Persephone is the daughter of the great goddess Demeter and the Goddess of the Underworld. Here she is as interpreted during the 2019 Arches of Easter in San Biagio Platani (Agrigento). (Yes, this art is made with beans and other natural elements!) During these last weeks of summer, she is preparing for her annual return…
Category: Art, Ceramics, Music
Borgo Parrini, A Slice Of Barcelona In Sicily
This summer Sicilians have been discovering Sicily in their effort to stay safe and close to home. With that in mind, many are enjoying the eclectic creativity of Borgo Parrini, a tiny neighborhood of the town of Partinico, which you’ll find a few miles west of Palermo. Originally developed in the 16th century by the…
Symbols Are Everywhere In Sicily
Pomegranates and grapes are carved into the detail work of the Duomo of Cefalù. Both are coming into season now. Both represent fertility and abundance.
The Faces Of Power In Ragusa
The faces decorating Ragusa’s Palazzo Bertini send a message. The palace, built in the late 18th century in the style of the Late Sicilian Baroque, sits on the road marking the dividing line between the old, aristocratic Ragusa Ibla and the new, up-and-coming city of Ragusa–in other words, the line between old money and new….
The Significance Of Pine Cone Ceramics In Sicily
You’ll see majolica pine cones like this one I photographed in the ceramic center, Caltagirone, all over Sicily and southern Italy. It’s a significant symbol. As a botanical, the pine cone is a reproductive organ. Female pine cones hold seeds. Male pine cones hold pollen. From ancient Greek times, the pine cone recalls the Greek…
Ancient Roman Barbecue In Sicily
This mosaic scene from the Roman Villa del Casale at Piazza Armerina features hunters at an altar for the goddess of the hunt, wild animals, moon, and childbirth, i.e. the Roman Diana or Greek Artemis. The Roman Villa, a UNESCO site, is better described as an ancient plantation. Scholars believe that the original owner was…
Inspired By Siculiana Marina’s Beach In Sicily
How does one describe one of the most beautiful beaches in Sicily? Words aren’t always sufficient. If it’s any indication of just how magnificent Siculiana Marina is, Sicilian guitarist Francesco Buzzurro composed an entire album of songs inspired by it called Il Quinto Elemento (The Fifth Element). When I heard him perform pieces from it…
Icarus, Daedalus And Sicily
Icarus got carried away with the ability to fly. His father Daedalus, an inventor, craftsman, and artist, created two sets of wings for Icarus and himself to escape imprisonment in Crete. Daedalus instructed Icarus not to fly too high and not to fly too low: The heat of the sun would melt the wax holding…
Modica, Sicily And Saint Peter And Saint Paul
Today is the feast day of the Saint Peter and Saint Paul. Peter, of course, is the protector of Rome (and popes too). But importantly (For my family especially, since my father is named Peter and I come from a long line of fishermen), he is the patron saint of net-makers, shipbuilders, and fishermen, and…
Grab A Chair For Sicily-inspired Yoga
Sicily-inspired Yoga! Today, Thursday, at 5:30pm EDT grab a chair and join Experience Sicily’s Allison Scola and instructor Clio Mallin for a Sicily-inspired gentle yoga practice and discussion about the ancient Greek goddess Demeter. Register now at https://experiencesicily.com/events/online-sicily-events/sicily-inspired-yoga-practice/ for *Nourish Your Soul-stice* on Zoom. Our practice will be a gentle 20 minutes followed by a…