The San Miniato Project

donating a sculpture to the basilica of San miniato al monte in florence, italy

The Project

To raise money, cast this sculpture in bronze, donate it to the church of San Miniato al Monte in Florence, IT, and place it in the cemetery behind.

The Request

I have offered to make a donation of this work to the Basilica of San Miniato al Monte. Father Bernardo Gianni, the Abbot, has kindly accepted and granted permission to place the sculpture in the Cemetery behind the church. He, Clara Marinelli at Frilli Gallery, and I are working together to produce a bronze cast of this sculpture for this purpose. For my time and talent, I donate freely to the church that I love. However, we are searching for generous patrons to fund the bronze casting.

We aim to raise 20,000 Euro.

To contribute

There are two ways to contribute to this meaningful project. 1) Charitable donation, 2) Purchasing an artwork.

1) The San Miniato Project is being supported in partnership with the Pneuma Art Foundation and Pneuma Italy ETS.
In the United States, charitable contributions in support of the San Miniato Project may be made to Pneuma Art Foundation, a U.S. nonprofit organization recognized as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. In Italy, contributions may be made to Pneuma Italy ETS, an Ente del Terzo Settore registered in Italy. Contributions will be received and administered by the applicable Pneuma organization in furtherance of its charitable purposes, mission, and to support the San Miniato Project. Contributions may be eligible for charitable tax benefits to the extent permitted by applicable U.S. or Italian law. Donors should consult their tax adviser regarding their individual circumstances.

Donors contributing 2,000 euro or more will be offered recognition by name on a donor plaque associated with the project. Donors contributing less than €2,000 may be acknowledged in project publications and materials. Such recognition is honorary only; no goods or services are provided in exchange for a charitable contribution. Every donation is appreciated!

Contributions may be made by bank transfer, check, Stripe, or Zelle. Please use the Contact Form below for contribution instructions and bank details.

I am donating my artistic services to the project and will not receive compensation from charitable contributions raised for the project.

2) I have produced a 3-dimensional reduction of this sculpture at 50cm tall (shown below). This sculpture, cast in bronze, is for sale at 5,000 Euro. If you purchase this personal statue, the proceeds will go into funding this project. In addition, almost all of my other artwork is available and any sale of those works will also go to supporting this project. The other works are available in plaster or in bronze. Please reach out to me using the Contact Form below for inquiries and information. See my work in the Gallery section on this website.

The sculpture

In Florence, Italy there is a 1000 year old church called San Miniato al Monte standing atop a hill overlooking the city. It is named after a saint who lived in the year 250 A.D. called San Miniato. The legend of his life tells the tale of a man from Armenia, possibly a merchant or a prince, who traveled to the ancient Roman Empire preaching the Christian message. After refusing to renounce his faith, he was executed and became the first martyr of Florence. According to legend, he was decapitated but did not die. Instead, he bent over, picked up his own head, and walked out of the city to this nearby hill where he had a hermitage, and died there. This is the site where the church now stands.

For me, this story speaks of resurrection and eternal life, ideas which are both universal and deeply personal. The saint boldly ascends the hill as though ascending into Heaven. He is dead, but not dead. Rather he has New Life born in Christ. Blood pumps through his veins and his eyes gaze upward towards the Beatific Vision.

The Story

I have always loved the Church of San Miniato al Monte and in my 5 years of living in Florence, I have visited many times, both the interior and the Cemetery behind. This city has become a second home and this church a place of welcome and worship. From 2024-25, I partook in the Graduate in Residency program at the Florence Academy of Art which gave me the opportunity to make personal artwork in a private studio. The story of the saint's life and martyrdom was very compelling to me and served as the inspiration for this sculpture.

Upon deciding to create this work, I met with Father Bernardo Gianni, the Abbot at San Miniato al Monte, to ask him questions about the life of the saint, the legend, its meaning, and to receive his advice. Our conversation was informative and encouraging. Over the 9 month period of my Residency I produced this sculpture. I made it purely as a personal art-piece because of my fascination and love of his story and out of love for this city, Florence. 

The Installation

Our goal is to complete this project and install the sculpture in the Cemetery for the upcoming Feast of San Miniato on October 25, 2026. The bronze casting is already under way.

Cemetery of San Miniato al Monte in Florence, Italy

The Creation

This piece was made in the studios of the Florence Academy of Art after my graduation during the 9-month residency. It underwent many changes throughout the creative process by much searching. Below are images of the progress from beginning, intermediate, and to final stages.

the Reduction

Below is a photo of a 3D Reduction of the Sculpture San Miniato verso il Monte which I will soon cast in bronze and sell for 5,000 Euro. Proceeds from the sale will go to funding this project. What you receive is not exactly as in this photo; it will be a professionally produced bronze cast. It measures 50cm high. This is a perfect, prayerful devotional statue of the Saint to have in your home, like all good Sacred Art, to lead you into contemplation and meditation of the mysteries of faith.

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