“This fragment, which is part of the eastern frieze of the Parthenon, depicts a foot and a part of the peplos (dress) of Artemis, and was acquired in 1816, by the British consul in Sicily, Robert Fagan…the fragment is now displayed in a glass case [on the top floor of the Acropolis Museum], within its place in the reconstruction and also to the actual historical site.”

For my third installment on the theme of artists and artisans, I’m introducing some of  my favourite artists whom I have been following on social media for a few years now. They range across a variety of media, but perhaps unsurprisingly for a Scottish Blue Badge guide, all of these artists are Scottish. Indeed they are all based on the west coast of Scotland—two in the county of Argyll and two on the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides. 

Sam McDonald is fascinated by the beams of light that penetrate the water and illuminate aspects of the fish who seem to be oblivious to his presence. It is this regular interaction with the marine environment which has given Sam the insight to create such beautiful pieces by mixing resin and traditional metal working techniques, patination, and pewter, gold leaf, brass, and other metals. 

The founders of MASS ended up taking what they learned at Harvard and melded that with what they learned working with locals in Rwanda. It prompted them to develop an ethos for all their projects: design beautiful buildings, help as many local people as possible, source local materials and labor, and provide smart, natural air flow for a healthier environment.

Living on an island means that local raw materials are finite, and part of wood craftsman Alex’s ethos is to reuse and repurpose discarded wood, whether it be windfall, landscaping waste, ocean flotsam and jetsam or off-cut wood. Chris, a designer of rope art, believes in sustainability wherever possible and repurposes discarded ropes that he finds in the ocean, as well as working with new ropes.

The mission was to provide free, global care for cancer patients with the help of great architecture. Maggie understood the impact environment and design can have on someone dealing with cancer. She knew —from the point of view of both patient and family—the need for “thoughtful lighting, a view out to trees, birds and sky” and the opportunity “to relax and talk away from home cares.”  She knew how the “kitchen table” is often at the centre of people’s lives.

In the 1980s, the city of Bilbao in Spain was a total disaster—not the kind of city you wanted to visit. It suffered incredibly high unemployment rates, street violence, drug dealing on every corner, and to top all of these, ETA (Euskadi Ta Askatasuna or “Basque Homeland and Liberty,” the now extinct Basque terrorist band) embraced Bilbao as its unofficial headquarters. There was no trace of the glorious past of the city. 

“In many ways food and wine are art, evoking feelings and emotions which create memories and give you a sense of place. Thanks to the Ceretto family, cultural points of interest now dot the landscape, with the installation of iconic pieces of art.”

The island paradise of Bali exerts a marvelous, almost magnetic aesthetic appeal for western visitors. Much of that allure is due to the island’s richly diverse artistic culture. Among the many splendid forms, I think Balinese dance is the most compelling. Perhaps it is better called dance-drama as it is an art that cannot be separated from theater.

Ignatius had sensed the generous soul and great potential of this young man. He wanted to bring the best out of Francisco. In the end, Ignatius convinced him to join in and help create the Order of Jesus or The Jesuits. All the strength and vitality that Francisco showed for worldly life, he poured out when he joined Ignatius and began his spiritual life. The man who would become a saint embarked on great journey to the East to spread the Good Word of God.

Gothic cathedrals such as this were built with the purpose of trying to reach God and to let the light of God embody your soul. This temple achieves this beautifully. Inside, you will find a very elegant and slender cathedral illuminated by the sunlight coming through stained-glass windows. It is almost mystical.

The joy of exploring new places in good company is my idea of a good time: winding country roads where you come to a crossroads and take in the lay of the land before deciding which way to go, sometimes on a whim and sometimes with intent. The region of Piemonte in the northwest corner of Italy is the perfect place for a wanderer, and one of my favourite pastimes over the past few years is finding Big Benches. 

Naples is a city that can easily fall into stereotypes, but these can never begin to capture the social and cultural complexity of this ancient metropolis.

Being a guide, I am also curious about the idea of rebirth in history. Almost everyone in the Western World studies the Italian cultural and artistic Renaissance, which of course has at its root the word for rebirth. Historians, though, do not tend to love the term, because although there is a clear cultural movement during that period, no cultural idea “dies”—nothing is reborn.

You can easily imagine that the Habsburgs, as the most important family in European history, amassed some pretty amazing real estate. And who hasn’t dreamed of living in a palace, of relishing the crème-de-la-crème life of European royalty? The Habsburgs didn’t have to dream, of course, but we can all indulge our “let them eat cake” fantasies by touring the lavish homes they left behind. So let’s play “House Hunters International” with my picks for the most fabulous Habsburg palaces!

…Love is the theme of our songs, movies, poems, books, and art because it’s the most important force in our lives. It’s our most important emotion. It drives our actions, our goals , and is the basis of our emotional connections with others, human and non-human. Giving, receiving, and feeling love makes us happy!

I am a generalist and work all over Italy and they are specialists in their regions or cities. I am also a bridge and strive to make connections between the well-recorded history and how it relates to us. Taking things from the past and relating them to our present and trying to not simply rattle off facts and numbers, but to create a cultural experience that will remain as a memory, long after the facts have faded into the background.

Travel being a significant expense for most people, gives us incentive to find a return on our time and money. It’s helpful to examine the biases that hooked me to the story, to crack them open, and call them out. Myths and legends work this way: they require not just a willing believer, but a wanting one too. They are very much chicken and egg.

There are records that show wine production in Otazu dating back to the 800s AD. It was the most relevant moment of the Camino De Santiago. This is the Saint James Pilgrimage—one of the three most important Christian pilgrimages in the world—and it used to cross Otazu´s property.

I stand there for a while, thinking about the poet's words that changed modern poetry, words that have been accompanying me through the city, taking me into his life, mind, and travels.  And I have combined my love for Patti Smith's and Rimbaud's work; it has been a perfect day.