Masako Kazue
Studied at the Angel Academy of Art since September 2012. Now she is in the post graduate course since Spring 2015.
She was greatly influenced by her grandfasther who was a successful art dealer,
so Masako had numerous opportunities to interact with signifiant art pieces during her childhood.
When stationed in Honolulu on business, she began to learn figure drawing, producing one each week. She then took several English courses at Universit of Hawaii, which included introductory oil painting courses. Masako is currently a full time art student and feels very happy to conintue studying and producing art in Firenze.
Antonia
Oil on canvas 50x40cm
Her name was Antonia. She studied art and architecture at University of Florence when she was young. When I met her, she was living outdoors in a parking lot near Porta Romana. I had an opportunity to have her as a portrait sitter twice.
When I worked with her, she always came on time, dressed neatly to pose for me. While sitting and posing, she told me she used to do model work for Pietro Annigoni the famous Italian portrait artist. It was a surprise because I am now studying at the post graduate course at the Angel Academy where the principal, Michael John Angel, was one of Annigoni’s disciples. She also told me that she would do the foundation for tempera painting and frames.
I imagine how difficult it is for her to live outdoors. Nevertheless, her face was so gentle.She always wore a single pearl earring, she had lost the other of the pair. It was still chilly outside so she wore her dark blue gray shawl. I painted it as if it was the color of a cape for Maria.
She has not given up on her life. She hopes to live in a warm house some day and do the work that she can do. I changed her hair to a “uchouchou” (scrunchy) design of a petal of IRIS since the language of flowers is HOPE. I drew the landscape of Firenze and a house as the background hoping that her dreams will come true.
When I met her the second time, she said she had unfortunately lost her personal belongings that she kept at the parking lot. She therefore brought with her only the few things, but carried a pink flower bouquet which she was given at the market.
Her natural attitude and behavior in wearing just one earring or cherishing a small bouquet led me to believe that she would never give up her life. She is not pessimistic about her on-going situation. She speaks firmly and expresses her thoughts clearly. She does not beg but tried to earn small money by selling newspapers. Because of this shared experience, I am now aware that many such people are carrying and selling same newspaper as she, the Fuori Binario.
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