Silly Balcony Picture

Author: Morgan Ison | Major: Studio Art | Semester: Summer 2023

I am a senior Studio Art major with a minor in Art History. I attended the Art in Rome Summer 2023 program, and spent 5 weeks studying art around Italy. Studying abroad through the university might have been my only chance to travel outside of the country, so I took advantage of every scholarship opportunity available to me. It worked out pretty well— I was able to travel and learn without breaking the bank in the process! I chose this specific program because the coursework pertained to my interests and I knew the professors beforehand. This provided a sense of familiarity as I explored a part of the world I was completely unfamiliar with. While in Italy, I studied the art of mosaics, frescos, and observational drawing. These subjects expanded my horizons as an artist and introduced me to different ways of creating art. It also allowed me to learn about the history of art in places like the Vatican City and Pompeii. My professors and classes were fabulous, and I had a wonderful time learning alongside my classmates. The classes differed from those at U of A in that there was a lot more outside excursions. We spent just as much time outside the classroom as inside, and were able to learn a lot more effectively that way.

My favorite thing to do outside was to simply wander around Rome. The city is very walkable, and there is interesting stuff to find around every corner. One day, I was taking a walk around my apartment when I stumbled upon a local arts and crafts fair. As an artist, this was a very exciting find, so I spent the next hour or so looking through all the booths and talking to the local artists. Many of them spoke little to no English, so it forced me to practice my conversational Italian skills. I met some wonderful people and went home with some lovely homemade jewelry. While on a class excursion in Florence, my friends and I happened upon an opera singer singing in the street on the way to lunch. We sat on the side of the road and watched him sing. Shortly after, we had a really great lunch of pizza and Italian Fanta (it’s very different than what we have here!)

Taking public transportation was another thing that was very different than what I’m used to in Arkansas. We used busses, the subway/metro, and trains constantly. They were instrumental in getting across the city and were much more widely used than they are here. I greatly appreciated it and already miss being able to hop on a subway to get across town.

I would absolutely recommend this program to any student that’s interested. It was super fun, very educational, and allowed me to meet new people both in and outside of my program. I went home with new friends and experiences that I’m extremely grateful for. If I could give a bit of advice, it’d be to stay open to new experiences and know that not everything will go exactly to plan. Also, bring a handheld fan. You will need it.