called: "Taking it to the Streets, Defending national pride in a game of ball hockey." A play-by-play on THEIR "The Olympic Blog" for Wednesday, Feb 15th, 10:41 local, Day Six. Go there! The writer's name is Richard Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1140082284834508022006-02-16T00:53:00.000-08:002006-02-16T12:50:13.046-08:00Everyone's wearing Canada red. Finally we had the day to ourselves and then Jeff materialized from his travels to collect his bags. We walked the streets of Citta di Torino, thick with mobs of people to BC Canada House to maintain the Vancouver 2010 logo. The Canadian Curling team sat round the fireplace and Jeff snapped a shot. Here are Shannon Kleibrink and Amy Nixon, who gave me a wrist band Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1139942695100882592006-02-14T18:20:00.001-08:002006-02-16T00:36:10.800-08:00How things change in a day. My webmistress (whom I have yet to introduce and thank on this blog) has bought a restaurant in Gibsons! My soccer team, the Wild, has won its first game! A beloved member of our artistic community in Roberts Creek is gravely ill. The cubs have gone to Venice. Our last man on the crew, Patrick, is sick enough today to finally call a doctor. One bank of lights are out Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1139745655694565182006-02-12T13:00:00.000-08:002006-02-16T00:51:00.143-08:00What a day yesterday! For Canada, the first gold medal of the games. For us, an interview for The Discovery Channel at the fortezza and after, the opening of “The King’s Door” a beautifully restored building below the church. Hundreds of guests and an orchestra filled the large stone building with a wonderful sense of drama; Ashleigh in full Scottish regalia and Alessandra dressed in an heirloom Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1139738814289568722006-02-11T14:30:00.000-08:002006-02-12T11:11:44.473-08:00Couldn’t get Vicki Gabereau to come up to the forte today, but we got her son, Morgan. At the last minute, Discovery Channel decided to do a piece about the technological aspects of making ice paintings, and they didn’t have a local camera person. Vicki felt bad; she had been so excited about doing a piece on Pitture Sotto Zero; she was going to accompany Minister Illich on her visit, but someoneCaitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1139567049536227462006-02-10T11:20:00.000-08:002006-02-12T01:03:37.403-08:002006 Olympic Winter Games Opening Day! Gord up at 6:30 AM to Fenestrelle to prepare the exhibit for the visit: British Columbia's Minister of Art, Culture and Sport, Olga Illish at 11:30. JC and Erik, helping out. Yves Pepin, from the Canadian embassy in Rome, met them at 9 AM at BC Canada House to go up with the entourage. Beautiful, sunny day!Last night a snarl of traffic to get to a very hip Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1139481554299564822006-02-09T11:25:00.002-08:002006-02-09T07:17:56.806-08:00Vancouver 2010 LOGO in ice! Here we are, after the unveiling of the logo Gord made in ice for BC Canada House. Here's what's left of our team: Erik, Patrick, Gord, Gabriella Massa, Caitlin and JC. It's getting pretty exciting, as the games are almost here. Today we saw the Olympic flame in the streets! People lined the sidewalks with red "Passion lives here" flags, and the entourage was fronted Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1139296625687752812006-02-07T07:05:00.000-08:002006-02-07T11:11:19.176-08:00Up early, wondering where the cell phone is. Drove with Gord to Ital Design first thing yesterday to meet with Giugiaro. Franco Bay, their PR guy who speaks very good English, met us in their mirrored offices. Sitting in a square room looking out onto a Japanese garden, on quintessential Italian design couches, Giugiaro spoke Italian and Franco translated. We talked about art and design and all Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1139154130491568322006-02-05T16:33:00.000-08:002006-02-06T22:48:59.866-08:00Gord, Patrick & Erik in the mountains today, pouring the Vancouver 2010 logo painting, maintaining the exhibit at the church. It's been warm this past week and the paintings are frosting. Gord just called from BC Canada House, now he's there with the logo; the city is a zoo - people everywhere, in the streets, traffic - pazzi! It's Sunday, 600 people came to see the exhibit at the Fortezza todayCaitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1139151993155107822006-02-04T17:32:00.000-08:002006-02-05T07:30:21.496-08:00The Olympic flame arrived in Fenestrelle today, and went around the plaza outside the church at the fortezza. We spent Saturday in the citta. Evidence of the Big Day is everywhere. Giant orange boxes with grissini-like sticks have popped up on Via Girabaldi, happy decorations from the city of Torino, and we passed the opening brou-ha-ha of the subway line. The streets are filled with people. All Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1138967055263412042006-02-03T03:38:00.000-08:002006-02-05T07:47:35.180-08:00Almost noon. Trying to be philosophical, otherwise, what is the point? But today nothing comes. Gord drove the two hours to Fenestrelle again, to caretake his work. And although the narrative of our adventures takes us away from the chiesa at the fortezza, I am going to post photos everyday of the show, so you can see as much of it as possible. It is so large and many-layered and in the end, it Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1138898341607381942006-02-02T07:20:00.000-08:002006-02-03T03:50:29.006-08:00Up early to take Jaz to the hospital well across town.This morning his face is more swollen and the rash, which covers his trunk and neck, looks more like sunburn. Last night the doctor came here after eight pm, and spoke English well; but is confused about what it might be; after consulting another doctor, and getting the events of Jaz's ailments straight between French, English and Italian, he’Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1138897973212737062006-02-01T10:32:00.000-08:002006-02-02T08:32:53.213-08:00Got a call from Patrick at the place they’re staying across town. Jaz has a rash all over his upper body. I’m trying to think here, got to pay attention. Rashes are weird, what could it be? I’ve told him to take a cab here, but haven’t heard from them in the last hour. There’s no one to call, everyone speaks only Italian!Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1138896945093157972006-01-31T19:55:00.001-08:002006-02-06T17:21:26.140-08:00We have finally gotten out of Fenestrelle. A relief, as all the work and cold and sickness came from there, and after we moved out of Meizoun, no place to go home to. In Torino we are staying at an elegant apartment with large ceilings and lots of ‘space’, and wireless internet! Can’t wait to get a shower there!Here is a photo from the post inauguration party at Tui Tui sent by Sergio. Finally --Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1138793895783556762006-01-29T15:25:00.000-08:002006-02-01T21:30:17.003-08:00Gord makes the mistake of checking on the exhibit, flooding, making sure the lights are just so. People are streaming in all day, one family of five stays for over 35 minutes. The children really like the work. Peter isn't even in the building and the red and blue painting in the corner crashes to the ground.Then a few minutes later, the horizontal painting slides off its metal bar. Patrick Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1138632937918978722006-01-28T18:40:00.000-08:002006-02-10T09:03:49.783-08:00Snow like rain, the most here since 1985. Minus 3. We have to take the bus because the roads are so bad.Excitement at breakfast, we have a few hours to clean up the church before quindici ore, 3 o’clock. We are all proud of the work! Showtime!The President of the Region of Piemonte arrives, dressed in Olympic blue. Giugiaro, Italy’s top designer opens a retrospective of his work on the same day Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1138367378777635552006-01-27T13:30:00.000-08:002006-01-28T12:59:24.690-08:00A day and a half to go and Gord gets sick last night. But he was up this morning and they're in the church now. Jeff is just hanging in there, working to get the final lighting installed, before he collapses. The church itself looks more colourful than ever, a new painting on the stage. Everyone else seems to be recovering. Am receiving the RSVP's, lots of people will be here, a contingent of tenCaitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1138295560933896292006-01-26T18:03:00.000-08:002006-01-27T05:44:32.203-08:00The power is back on in Fenestrelle!Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1138293272037723692006-01-26T16:29:00.000-08:002006-01-27T04:51:03.736-08:00The power just went out from Mentoulles to Fenestrelle. Al and I were working on the programme for the opening, and suddenly he felt sick. Lights went out. He couldn't get out the electrical door. I pushed the emergency button, it opened. Gord came in, "Power is out in the church!" I'm in Rosa Rossa, luckily the phone line works here for internet. It's dark, just like in Roberts Creek during a Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1138291560202426832006-01-26T14:03:00.000-08:002006-01-27T16:34:23.700-08:00-13 celsius, and a snow cloud hovers. 2 days to go, flurries! Mara came into the church with Romeo, the little dog she has everywhere, exclaiming, “Tutti sono belli.” and “meno male, piu freddo!” We’re all glad the temperature has gone down.After two days away the work has taken on some kind of grandeur. Now the floor paintings look like huge icebergs in cold, expansive waters; the smaller Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1138118213506068742006-01-24T22:47:00.000-08:002006-01-27T05:30:40.233-08:00Le Olympiadi sono quiFour more days, not counting Saturday! I’m at Canada House online -- and just saw the headlines about our new Prime Minister. Wow, it's strange to be here, but wonderful. The sound track on the BC Moments slide show beats the drums, and visitors to the house stream past me as I type away.News from "la chiesa" via Patrick (who went back on the bus yesterday morning) The churchCaitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1138116396601978352006-01-23T07:18:00.000-08:002006-01-24T08:11:01.643-08:00The opening was glorious, delectable morsels, good wine, and I felt homesick when they screened a ‘BC Moments’ sort of video after the speeches by officials from BC and Torino in English, French & Italian. Here's Gaby, Gianni, Nav and me, posing!We met next to the yellow flags in the Piazza Valdo Fusi and saw Gabriella's very impressive exhibit, hugely supported from many sources, with fake ice Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1138114540816233342006-01-22T06:46:00.000-08:002006-01-24T10:25:46.336-08:00Woke this am to a dusting of snow which promptly melted.The heat is not helping the paintings. I saw a big painting against the wall of the Cafe des forcats actually staining the church wall. Some parts of the ice substructure are not freezing as quickly as others. Yesterday Erik, Jaz and Jeff climbed up the scaffolding to close off the sunbeam drilling away at the paintings. Last night I woke upCaitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1137861636297786442006-01-20T22:17:00.000-08:002006-01-24T08:00:57.386-08:00It was warm, warm, warm today, weather to die for, but a nerve wracking complication. Little children in the church, Alessandra’s class! Gord began flooding the substructure. He’s getting ready to make the huge floor paintings. I've never seen the church so neat and tidy.Al arrived this morning. Everyone else was at the church when he handed me his heavy bags out the back door of the bus and we Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1137761850753762202006-01-19T03:25:00.000-08:002006-01-20T07:46:21.460-08:00Ten days to go, and it was even warmer today. Had to make sure the doors to the church were closed. On the ice plates, it was 10 below. Near the top of the columns, only minus 1. And outside? 10 degrees! This makes Gord a bit testy.The paintings have become . . . big. Now jagged slabs of colour lie about, bold and dramatic. The ice is more fragile than glass and then, as Peter says, “you stick Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1137596659765284222006-01-18T16:00:00.000-08:002006-01-18T07:04:19.766-08:00Warm winds today. Jeff & Renato at the church unloading lighting equipment. I am sitting at Rosa Rossa, a bar in Fenestrelle, my computer hooked into their phone line! It works!!! Last night I stood in the below freezing dark as small cars whizzed by within inches of me at the Mentoulles bus stop for about a half hour waiting for Jeff to finally arrive, and I was glad I did, he looked so happy toCaitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1137595181414338702006-01-17T15:13:00.000-08:002006-01-18T07:09:20.606-08:00Peter, who is a fine art print maker on Granville Island by profession, seems to have taken to the job of polishing up the ice; he rubs off the frost and shines the pieces to sparkling. (Peter wears in green in past photos, he doesn’t like to pose for pictures). Erik, one of the 'cubs' who mixes colors and pours the paint, has introduced the idea of the ‘Chart of Shame’, for number of paintings Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1137593301075496262006-01-16T21:47:00.000-08:002006-01-18T06:58:23.506-08:00On the weekend a man and his family came into Mara’s office breathless and speaking quickly in French. His daughter had heard about the installation and tried to find where it was, so she could study it for a thesis. By the time they found us, they’d already been to several forts in the area. They were so full of joy and excitement after having seen the exhibit-in-progress and they’re coming backCaitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1137321082979227432006-01-14T17:22:00.000-08:002006-01-18T06:13:34.960-08:00Our crew had the day off today and the President of Piemonte visited the church. He announced he is coming to the inauguration!! Everyone here is very excited about this. Peter worked today, to make up for lost time when he was sick. We got locked into the fortress and had to climb the wall around the moat, under moonlight!When you look at the paintings, which are now all over the church, there Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1137318944499635202006-01-13T01:53:00.000-08:002006-01-15T02:18:55.603-08:00I woke from a dream last night of my father, an old man. He had said to me on my last visit before he left us all, “I hope I don’t die any time soon,” and I had wished out loud that he would live long enough to see us here. No matter how many times you grow up over the years, a parent’s proud smile is a gesture you instinctively seek.There’s more to it than that, of course. Last year Gord’s Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1136977100301231842006-01-10T10:52:00.000-08:002006-01-11T04:38:33.460-08:00One of the large slabs of ice has crashed into many pieces and sits in fantastic disarray at the foot of a column. Work as usual at the chiesa, even without Peter. Art is back, and everyone has redoubled their efforts. News that they did six large ‘pours’ yesterday. One painting has been finished!Everyone home exhausted, and cold as JC took the plate temperature down 2 degrees.Gord has decided toCaitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1136976677884445962006-01-09T09:30:00.000-08:002006-01-11T04:40:38.056-08:00Monday morningPeter has pneumonia. Last night Gord, Egidio and I took him to the doctor at the ospedale, and this morning Egidio will pick up the antibiotics. In two days Peter should be on the mend. But working in that cold chiesa on an ice painting? No matter, he’s determined to stay.This week, testing ice, machines and workflow is over, the real paintings must begin to be made. Gord pushes Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1136821949993962522006-01-08T20:00:00.000-08:002006-01-11T04:43:48.316-08:00Saturday Jaz, Erik, JC and I climbed to the top of the fort with Ashleigh, our Scottish guide while Gord stayed below to put together plans for this next week. Four thousand plus steps. We climbed to Tre Denti, and then we took another kilometre of steps all the way up to the gate. Ashleigh had keys; we walked around in the snow, through secret passageways, more steps, to the church, the barracksCaitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1136738319704116052006-01-08T18:50:00.000-08:002006-01-11T04:46:05.026-08:00Sunday night, Hotel SestriereJC, Jaz, Erik & Gord play pool through the glass, last guests at an empty hotel. Out the window, white mountain slopes lit for skiers against the dark. A woman sings beautifully into the mike like a pop star, a sad song; she and her partner perform to us in an almost empty lobby in Hotel Sestriere. It’s the final evening of the long Epiphany weekend, and you can Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1136571501075177912006-01-06T19:25:00.000-08:002006-01-08T08:15:31.833-08:006 Gennaio, Venerdi e ora di farlo = it’s time to do itToday is Epiphany, a holiday. Sylvia has already got the garlic going downstrairs for a big noonday meal. Gord wore his Leafs hockey shirt to breakfast to remind us that this is like a game, it’s time to focus, put some things on hold until the challenge in front of us is completed. He knows I worry when he seems distant. Today a breakfast faxCaitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1136570390400825592006-01-05T09:45:00.000-08:002006-01-08T08:21:34.513-08:00We have ice!Sitting onstage in the chiesa, five minutes to 7. My first visit to the fort in two days. Color everywhere, and huge slabs of ice! Eric and Jaz are pouring a sky blue into large rectangular ice forms in the center of the church. Gord’s at the back, sawing through layers of azure ice, revealing bright yellow underneath. He says it’s like mining, and you find a treasure. Everyone has Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1136386493378408262006-01-04T04:12:00.000-08:002006-01-04T06:54:53.410-08:00January 4, 2006I think ‘dryer’ is not a word found in Italian; Jaz and I hung the clean clothes, sock by sock in the laundry room last night. This morning it’s out on the patio: every piece frozen solid. We played a version of Balderdash around the table, using Italian vocabulary: ronzare, spremere, torrido, togliere, intossiare and limpido. Risotto was delicious!A word about the substructure: Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1136385312102240992006-01-03T11:22:00.000-08:002006-01-04T06:45:16.363-08:00January 3, 2006Today, there’s going to be ice in the church, and I can’t wait to hear the stories around supper. Yesterday the power was disconnected at mid-day, as the construction workers on the road to the fort closed down for lunch. Miche had to shut Cafe des Forcats and our crew used “the environmental system” (Art’s description) “Open the windows!” until it went back on. I’ve got to figureCaitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1136211489046327082006-01-02T15:14:00.000-08:002006-01-02T06:18:09.046-08:00January 2nd, 2006. We start work today! Last night Gord spoke eloquently to the crew about being Canadian, about being guests in Italy, representing our country to everyone who comes in contact with us, about what he wants to achieve with this project. He said, “We open this exhibit in a month, but there is no art yet created. We don’t know what’s going to happen. For some reason, that excites meCaitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1136211282697443812006-01-01T23:13:00.000-08:002006-01-06T09:03:15.423-08:00January l, 2006. Last night’s dinner was absolutely fabulous! Sylvia is nothing short of awesome. She is literally 5 stars. We applauded her when she came down the stairs this morning. What a wonderful opening event to the project, happy everyone was finally together! Lots of laughs. I take my dictionary everywhere. JC and I constantly referred to the Italian; as when Egedio serves & speaks, he Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1136210380812078852005-12-31T21:58:00.000-08:002006-01-06T09:04:41.136-08:00December 31, 2005Last night it was all romance and charm, a festival of lights, which began in Mentoulles and ended up in Fenestrelle around a huge bonfire and mulled wine after dark. Children carrying flares, emerging from the snowy forest, everyone holding a light in the darkness -- for peace. I was reminded of the boat ritual at the Roberts Creek pier every New Year’s afternoon, where we buildCaitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1136210285185465952005-12-29T05:56:00.000-08:002006-01-02T05:58:05.186-08:00December 28, 2005I’m sick today with a cold/flu, headachy, no energy, sore throat. They’ve convinced me to stay here and feed the fire while they go to Assissi. Dec 29, 2005Apparently Assisi is impressive. I’ve missed it, still feeling rotten. Jaz took some photos. What a place to be a Catholic. I read today that Italy is the tourist capital of the world; for every two Italians, there is one Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1135877821534710162005-12-27T21:32:00.000-08:002006-01-04T07:24:26.813-08:00December 27, 2005. San Domino, outside Marketala, part of Cortona. JC and Peter have arrived from Terentola train station, and their arms are full of wood from outside, it’s suddenly a rumble of activity and voices. There aren’t enough blankets. Peter’s already been in the attic looking .The tactic is: to heat the room they will be sleeping in. Thankfully it’s warmer today. The sun was out and I Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1135876100900205052005-12-25T09:01:00.000-08:002006-01-04T07:00:47.056-08:00Christmas Day, 2005 - Backseat of the car again, this time rumbling around streets of Cortona towards Mercatala, stone walls surrounding us on either side, now open fields, now vineyards, now houses clustered together in that red stucco, red tile roof Tuscany way. We spent Christmas Eve in the old town of Cortona, a city on top of a hill, its streets steep and cobbled. It’s raining, not much likeCaitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1135876301393635612005-12-24T09:22:00.000-08:002005-12-29T09:27:22.420-08:00Here is our Christmas Eve angel. We're in Cortona, after driving without breakfast since Arezzo. We had missed “prima colazione” at the hotel, but were determined to find this house with no address and no steet name. Just a picture map. Every stone house looking very very similar, clustered with a few other dwellings, fields stretching around in the most Tuscan charming way. A shrine marked our Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1135874745919949572005-12-23T08:30:00.000-08:002006-01-04T07:11:40.073-08:00Dec 22, 2005 10:30 AM Mentoulles“I gatti volano! “ The cats are flying.Packing our bags to the sound of Rolling Stones blasting from itunes on my laptop. We’re leaving today for Cortona where we will spend Christmas. Art is staying on until January 5th, longer than planned. He wants to see the system running, just to make sure. A friend of Peter B, our crew captain, has a house in the Tuscan Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1135184574928548782005-12-21T08:59:00.000-08:002005-12-22T08:38:19.246-08:00Just heard the time for the SPECIAL BROADCAST of “Sounds Like Canada” featuring Pitture Sotto Zero at Fortezza di Fenestrelle!Dec 26th 2005 at 11 AM in all time zones on CBCCaitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1135873108800343562005-12-21T08:16:00.000-08:002005-12-29T09:30:11.386-08:00Dec 21, 2005 Art and his girls, Sara and Christina, are busy at the fortezza, installing the substructure. It's shiny and beautiful. This particular system is apparently the first of its kind, specially designed by Art, a modular series of metal refrigeration plates. Large enough to make a small skating rink and it’s going in the floor of the chiesa. Art seems to be constructing what should have Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1135182583822538232005-12-16T08:28:00.000-08:002005-12-22T08:16:04.710-08:00Afternoon, Dec 16, 2005 THE CONTAINER ARRIVESFenestrelle at last! The container was due to arrive at noon, but we couldn’t get at it until after 2 pm for some reason. So we just “When in Italy . . .. “ and had lunch. Saw Jophile again in the kitchen of the Dragoni. Her heart’s been broken since we last saw her but she looks great and what a generous soul. She’s agreed to let me use her internet Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1135182453847509792005-12-16T08:26:00.000-08:002005-12-22T08:01:14.846-08:00Friday, December 16 - “GUARANTEED DELIVERY”Paolo S calls to say we owe another 126 euros because the bill was filled out wrong. Agggh!They’re all one, big family here; they understand the lay of the land. We have stumbled on the scene. Everyone else knows their lines. We don’t have a speaking part, we just reach into our pockets. I study my Italian. We have to make an effort to learn the Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1135182213568120972005-12-14T08:22:00.000-08:002005-12-22T08:36:18.803-08:00Wednesday, Dec 14 - No news. News! Another delay.That cheerful ring ding! sound of the cell phone calling attention to itself in my backpack. First Renato. No news of the container. Then Paolo S. News! There are many, many containers waiting to be unloaded at the dock, TOROC has many there -- who will be first? Everything is just a rumor. Across town to Sergios again for our internt fix. Le PetitCaitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1135182148200223382005-12-13T08:21:00.000-08:002006-01-04T07:28:30.026-08:00EXHIBITION HOCKEY Tuesday December 13, 2005 Left Hotel Dogana Vecchia, a wonderful old place with marble floors and high ceilings and hallways which go dark if you don’t walk fast enough and push the glowing button on the wall. A construction truck parked with flashing lights in the road blocked our exit, causing a fifteen minute delay as others tried to FIND the driver?? Driving to Sergio’s Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1135181647677430452005-12-12T08:12:00.000-08:002005-12-22T08:30:28.633-08:00December 12, 2005Monday morning. A line up to the receptionist at TOROC (Turin Olympic Committee), wall to wall puffy coats and scarves and we hear English spoken, must be the VANOC contingent but I don’t recognize anyone. Paolo F arrives to escort us upstairs and we meet familiar faces again: Giorgetta, Allessandro, Paolo S and Ray. All figure in the success (or failure!) of our project in Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1134999633756361442005-12-11T05:32:00.000-08:002005-12-21T08:20:23.173-08:00Dec 11, 2005 Who knows how many hours, how many airports later? If it’s Malpensa, your bags must be delayed. It’s just the rule, coming from Canada. We recognize the interior of the baggage claim right away, as the last time we were here, we spent hours waiting for our bags, only to go away empty handed. Three bags did make it to Italy, two of them the logo forms, and the other the one stuffed Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1134994070560339372005-12-10T04:06:00.000-08:002005-12-22T08:41:05.336-08:00Frankfurt at dawn. . . December 10, 2005The alarm went off at ten minutes to six, but the skates didn’t work out. We had to toss them at security when the x-ray noticed the blade. We’d stayed too long at breakfast! The flight was full and they had taken our bags off the plane already. The loudspeakers were repeating “Halloran, please report to gate . . .” We only noticed after a conversation Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1134579961786383102005-12-09T09:01:00.000-08:002005-12-22T08:27:32.960-08:00December 9, 2005 - “In boca al lupo”No chance even, to say goodbye to the cats. For a minute there, the sun came in the window and we could see the dust we were leaving behind. Stuffing ice cleats and puffy jackets into suitcases, plugging in our cell phones to charge them (an adventure, as we’ve never successfully owned cell phones, and not sure they are even going to work). Nancy thankfully Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1134093282084142752005-12-08T17:53:00.000-08:002005-12-16T06:38:11.580-08:00Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1134093189427370502005-12-08T17:51:00.000-08:002005-12-08T17:53:09.430-08:00Ever since I’ve known him, my husband has loved everything Italian: pasta, Italian movies, That’s Amore, Italian art, design, the passionate expressive nature of the Italians, Italy, cappuccinos. (He also loves playing sports. He loves solving things, he loves art. He loves me, he loves his family. And one more thing, Chai Tea.)So now we find ourselves going to Italy, his favorite place in the Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1134092858635412012005-12-08T17:47:00.000-08:002005-12-08T17:48:56.313-08:00A plane to MilanCaitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1134067096406750112005-12-08T10:38:00.000-08:002005-12-08T17:43:24.840-08:00There’s not one day goes by I don’t think about why we’re here. The mystery of it all. That we are conscious now, and one day, we won’t be. Not one day I don’t think about whom I loved in my life and who died anyway. My mother. My Aunt Peg. My grandmother whom I was named after but whom I never knew, and the other two whom I loved. My own Dad, in the end a frail, old man who knew his days were Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19680999.post-1134066904412259412005-12-08T10:34:00.000-08:002005-12-08T10:35:04.420-08:00Welcome to Paintings Below Zero - on the road.We're off to Italy on Saturday... you can check in here to find out what's up, see pics, leave us messages, etc.Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574718587937121356noreply@blogger.com0