Advancing Women Artists Foundation Reaches Goal For Restoration Of The Last Supper By Plautilla Nelli

Mark Gordon Smith of Private Italy Tours made a sizeable donation in memory of his mother, artist Helen D. Smith that put AWA over their crowdfunding goal

Advancing Women Artists Foundation has announced they have reached the $65,000 crowdfunding goal to restore the sixteenth-century 'Last Supper' by Florentine convent artist Plautilla Nelli. This is the only work in the world on this theme painted by a woman, and it will now be returned to its ‘original dignity’ thanks to contributors from all over the world.

409 donors from 19 countries contributed. Their awareness became a concrete gesture of love. Thanks to the $66,810 dollars raised, the AWA Foundation and its restoration team can work together to safeguard this fundamental example of female artistic talent. Nelli’s work, discussed by Italy’s first art historian Giorgio Vasari in his 'Lives', is being restored to its rightful place among Renaissance Italian masters. 'This Last Supper' will be a gift to Florence, Nelli’s beloved home city. Once conservation is completed, it will be permanently displayed in the soon-to-be revamped Museum of Santa Maria Novella, an iconic location in the heart of Florence, a place which represents all the beauty and culture of one of the world’s best-loved art capitals.

AWA extends heartfelt thanks to all those who have worked so tirelessly to remember the forgotten women artists in history. They have supported a campaign which enormously benefited from the efforts of our dedicated partners. On the Florence scene, a special mention goes to Dario Nardella Mayor of Florence, Florentine actress Elena Sofia Ricci and the city’s Councilor for Welfare of Equal Opportunity Sara Funaro, in addition to the city’s Civic Museum Services, in charge of curating the conservation efforts. We share this ‘victory’ with FLOD, the communications agency that curated the entire campaign and our ‘prize partners’: the Medici Dynasty Show, Casa dell’Orafo Nerdi, the artisanal perfumery AquaFlor, Palazzo Spinelli, the Savoy Hotel of Rocco Forte Hotels and The Florentine, Florence and Tuscany’s English-language newspaper.

Mark Gordon Smith, President of Private Italy Tours LTD, kicked the campaign over the goal with a sizeable donation made in memory of his mother, artist Helen D. Smith. Following a diagnosis of cancer when the family was living in Tirrenia in the 1950s, she had to return to the United States and was never able to return to her beloved Italia.

"Our donation,” Mark explains, "is made with the hope that all women will be inspired by the story of a dedicated artist whose genius is just now coming to light, whose love of craft created such a legacy."

About AWA:

As stated on their website, "Advancing Women Artists Foundation, an American not-for-profit 501(c)(3), is committed to identifying, restoring and exhibiting artwork by women in Florence’s museum storages. As of today, compelling artistic treasures continue to be a silent, undiscovered part of the city’s creative heritage. Through education (lectures, books, seminars, and conferences) and by exhibiting these works in Florence and abroad, it will be possible to show this vital cultural legacy and its importance in Florence, in Italy and to the world."

Contact:

Linda Falcone, Director, Italy
Advancing Women Artists Foundation
linda@advancingwomenartists.org

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Brunswick County Author Mark Gordon Smith Releases First Fiction Novel, Harrisville

Highly successful author of the Private Italy trilogy releases novel for readers of fiction

Mark Gordon Smith, author of the Private Italy trilogy, announced today the release of his first fiction novel, Harrisville. In this new novel, he continues the tradition of passionate and lyrical writing first revealed in the Italian trilogy, this time creating a work of fiction that is suspenseful, haunting and is filled with unexpected twists.

“The town of Harrisville has always been a part of me,” said Mr. Smith. “I lived in that town when I was a child, and the most critical event in the novel is based upon an event that occurred while our family was living there. Small town and rural life has always captivated me,” Smith explained, “particularly as it was portrayed in novels written in nineteenth century England. Harrisville pays homage to George Eliot’s Middlemarch. The main character of my novel is based upon Dorothea Brooke who is the key character in Eliot’s novel. I found that Dorothea’s strength, her drive and her life were deeply absorbing. Mary, who is the lead character in my novel, is a reflection of Eliot’s character.”

Mark Gordon Smith spent his childhood and early adult years moving around the globe: Italy, Washington, DC, Salt Lake City, Hawaii and Colorado. It was during summer vacations that his family would return to Harrisville and Mio, Michigan to visit his grandparents. Those experiences provided the core inspiration for writing his first fiction novel, Harrisville.

Mr. Smith attended the United States Military Academy. Throughout those years, he continued to pursue a lifelong passion for writing. After graduating from West Point, he completed a five-year obligation and then worked in several multi-national companies, primarily in sales and human resources. He left corporate work in early 2001.

In the summer of that same year, he moved to Florence Italy and wrote the first volume of his Italian Trilogy, Tuscany Echoes, A Season In Italy. It was after his return from Italy that he began to work on Harrisville. In the midst of his work on the fiction novel, he wrote and released the second volume of his trilogy, Tuscan Light, Memories of Italy.

"Most of my work in the past has been non-fiction,” stated Mr. Smith, “yet I have been working on Harrisville for many years. I was motivated, right from the first word of the novel, to share my fascination with small town life through a story filled with challenges, hope and redemption. The narrative takes place in the town of Harrisville, Michigan, located along the northeastern shore of Lake Huron.”

“Ultimately,” Smith concluded, “the novel was written to share with readers the parallels in all of our lives, whether we live in small town America or a small town in England. I hope, of course, that people will read and enjoy the novel; I also hope that readers will be further motivated to explore nineteenth century English classics as well.”

Harrisville is available at the author’s website and from Amazon.com. Mr. Smith is available for interview and can be contacted using the information below.

Harrisville
Mark Gordon Smith
ISBN: 978-0-9740983-8-8

Contact:
Mark Gordon Smith
Private Italy
Phone: 910-575-6735
Web: www.private-italy.com
Email: AlmarBooks@hotmail.com

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Local Author Mark Gordon Smith Releases First Fiction Novel, Harrisville

New book set in Harrisville, Alpena and Oscoda Michigan areas

Mark Gordon Smith, author of the Private Italy trilogy, announced today the release of his first fiction novel, Harrisville. In this new novel, he continues the tradition of passionate and lyrical writing first revealed in the Italian trilogy, this time creating a work of fiction that is suspenseful, haunting and is filled with unexpected twists.

“The town of Harrisville has always been a part of me,” said Mr. Smith. “I lived in that town when I was a child, and the most critical event in the novel is based upon an event that occurred while our family was living there. Small town and rural life has always captivated me,” Smith explained, “particularly as it was portrayed in novels written in nineteenth century England. Harrisville pays homage to George Eliot’s Middlemarch. The main character of my novel is based upon Dorothea Brooke who is the key character in Eliot’s novel. I found that Dorothea’s strength, her drive and her life were deeply absorbing. Mary, who is the lead character in my novel, is a reflection of Eliot’s character.”

Mark Gordon Smith spent his childhood and early adult years moving around the globe: Italy, Washington, DC, Salt Lake City, Hawaii and Colorado. It was during summer vacations that his family would return to Harrisville and Mio, Michigan to visit his grandparents. Those experiences provided the core inspiration for writing his first fiction novel, Harrisville.

Mr. Smith attended the United States Military Academy. Throughout those years, he continued to pursue a lifelong passion for writing. After graduating from West Point, he completed a five-year obligation and then worked in several multi-national companies, primarily in sales and human resources. He left corporate work in early 2001.

In the summer of that same year, he moved to Florence Italy and wrote the first volume of his Italian Trilogy, Tuscany Echoes, A Season In Italy. It was after his return from Italy that he began to work on Harrisville. In the midst of his work on the fiction novel, he wrote and released the second volume of his trilogy, Tuscan Light, Memories of Italy.

"Most of my work in the past has been non-fiction,” stated Mr. Smith, “yet I have been working on Harrisville for many years. I was motivated, right from the first word of the novel, to share my fascination with small town life through a story filled with challenges, hope and redemption. The narrative takes place in the town of Harrisville, Michigan, located along the northeastern shore of Lake Huron.”

“Ultimately,” Smith concluded, “the novel was written to share with readers the parallels in all of our lives, whether we live in small town America or a small town in England. I hope, of course, that people will read and enjoy the novel; I also hope that readers will be further motivated to explore nineteenth century English classics as well.”

Mr. Smith will be available for interview in the Harrisville, Michigan area from April 16 to April 18, 2009. He will hold a book signing April 23rd at L. Bookworm in Holden Beach, NC, from 2pm to 4 pm, another at Pelican Books at Ocean Isle Beach, NC, from 2pm to 4 pm on April 24th. A third signing is set at Pomegranate Books in Wilmington NC on April 29 at 7 pm.

Harrisville is available at the author’s website and from Amazon.com. Mr. Smith is available for interview and can be contacted using the information below.

Harrisville
Mark Gordon Smith
ISBN: 978-0-9740983-8-8

Contact:
Mark Gordon Smith
Private Italy
Phone: 910-575-6735
Web: www.private-italy.com
Email: AlmarBooks@hotmail.com

Posted by Free Publicity Focus Group

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