Florence
is home to many expats: those who have longed to live here, those who have
found love and moved here, and those who have come to Florence and felt
immediately at home here. Many people arrive here at a point in their lives when
they seek to redefine themselves: whether they were not completely happy, were
searching for something new, or were looking for love, it seems that those who
come to Florence are reborn. Florence will always be the ‘cradle of the
Renaissance’ for the art world, but it also welcomes people of all walks of
life who are seeking to follow their hearts.
Maybe Brian Buschmann would have become a designer no matter where he was living,
but he recognizes that living in Florence has its benefits. For Brian, Florence
is a ‘positive influential force in his creativity’ that allows him to continually
grow as a designer.
His
journey to Florence started while studying graphic design at Minneapolis
College of Art and Design (MCAD): there he met his future wife, Claudia, a
Florentine studying abroad. After graduating and working for a year, Brian came
to visit the city for the first time. He fell in love with it because of its
similarity to Boston, the city near where he grew up. He lived in Florence for
a year before getting married; then he and Claudia moved back to the United
States to take advantage of the many graphic design job opportunities available
there.
After living in
California for a few years, in 2004 Brian and Claudia decided to move back to
Italy with their two children, settling in Fiesole, just above Florence. ‘Being
in Florence allows me to achieve some of the most important personal core
values: family and a good lifestyle.’ The children see their Italian grandparents
often and speak both English and Italian fluently. Brian is happy that his
children are being exposed to life in Italy, believing that their
cross-cultural experience will enrich their lives no matter where they choose
to live.
In making the decision
with Claudia to live here, Brian has found an international, yet provincial,
city where he can savor his family life. The city has become his muse,
inspiring him to explore more aspects of himself as a designer and experiment
with other mediums.
Professionally,
Brian is involved in many diverse but interconnected areas of design: user
experience, graphic and motion. Since he’s been in Florence, he has found a
community of eclectic designers and artists with whom he collaborates in a
variety of different types of projects. For example, last year, he was part of
joint production efforts that included a short film, music video and title
animation. He also participated in the Festival della Creatività, a convening
of artists and designers from around the world. Working solo is certainly
rewarding, but Brian realizes that collaboration has been an enriching
experience.
‘Florence,’
says Brian, ‘has a gentler feeling than any other Italian city.’ He notes that
the city is filled with fascinating architectural details, is surrounded by
rolling hills and has a unique golden light when the sun is setting. His
creativity is stimulated by the sounds, sights and smells-from the chiming of
the church bells to the brightly lit storefronts and people strolling in the streets.
Even walking familiar streets, Brian says, he still looks at the city as if for
the first time. Indeed, he still purposefully explores the streets, taking
photos to capture unique moments.
