As a lifelong art collector, I have long held a deep appreciation and respect for the art of painting. Abstract work is my greatest love, though I enjoy all genres. Over the years, I made several attempts to paint, only to feel desperately inadequate at creating beauty on a blank canvas. In 2025, however, my heart made its intentions very clear: it was time to try again.

In Florence, I embarked on a three-month quest to find a studio—one where I could rent space freely, without being confined by a style, a class structure, or rigid instruction. This July, I met Sofia at Cura Art Lab. The moment I stepped into the charming, art-filled space on Via Fiesolana in the heart of Florence, I knew I had found both my studio and my person.

Exploring materials became an education in itself: burlap glued to wood, smooth wood, rough wood, and traditional canvas all offered unique lessons in application and response. I paint with acrylics, and mixing my own colors quickly became addictively fun. The hardware store, it turns out, offers tools far more exciting than art shops—wire brushes intrigue me far more than paintbrushes, which I now rarely use. Spatulas and wire brushes allow me to work freely and create rich textures. Texture is a recurring theme in my sculptures and photographs as well; it brings uniqueness and depth, making any artwork more compelling to me.

I have a strong sense of color and nuance, which has proven invaluable in building harmonious and evocative palettes. When my heart insisted that I paint this year, my mind finally let go of its fear of failure. From the very first painting, I understood that the journey itself is the joy—not the end result. My work is incredibly diverse and not limited to abstraction. Saved reference images became points of inspiration, leading to paintings ranging from abstract compositions to sheep and lions, and even landscapes reminiscent of the early 1900s.

This summer, I created twenty-two works and found myself unable to stop painting—the studio called to me with magnetic force. Sofia, my teacher, became an accomplice in honoring my process, offering thoughtful guidance and insight whenever I found myself stuck. Laughter, tea ceremonies, and friendship accompanied those long hours in the studio, and the body of work I produced this year is living proof of that shared experience.