Project Hope – Avalanche Celebration

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Project HOPE – The Avalanche Celebration in Paestum, Italy 9/9/2023

Lake Travis high school students, Bee Cave Arts Foundation (BCAF) members, and Austin Sister City sponsors all traveled to Paestum, Italy to celebrate the 80^th anniversary of Operation Avalanche. And to top it off, a representative group of military officials from the 36th Infantry Division including Major General Ronald Win Burkett, II and the 36^th Infantry Camp Mabry Band were all in attendance. On Sept. 9, 1943, the Texas Arrowhead Division landed on the beach in Paestum, Italy, and began Operation Avalanche. September 9th marks the first moment when American forces from Texas began the slow and deliberate northward march across Italy to drive German forces from the country. To commemorate all those brave troops, Dr. Giorgio Caffaso, Project Avalanche Organizer and Master of Ceremonies, led a solemn ceremony on the landing beach as part of the Project Avalanche remembrance activities.

Student, Veteran, and BCAF Artists Art Exhibit

The Avalanche Project inspired artwork by Texas students and veterans was exhibited in an open-air gallery at Paestum’s MMMAC Museo dei Materiali Minimi d’ Arte Contemporanea gallery.  

Architect Carmine Voza, the owner of the Museum (who also designed the restoration of the building), took a special interest in this initiative, hosting our exhibition promoting the partnership between the Bee Cave Arts Foundation and Italy’s Make Art, a collaborative arts, music, inclusion and culture entity founded by Claudia Bilotti and Giorgio Cafasso.  

Italy-inspired artwork created by BCAF members was also included in this exhibition.. The students toured the gallery and got to showcase their work to all those who joined the festivities. Amber Forgey, LTHS’s lead art teacher and recently voted the 2023 Texas Art Educators Association High School Teacher of the Year not only helped the students interpret other work in this museum, but she also shepherded the students all over Paestum to see the sights. Plein-air drawing activities, tours of the archaeological sites, and of course indulging in delicious Italian gelato were just a few of the activities enjoyed by the students and Ms. Forgey. On a sun-drenched afternoon, the group boarded a private boat tour of Italy’s Cilento coast which included visiting the beautiful grottos of Palinuro.

Adventures in Campania, Italy

A highlight of the student’s trip included a visit to the studio of noted Italian artist, Franco Palmentieri. Franco was born in Salerno, Italy. He alternates between creating drawings, painting, sculpture, reliefs, and designing exclusive living spaces. You’ll find his artwork exhibited in galleries, books, artistic short films, and applied art. Franco designs, builds, and inaugurates art in his atelier and showroom in the city of Cava de Tirreni. What a wonderful opportunity for the students to see Franco’s marvelous art and learn from this Italian master.

The trip culminated in an evening musical concert performed in the archaeological area of Paestum. Valeria Graziani, a talented and versatile singer, opened the show for singer songwriter Tish Hinojosa and her band from Austin, Texas. Additionally, the “Motus Danza” di Maria Carmela D’Angelo troupe performed a lovely interpretive dance. The upbeat musical performance inspired the crowd to join in and sing along with the musicians. At the end of this festive evening, Deby Childress, the Director of the Bee Cave Arts Foundation was presented with an original Franco Palmenieri artwork on behalf of the BCAF!