“I fell in love with the life model I was painting – I moved 5,500 miles to be with him”
- 4 months ago
A woman fell in love with the life model she was painting and moved 5,500 miles to be with him - and now they are happily married.
Katrin Schroeder, 32, was travelling around Europe when she took a life modelling class in Florence, Italy, and met Andrés Escalante, 35, who was posing clothed for a group of artists.
The pair were both in relationships at the time, but hung out as friends before Katrin continued her European trip - visiting Switzerland and Croatia.
She split from her boyfriend one month later and returned to Florence to study art, and found Andrés was also single and the pair started spending more time together.
Katrin was forced to return home to Aspen, Colorado, US, when lockdown hit but the pair kept in touch - despite being 5,500 miles apart.
They would call for hours a day and realised they had feelings for each other.
Katrin was finally able to reunite with Andrés nine months later and he asked her to marry him.
They tied the knot in September 2021 and now live happily in Florence, Italy, together.
Katrin, an artist, originally from Roseville, Minnesota, US, said: “It’s all quite stupendous.
“It’s really crazy."
Andres, a photographer and life model, from Florence, Italy, said: “When I first saw her I thought she was really beautiful.
“It really blossomed in the lockdown when she was away in the US.
“It’s a whirlwind.
"We became each other's muses."
Katrin had helped her ex-partner move to Switzerland in September 2019 and decided to continue her trip and travel Europe – finding a painting workshop in Florence.
She went to Italy in October 2019 and immediately locked eyes with model Andrés.
Katrin said: “I was super anxious.
“I saw Andrés – I thought ‘this model is super beautiful’
“I had no intentions with Andrés.
“But our eyes ended up meeting.”
Andrés asked Katrin to go for drink and the pair decided to be friends.
Katrin said: “He seemed really respectful.
“We ended up exchanging Instagram.”
Katrin spent time exploring Florence with Andrés, before going back to visit her boyfriend in Switzerland and then continuing her European trip to Croatia.
She split from her ex-boyfriend in November 2019 and decided to go back to Florence and applied for an art courses at Charles Cecil studios.
Katrin reconnected with Andrés and he helped her sort her visa.
The couple ended up going out as friends on February 14, 2020, but when Covid hit Katrin was forced to return to the US.
She said: “We were licking wounds together.
“We were friends offering support.”
Katrin was surprised to get a random call from Andrés a few weeks into lockdown.
She said: “It was a surprise phone call.
“The following week he called me again.
“Gradually it became more frequent and then hours every day.
“He was talking about things he’d show me when I got to Florence.
“Towards the end of summer I was like 'I actually really like this guy'.
“Does he feel the same way?”
Katrin Schroeder, 32, was travelling around Europe when she took a life modelling class in Florence, Italy, and met Andrés Escalante, 35, who was posing clothed for a group of artists.
The pair were both in relationships at the time, but hung out as friends before Katrin continued her European trip - visiting Switzerland and Croatia.
She split from her boyfriend one month later and returned to Florence to study art, and found Andrés was also single and the pair started spending more time together.
Katrin was forced to return home to Aspen, Colorado, US, when lockdown hit but the pair kept in touch - despite being 5,500 miles apart.
They would call for hours a day and realised they had feelings for each other.
Katrin was finally able to reunite with Andrés nine months later and he asked her to marry him.
They tied the knot in September 2021 and now live happily in Florence, Italy, together.
Katrin, an artist, originally from Roseville, Minnesota, US, said: “It’s all quite stupendous.
“It’s really crazy."
Andres, a photographer and life model, from Florence, Italy, said: “When I first saw her I thought she was really beautiful.
“It really blossomed in the lockdown when she was away in the US.
“It’s a whirlwind.
"We became each other's muses."
Katrin had helped her ex-partner move to Switzerland in September 2019 and decided to continue her trip and travel Europe – finding a painting workshop in Florence.
She went to Italy in October 2019 and immediately locked eyes with model Andrés.
Katrin said: “I was super anxious.
“I saw Andrés – I thought ‘this model is super beautiful’
“I had no intentions with Andrés.
“But our eyes ended up meeting.”
Andrés asked Katrin to go for drink and the pair decided to be friends.
Katrin said: “He seemed really respectful.
“We ended up exchanging Instagram.”
Katrin spent time exploring Florence with Andrés, before going back to visit her boyfriend in Switzerland and then continuing her European trip to Croatia.
She split from her ex-boyfriend in November 2019 and decided to go back to Florence and applied for an art courses at Charles Cecil studios.
Katrin reconnected with Andrés and he helped her sort her visa.
The couple ended up going out as friends on February 14, 2020, but when Covid hit Katrin was forced to return to the US.
She said: “We were licking wounds together.
“We were friends offering support.”
Katrin was surprised to get a random call from Andrés a few weeks into lockdown.
She said: “It was a surprise phone call.
“The following week he called me again.
“Gradually it became more frequent and then hours every day.
“He was talking about things he’d show me when I got to Florence.
“Towards the end of summer I was like 'I actually really like this guy'.
“Does he feel the same way?”