ARTIST

Sophie Dickens is a contemporary British sculptor. Her exuberant, instantly recognisable sculptures have graced cathedrals and enlivened skylines from London to Los Angeles. Brought together by energy and wit, her body of work is expansive and restless, covering a wide range of abstract and figurative subjects, classical and de-pedestals, herd and pack installations, athletes, gods and lovers.

Having obtained a degree in art history at the Courtauld Institute in London, Sophie Dickens studied the practicalities of making figurative sculpture at the Sir John Cass School of Art and the anatomy department at University College London. Her distinctive style comes from her technique of constructing figures from abstract geometric shapes of curved wood and attaching them to an armature to create a flowing, muscular form. She was the first winner of the Founders' Prize for figurative sculpture in 2007 with a work entitled The Turning Man. Loosely based on Michelangelo's Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel, this gravity-defying sculpture was exhibited at the V&A, London. Notable pieces include a 3m stainless steel Minotaur for an apartment in San Francisco (also exhibited at the first Masterpiece Art Fair in London in 2010). Matthew, Mark, Luke and John' - a traveling installation of winged beasts installed in several London churches and cathedrals in 2011. Sports pieces include a large bronze judo throw for the London 2012 Olympics and a sequence based on Rafael Nadal's tennis serve. In 2016 a large bronze carriage horse was commissioned for the lobby of The Principal Hotel in Manchester and a diver for the champagne bar of the Connaught Hotel in London.

Sophie Dickens arrived in Pieve di Teco in 2016, making a studio in the old Ferrari driving school on the main road at 25 Via Mazzini. She continued to exhibit in London, and to receive international commissions. She started using local, often site specific, materials - an entire floor of rotted chestnut floor boards to make a pack of wolves, a set of barrels to make a herd of wild boar. She now only uses recycled local materials in the production of her work, both for sculptures and paintings. In 2021 she moved up the mountain to Trastanello, a tiny medieval village, with her husband and a variety of animals to obtain some level of self sufficiency and one-ness with her unique surroundings

ARTISTS

Ted Leeming and Morag Paterson are award-winning, professional landscape photographic artists based both in Italy and Scotland. Their striking imagery is widely published and has been exhibited around the world.

Meditative reflections on light, contemplative art of nature, unstructured nature of place, land:human nexus … these are but some of the themes flowing through the collective work of Leeming and Paterson.Their work has less to do with appearance, rather with effect. It reflects the desire to spread the ripple of wonder. The humbling state of awe that arises when faced with the god of little things in the tiny spaces of nature and the immensity of creative forces in the sweeping landscapes, waterscapes, seascapes and human-scapes of our environment. Going further than simple aesthetics their work explores the landscape and our human interactions therein in the context of climate change and biodiversity loss.

The natural world forms the basis of inspiration for many of their collaborative images and projects. With dreamlike depictions of land and sea, alongside environmental feasts for the eyes and the lens, the Leeming and Paterson visual ecologues command sharp intakes of breath as they crystalise this fragile paradise we all call home.

As leading artists and photographers in their field, Leeming and Paterson are living embodiments of their concepts and practices of give-back and upskilling practitioners. As well as exhibiting and selling fine art prints,  they are experienced mentors and offer private tuition and tours for groups and individuals together with dedicated mentoring programs and portfolio reviews.

In line with their lifestyle choices, Ted and Morag are going to donate 15% from all future print sales to a selection of charities they support.  These include Trees For Life, Medecins San Frontieres, SolarAid and Surfers Against Sewage.  For every three paying mentoring clients they will try to offer a free mentoring session to someone from a disadvantaged background.

MUNICIPAL COUNCILOR, MANFREDI FIRMIAN FOUNDATION, GALLERIST

Born and raised in the vibrant city of Naples, Gabriella Manfredi Firmian’s artistic inclination and talent led her to acquire an artistic high school diploma in 1999. However, destiny had a different path in store for her as she transitioned into the field of osteopathy, dedicating herself to the health and well-being of others.

Despite her new direction, Gabriella never forgot her deep Pievese roots, stemming from her family's heritage. This profound connection tugged at her heart, ultimately beckoning her to return to Pieve di Teco in 2010. Determined to reclaim her significant family history, Gabriella embarked on a remarkable journey.

Now, Gabriella, together with her husband, serves as an integral part of the Manfredi Firmian Foundation, a private cultural organization devoted to the protection and appreciation of artistic and historical treasures. Embracing her role, she thrives in public relations, actively engaging with the community and organizing various events and guided tours of her family's historic Palazzo Manfredi - situated prominently in the middle of Pieve di Teco.

Led by Gabriella, an art gallery was opened alongside the Palazzo Manfredi in 2020, with the aim of providing cultural and social enhancement to an existing context of great historical value.

In the 2023 elections, Gabriella was elected Municipal Councilor in Pieve di Teco and now enthusiastically leads the cultural sector. She has assumed charge of event planning for the Teatro Salvini, established in 1834 by Giuseppe Manfredi. This is first of many projects brought about by Gabriella’s passion for culture and the arts.

FOUNDER, ARTIST

Italian-born, American Nicola Parente is a reductive abstract artist. He explores inspiration garnered from observation of movement and light, and translated into an enduring, nurturing and sublime vision of our world. Parente’s artistic vision explores his perceptions of the diversity of culture and nature encountered while living and traveling on multiple continents.

Nicola Parente’s studio practice includes painting, installations, photography, sculpture, civic art, set design, and textile design. Nicola’s interdisciplinary work explores the ever changing impact to our landscape and communities. Inspired by changes in the evolution of metropolitan cities, he is interested in reflecting the intersections of daily life, and is intrigued by the interplay of the fluid and static elements of the urban matrix. According to Parente “deconstruction, construction, and reconstruction along with the vast diversity of the ever-changing neighborhoods play a large influence in the creation of my artworks.”

Over the last two decades, Nicola has exhibited in major international museums and gallery shows including Manuel Felguerez Museum of Abstract Art (Zacatecas, Mexico), Museo de Guadalupe (Zacatecas, Mexico), The Art Car Museum (Houston), and Serenade Art House (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia), as well as a touring exhibition between Esbjerg Denmark and Houston Texas.

“We live in a fast moving world. We are unable to capture the changes around us. We feel trapped in a fast moving highway of transformation. I sit. I breathe. I inhale the thoughts, the ideas, the movements that are overwhelming, intense, rigid yet fluid, beautiful yet disturbing, moving and captivating. I digest the moment, this particular moment. I allow myself to bask in it. My work struggles to define the intersection that is present in daily urban life. My work investigates untangling the chaos, the brilliance of technology, human development, nature’s vibrancy and ultimate demise. I document it in the best way I know how, art, my only voice.”

FOUNDER, ARCHITECT

When asked where he is from, John Clements takes a deep breath before answering. Growing up in multiple cultures generates a feeling that you belong to the whole world, yet not specifically to anywhere. Born in El Salvador, John has lived in Guatemala, Venezuela, Mexico, Italy and the United States. His life is a mixture of travel, art, and a career in Architecture as a principal at Jackson & Ryan Architects. Some notable examples of his work as an architect are the renovation of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, McNay Museum, Rienzi for MFAH, and St. Martin’s Episcopal Church.

John’s creativity extends to writing, pastel drawing, and collecting art. His inspiration for all three stems from his interest in the study of the human condition. According to John, “Our lives unfold within the context of a reality perceived by our senses, clouded by our emotions and interpreted by our intellect. I seek to distill these layers and show them as veils through which we allow glimpses of ourselves to shine through to others.

The totality of our reality includes our public lives, our private lives and our secret lives. The extent to which all three align and are shared with others determines the extent of our authenticity. Portions remain veiled.

We protect ourselves with the veils of perception. Veils of pretense and idealism we impose on ourselves. Veils of society, piety and politics we allow to be imposed. Veils of inadequacy and sexuality we embrace to conceal. To varying degrees these veils inform and conceal all three of our lives.”