VOLANDIA - Parco e Museo del Volo 

Everyone that knows me personally, knows that I love aeronautics. Our last stop with the chair was the VOLANDIA - Parco e Museo del Volo (Volandia Park and Flight Museum). Opened in 2010, it's the largest Italian aeronautical museum and displays over 100 aircraft. It has everything a flight enthusiast could enjoy. Although I was just there for a few hours, I could have spent two full days exploring the 645,000 sq ft (60,000 sq m) facility. My absolute favorite part was the hands on flight simulators. The helicopter flight simulator was incredibly authentic and immersive. The only thing missing was the whirling blades overhead and the smell of aviation fuel. My trusty flight instructor, Sergio, was professional, informative and VERY patient with my clumsiness. If you find yourself in the Lombardy region of Italy, this is a must go! 

Volandia's Entrance

Helicopter Flight Simulator

Signor Sergio as my trusty flight instructor. 

Buckle up!

Princess Samantha - Solbiate Arno

 Samantha

October 20th, 2021

- Samantha
- Solbiate Arno, Italy 

Solbiate Arno è la città natale di Samantha, nata e cresciuta qui, non abitando mai a più di due chilometri di distanza dalla casa della sua infanzia. Il paese di Solbiate Arno, con una popolazione di 4500 abitanti, si trova nel nord Italia nella regione Lombardia. Insieme con la sedia, abbiamo passeggiato per le vie di Solbiate Arno alla ricerca dello sfondo perfetto. Mentre passeggiavamo per il villaggio, ogni singola persona che incontravamo per le strade salutava calorosamente Samantha per nome. Mi sembrava di camminare con una celebrità, una specie di reale locale, Samantha Principessa di Solbiate Arno.

La sedia trasmette un messaggio di luce e speranza. Informati e diventa donatore di cellule staminali. Per i miei amici qui in Italia, contattate ADMO.

Solbiate Arno is Samantha's hometown, born and raised, never living more than two kilometers away from her childhood home. The small town of Solbiate Arno, with a population of 4500, is located in northern Italy in the Lombardy region. Together, with the chair, we walked through the streets of Solbiate Arno in search of the perfect backdrop. As we strolled through the tiny town, every single person we passed in the streets warmly greeted Samantha by name. I felt like I was walking with a celebrity, a local royal of sorts, Samantha Princess of Solbiate Arno. 

The chair carries a message of enlightenment and hope. Become informed and join your local stem cell registry. For my friends here in Italy, contact ADMO.

Everyone in Solbiate Arno knows the location of this famous snail. The location is called Piazza Della Lumaca, which translates to The Snail Square.

Chiesa di San Maurizio

Milano 40 Miles

Acquedotto

Il Cortile Della Befana

Slam Dunk!

Red benches throughout Italy represent raising awareness for violence against women. The red benches draw attention and gives all citizens the opportunity to stop and reflect. 

Via Pagani 

Gucci shoes 

👩 - Samantha
📸 - Polaroid One Step Plus
🎞 - Polaroid Color i-Type Film

👩 - Samantha
📸 - Polaroid One Step Plus
🎞 - Polaroid Color i-Type Film

Samatha's signature on the chair. Signing the chair represents a promise from the participant to share the project and cause with friends, family and colleagues. That's how the awareness grows.

Roberta - Chiesa Di Sant'Elia

 Roberta

October 16th, 2021

- Roberta
- Chiesa di Sant'Elia, Viggiu, Italy 

Questa posizione è molto speciale per Roberta. Da neo-mamma veniva a passeggiare sui sentieri del bosco che circonda la chiesa trovando pace e serenità. Per questo ha scelto la chiesa come location del suo servizio fotografico con la sedia.
La chiesa si trova su una collina boscosa nel piccolo villaggio di Viggiu, in Italia.  Questa struttura fu costruita nel XVI secolo sopra un antico monastero che risale al 1095. Dell'antico monastero oggi non rimane alcuna testimonianza.  Nel 1504 la chiesa divenne meta di pellegrinaggio da molti villaggi circostanti.
Nel 1965 un fulmine colpì il campanile, facendolo cadere a terra.  Fu ricostruita nei primi anni '70.
La sedia trasmette un messaggio di luce e speranza. Informati e diventa donatore di cellule staminali. Per i miei amici qui in Italia, contattate ADMO.

This location is very special for Roberta. As a new mother she would go for walks on the trails in the woods surrounding the church, finding peace and serenity. This is why she chose the church as the location for his photo shoot with the chair.

The church is located on a wooded hill in the small village of Viggiu, Italy. This structure was built in the 16th century on top of an ancient monastery which dates back to 1095. Today no evidence remains of the ancient monastery. In 1504 the church became a pilgrimage destination from many surrounding villages.

In 1965, lightning struck the bell tower, causing it to fall to the ground. It was rebuilt in the early 1970s.

The chair carries a message of enlightenment and hope. Become informed and join your local stem cell registry. For my friends here in Italy, contact ADMO.

Roberta with the chair in front of the Chiesa di Sant'Elia

Roberta with the chair at the entrance of Chiesa di Sant'Elia. 

Catching sun rays with the chair.

The bell tower of Chiesa di Sant'Elisa

The view from the church

Chillin with the chair and catching sun rays.

Roberta's signature on the chair. Signing the chair represents a promise from the participant to share the project and cause with friends, family and colleagues. That's how the awareness grows. 

Polaroid One Step camera

One of Roberta's Polaroids. 

Elisa - Viggiu, Italy

Elisa

👩 - Elisa

📍 - Ex Grand Hotel Prealpi, Viggiu, Italy

Abbiamo avuto un photoshoot avventuroso all'ex Grand Hotel Prealpi, un quattro stelle costruito nel 1912 e ora in rovina. Questo edificio fu usato come ospedale militare durante le due Guerre Mondiali. Alla fine della Seconda Guerra, diventò un orfanotrofio per bambini che avevano perso i genitori durante la guerra e continuò ad essere un orfanotrofio fino agli anni '80.
La sedia trasmette un messaggio di luce e speranza. Informati e diventa donatore di cellule staminali. Per i miei amici qui in Italia, contattate ADMO.

We had an adventurous photoshoot at the dilapidated ex Grand Hotel Prealpi, a four star hotel that was built in 1912. This building served as a military hospital for WWI and WWII. After WWII it became an orphanage for children that lost their parents in the war and continued to be an orphanage until the 80's.
The chair carries a message of enlightenment and hope. Become informed and join your local stem cell registry. For my friends here in Italy, please reach out to ADMO

Elisa

Elisa

Elisa

Elisa

Elisa

Elisa

Elisa

Polaroid One Step Plus Camera

Elisa's signature on the chair

 Headed to Italy!

A common question I get: How do you travel with the chair?  

Me- "The chair is from IKEA, so it's flat pack furniture. It comes with a tiny tool called a Hex Key, making disassembling and reassembling quick & simple. It even has it's own dedicated suitcase!"

Disassembled for our Trip to Italy

Umlungu In Kingsbarns

 July 17, 2021

Umlungu 

I recently had the pleasure of photographing Brad Eggleston aka Umlungu at his studio in the East Neuk area of Scotland, just south of the historic town of St Andrews. His studio is off the beaten path and nestled in the tiny village of Kingsbarns which has a population of about 443 people. If you find yourself in the area, I highly recommend stopping and visiting Brad's studio. You will always be greeted with a warm smile and a "Good Afternoon" all said in his sexy Zimbabwean accent.

Umlungu's Studio in Kingsbarns, Scotland

Brad with the chair in his front garden

Brad and fur baby Harris with the chair in front of the Inn at Kingsbarns

The entire portrait series is being shot with a plastic Diana+ camera with an instant film back

Final results are portraits on Polaroids

Umlungu's signature on the chair. After each portrait session I ask the participant to sign the chair. Signing the chair represents a promise to share the cause and project with friends, family and colleagues. That's how the awareness grows. 

Brad and I with the chair in front of his studio in KingsBarns

You can see more of Umlungu's artwork at Umlunguart.com

"Be Your Own King" With Chris Rutterford

 "Be Your Own King"

- Chris Rutterford

July 6th 2021

I recently had the pleasure of photographing Chris Rutterford with the chair at his art studio in Edinburgh. For my followers, his name may be a bit familiar, Chris is the lead artist for the The Colinton Tunnel project (which I'm still completely geeking out over!). 
With the chair, Chris has included his most recent art piece, a giant hare named "Hare To Golf". Chris is one of ten local artists that was handpicked to customize a large white fiberglass hare.
The Big Hare Trail which runs for ten weeks, is intended to raise awareness and much needed funds for Leuchie House a charity foundation based in North Berwick which supports people living with a range of neurological conditions such as MS, MND, Parkinson’s and stroke.
A huge THANK YOU to Pike + Bambridge for supporting the arts and the Leuchie House charity. 
Chris signed the chair and added "Be Your Own King", you can see it along with his Polaroid in the last pic. It was a lovely day spent with lovely people. I am thankful.

#TheBigHareTrail #HareToStay #chrisrutterfordartist 

Chris, The Chair and The Hair

Chris, The Chair, The Hare and a Tune   

Chris's Polaroid and signature on the chair, he added "Be Your Own King"

Chris, The Chair, The Hare and The Photographer