We have porridge! Daphne and Nicki found some fiocchi d’avena at the Rialto. Not the a plastic bag full of rough cut oats, but a very sophisticated tin. It remains to be seen what the contents look like.
Despite last nights experience, I took the wrong vaporetto again this morning, and arrived at the studio late and a bit distracted. Daphne and Nicki arrived sometime later, and both spent some time
on the drypoint I had started. Here’s Daphne working away:
We had another studio lunch – this time penne with tuna and tomato, and a special lamb shaped Easter cake contributed by Melody, like a panettone. Here we all are:
Christa, Stefano, Gianfranco, Christiana, Melody, Nicki and Daphne with the remnants of the cake.
Christa is making a book which includes her drawings and poetry.
BOX OF BIRDS 
I agree with everything you have said, but the blog is about my experience of Venice, and I really enjoyed the challenge of making something half decent under those conditions. If I had travelled to the studio to complete a project as you did, I would also have been very disappointed. …..and as for Venice itself, Id go back tomorrow!
The Venice Printmaking Studio is the most disorganised, mismanaged, poorly equipped, cold and damp excuse for a Printmaking Studio I have ever had the misfortune to visit. I signed up for a ‘Artist Book Residency’ with them last April and was left with no choice other than to leave after four days due to the impossibility of completing my project there. Their website paints a wonderful picture of a bustling studio full of supportive and highly skilled technicians and other creatives happily working away however this is all an illusion. The studio as it turned out was actually deserted. The facilities I required to make my artist book were either in much need of repair or simply didn’t exist. Amazingly, the studio failed to even provide me with acid to etch my plate with. In addition, none of the advertised technicians/artist’s book specialists were working there. Only Gianfranco Gorini (the guy who set up the residency originally), was present but unfortunately, due to his semi-blindless, semi-deafness, apparent lack of English and lack of etching knowledge was not in a position to provide any technical support or general assistance whatsoever. He just sat in his warm office all day and drank. He has a fierce temper too I might add. A severely disappointing experience indeed. Be warned!