Dance the year in with Matisse who was born on this day
Then enjoy the fireworks and mine come without loud bangs.
Tuesday, December 31, 2024
Hoppin' John on the last day of 2024
HOPPIN’ JOHN
One side of my family was from the south and when New Year's approaches, I need to eat traditional foods. I need to have Hoppin’ John, a traditional New Year’s Day dish, and luck will follow you all year long!
WHAT IS HOPPIN’ JOHN?
Hoppin’ John is a dish traditionally eaten in the southern United States on New Year’s Day. Dating back to the early 1800s, it is made with black-eyed peas (aka cow peas), rice, and meat (usually pork, in the form of bacon or ham). The meal can also include collard greens and corn bread.
Hoppin’ John is also known as “Happy Jack,” “Happy John,” and “Hop-in-John.”
WHEN DO YOU EAT HOPPIN’ JOHN?
For some, the tradition of eating Hoppin’ John begins at midnight (New Year’s Eve), when the dish is served with a Champagne toast.
New Year’s Day is the traditional day to eat Hoppin’ John. Any leftover can be enjoyed on later days, but be aware that the name of the dish changes to Skippin’ Jenny. Stretching the dish into leftovers demonstrates your sense of frugality and promises even greater prosperity in the new year!
WHAT MAKES HOPPIN’ JOHN SPECIAL?
The ingredients in Hoppin’ John have symbolic importance, and eating this dish on New Year’s Day portends good fortune in the new year:
- black-eyed peas represent coins
- collard greens represent green backs (dollars), or cash
- corn bread represents gold
- pork—especially ham hocks—recall the cheap cuts of meat provided to slaves
- tomatoes, if included, represent health
- Sometimes, the cook slips a dime into the dish before serving. It is said that wealth awaits the diner who gets the dime (and hopefully not a chipped tooth).
Some say that good luck visits those who count the black-eyed peas on their plate for a hint at the amount of luck or wealth that will ensue.
The custom of eating all but three of the black-eyed peas on your plate promises a trio of benefits—luck, wealth, and romance.
Legend has it that Sephardic Jews served black-eyed peas during Rosh Hashanah in the hope of fertility and good fortune.
WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF HOPPIN’ JOHN?
Hoppin’ John is considered Southern cuisine, mainly associated with North and South Carolina, but especially the Sea Islands, off the coast of South Carolina and Georgia. Historians believe that the recipe was created by African slaves, who introduced black-eyed peas to America and grew them in small gardens on rice plantations. Some sources suggest that cattle grazed on black-eyed peas in the Carolinas in the early 1700s. The peas helped to suppress weeds and added nutrition to the soil, and therefore the livestock.
The first appearance of the recipe for Hoppin’ John occurred in 1847 in a book titled “The Carolina Housewife.”
WHERE DOES THE NAME HOPPIN’ JOHN COME FROM?
- One source suggests that “Hoppin’ John” was a handicapped man who cooked and sold the dish in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1841.
- One tradition has children hopping around the dinner table as the dish was brought in from the kitchen.
- A more dubious explanation suggests that in South Carolina it was customary to invite a guest to dinner by saying, “Hop in, John.”
Recipe for Hoppin John https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/classic-hoppin-john-recipe
 |
| Sunrise, Sunset. |
Then, I found this via the Internet - not mine. I wish I wrote this well (Rachel was facing surgery and I urge everybody to go to her page, read her marvelous columns and contribute what they can)
http://www.handsfreemama.com/2015/12/04/clues-to-cling-to-when-facing-lifes-mysteries/
No matter what mysteries we face today, there are clues all around us indicating hope is near … goodness is abundant … and we are being held in loving, faithful hands.
"My friends, whether we are facing small mysteries or gigantic ones … whether they’re mysteries for ourselves, our loved ones, or the world in its most troubling state, I am certain this is how we must deal. We must:
Carry on
Bake on
Sing on
Decorate on
Strum on
Praise on
Pray on
Dance on
Love on
Believe on
Twinkle on
Inhale on
Exhale on
Because when we do, our people are thankful we joined in.
Because when we do, we see, taste, and smell beautiful things we might have missed.
Because when we do, angst diminishes and hope swells.
Because when we do, the beautiful Evidence of Life becomes stronger than any troubling mystery we face.
I am a medical mystery. I face a medical mystery. But nothing will stop me from carrying on. Please join me, friends. Let’s carry on. Together, hope swells higher."
Saturday, December 28, 2024
Félix Edouard Vallotton
Félix Edouard Vallotton. Born December 28, 1865
 |
| Sunset |
Félix Vallotton, in full Félix Edouard Vallotton, (born December 28, 1865, Lausanne, Switzerland—died December 28, 1925, Paris, France), Swiss-born French graphic artist and painter known for his paintings of nudes and interiors and in particular for his distinctive woodcuts.
Vallotton never quite reached the heights of fame of some of his avant-garde contemporaries, but he developed his own unique style and history now views him as one of the most original artists of his era. His status stands on a body of work that encompasses portraits, satirical prints, interior narratives, landscapes and still lifes. His early printmaking caught the eye of Pierre Bonnard and Édouard Vuillard who invited him to join the Nabis group. Though he never really settled as a member of Nabis, his affiliation with the group brought him into contact with a circle of literary bohemians. Through these new associations he was able to plot a more singular path that saw him make his name via a collection of groundbreaking satirical woodcuts for avant-garde left-wing journals. As his career evolved, Vallotton turned his dispassionate eye more and more towards painting. Transferring the block technique of his printmaking to his painting, his distinctive vision offered a fine balance between Realist and Symbolist techniques that saw many of his mature works convey a palpable sense of psychological disquiet
He was born into a conservative middle-class family in Lausanne, and there he attended Collège Cantonal, graduating with a degree in classical studies in 1882. In that year he moved to Paris to study art under Jules Joseph Lefebvre and Gustave Boulanger at the Académie Julian. He spent many hours in the Louvre, where he greatly admired the works of Holbein, Dürer and Ingres; these artists would remain exemplars for Vallotton throughout his life. Vallotton's earliest paintings, chiefly portraits, are firmly rooted in the academic tradition. In 1885 he painted the Ingresque Portrait of Monsieur Ursenbach as well as his first painted self-portrait (seen at left), which received an honorable mention at the Salon des Artistes Français in 1886.
He worked in woodcut almost exclusively throughout the 1890s. In 1892 he began associating with a group of artists called the Nabis (from Hebrew navi, meaning “prophet,” or “seer”)—Édouard Vuillard, Pierre Bonnard, Ker-Xavier Roussel, and Maurice Denis. Vallotton exhibited with them for the first time that year at Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Though only loosely affiliated with the group, Vallotton, like them, looked to Symbolist artists and to the Japanese tradition of woodcut. Both stressed the flatness of the surface and the use of simplified abstract forms, strong lines (evident in Vallotton’s prints), and bold colors.
“I think I paint for people who are level-headed but who have an unspoken voice deep inside them.”
 |
| Road at St Paul (Var) 1922 |
 |
| Le Bois de la Gruerie et le ravin des Meurissons (1917) |
Internet Archive here
Saturday, December 21, 2024
Masaccio. The first truly Renaissance artist
Summary of Masaccio
Masaccio is often credited as the first truly Renaissance artist. A tragically early end to his life cut short his progress, yet his outstanding work altered the course of Western art. The Early Renaissance was a time of cultural flourishing in Florence, and Masaccio was able to take advantage of the significant patronage of the arts among the nobility, who were keen to show off their wealth and prestige in the form of alter-pieces and friezes decorating private chapels. Little is known about his life; what we do know is that his work was unlike that of any other artist working in Florence at the time, following a rational approach that would come to characterize the broader Renaissance.
- One of the most significant innovations in art - and no less architecture and engineering - during the Renaissance, was the use of linear perspective to create the illusion of depth in a two-dimensional rendering. Masaccio took inspiration from the architectural drawings of Filippo Brunelleschi, who had rediscovered the concept of perspective, lost since Ancient Roman and Greek times, and applied it to painting, altering the course of Western art.
- By taking the principles of perspective from architecture, and the study of light and form from sculpture, and applying them to painting, Masaccio created works of remarkable realism, that were completely different to any other painting of the time. His religious figures appear as solid objects in three-dimensional space. In this way they occupy an extension of the viewer's world, as if behind a pane of glass, rather than a wholly separate, pictorial plane as in Medieval art.
- The realism of Masaccio's paintings not only demonstrates the scientific principles which were key to the development of the Renaissance, it brings the holy persons closer to the viewer, and makes them appear more human, establishing a change in the relationship between the people and their God.
From The Art Story
Monday, December 16, 2024
Remedios Varo, Surrealism, alchemy, witchcraft - portrayals of an alternate universe
Remedios Varo (December 16, 1908 – October 8, 1973) was a Spanish Surrealist artist who was active during the first half of the 20th century. She was overshadowed by her more famous contemporary, Frida Kahlo but but Varo’s work was equally surrealist. She used an interdisciplinary approach in her art by combining insights from psychology, religion, and science.
Although she died at the age of only 53 due to a sudden heart attack, it is estimated that she left approximately 384 artworks behind her. During her early formative years, her father Rodrigo proved to be a supportive and influential figure. He was a hydraulic engineer and Remedios was fascinated with his technical drawings. Motifs such as machinery and hydraulics would show up later in her art. Her father encouraged her to pursue an artistic career, so she enrolled in the School of Fine Arts in Madrid in 1924. There, she was under the guidance of a renowned Spanish painter Manuel Benedito. Varo successfully completed her education in 1930.
After graduating she traveled around Europe. In Barcelona, she formed her first artistic circle of friends which consisted of Oscar Dominguez, a Spanish surrealist painter, and Esteban Frances, a French surrealist and Dadaist poet. Later in Paris Varo met the pioneers of Surrealism like Andre Breton, Leonora Carrington, and Max Ernst. Unfortunately, her artistic development in Europe was disrupted by two traumatic historical events. Firstly, she had to flee from Spain when the Spanish Civil War broke out in 1936, and when it ended in 1939, she was banned from returning by the fascist dictator Francisco Franco. Then, after the beginning of World War II, she found her refuge in Mexico. What was supposed to be a temporary solution turned out to be a permanent one—Remedios Varo spent the last 13 years of her life in Mexico.
Remedios Varo was influenced by her father’s profession, and she was interested in science from an early age. Since most of Varo’s inspiration stems from her childhood, it is not surprising that themes such as science, physics, and mechanics are an important part of her artwork. The phenomenon of Weightlessness is a powerful example of Varos’ fascination with science. The scene is set in an illogical space where the room is duplicated and positioned at an asymmetrical angle. This aspect emphasizes revelations regarding the relativity of gravity. It is presumed that Albert Einstein and his groundbreaking discovery were used as an inspiration here.
Varo was drawn to surreal, illogical, and preternatural phenomena. Thus she expressed her interest in alchemy in numerous works. While science was accepted in the real and rational world, the magical and otherworldly aspects of alchemy found their significant place in Varo’s opus. The Useless Science or The Alchemist encapsulates these qualities. A ghostlike creature, engaged in an enigmatic experiment, is set in a peculiar-looking laboratory. The dominant colors here are also worth noticing. According to alchemistic theories, the colors black, white, yellow, and red allude to the four-stage chemical reaction that produces the elixir of life.
Religion plays a huge part in the artwork of Remedios Varo. Having attended a Catholic convent school as a young girl, she was exposed to strict discipline and dogmatic teaching. This experience fostered her critical thinking and questioning of authority. Consequently, Varo tackled Christianity in a multifaceted manner in her paintings. In her painting called Rupture, the central figure is depicted descending the stairs while leaving behind a stern-looking building with unsmiling guards in it. The main figure with her heart-shaped face, almond eyes, and aquiline nose resembles Varo’s features. Therefore this scene could be interpreted as Varo’s act of cutting ties with the rigidity of religion and tradition. She is off to explore the forbidden domain of magic, alchemy, and even witchcraft.
Just like her fellow Surrealists, Varo expressed interest in psychology and psychoanalysis, especially in Freud’s and Jung’s theories of the subconscious. The central figure in her Woman Leaving the Psychoanalyst resembles the features of Remedios Varo as well. Thus, Varo resonated with the intentions of the depicted woman to explore the unconscious mind and her suppressed desires.
On the other hand, this piece could be analyzed from a feminist perspective. The woman in question is represented holding the head of an old man, getting ready to throw it into a well. This act can be perceived as an act of rebellion. The portrayed woman is ready to reject and free herself from patriarchal notions and limitations symbolized by the man’s head. Even though Varo never deliberately addressed problems of gender inequality, her art showed empowered women. By giving female bodies androgynous forms, Varo freed women from being objectified.
Surrealist artists loved to experiment with untraditional techniques, and Remedios Varo was no exception. Even though she predominantly produced oil paintings, she found a way to incorporate unorthodox methods in her art. Interested in automatism and freeing her imagination of conscious control, Varo used techniques such as decalcomania, grattage, and soufflage.
Decalcomania is a surrealist painting technique characterized by the application of one material (e.g. paper, aluminum foil, or glass) to a freshly painted surface followed by peeling it off. The process results in unpredictable and spontaneous patterns. The accidental nature of this technique is closely linked to Varo’s exploration of the subconscious and imagination. Using this method in The Star Catcher she created a biomorphic pattern visible on the garment of the protagonist and on a part of the background.
Most likely invented by Max Ernst, the technique of grattage provides unexpected and chance-driven results. Varo employed grattage in her painting The Escape, which is most evident in the detail of rocks. She scraped the surface with a sharp-edged tool while the paint was still wet. This led to the revealing of underlying layers of paint, which in turn created textured and unpredictable patterns. Therefore, this method provides a dynamic interplay between control and chance.
Remedios Varo collaborated with many other Surrealist artists, including the British artist Leonora Carrington and the Hungarian artist Kati Horna. Since all three of them found their new home in Mexico, they formed a close friendship. Due to their shared interest in spiritual practices and the occult, they earned the nickname the three witches among their friends and colleagues. The trio wrote two unpublished plays El Santo Cuerpo Grasoso and Lady Milagra. They employed a writing technique similar to the method of cadavre exquis where they took turns in adding small fragments of text. Fascinated by witchcraft, the three of them also undertook the task of writing magical recipes in order to provoke specific dreams.
Remedios Varo worked with other artists as well. She participated in a collaborative work called Game of Communicated Drawing with Robert Rius, Benjamin Peret, and Andre Breton. This series had a game-like nature. Each participant was shown a drawing for three seconds, after which they had to recreate what they had seen.
Varo also took part in a Surrealist game cadavre exquis (or exquisite corpse) with Esteban Frances, Marcel Jean, and Oscar Dominguez. The game involved multiple participants who each contributed to a collective composition without previous knowledge of what others had drawn or written. This method was supposed to encourage the subconscious association of the participants.
Remedios Varo is a vital representative of Surrealism. Her art is complex on many levels. Firstly, she developed a distinctive and original artistic style within the Surrealist movement. Dreamlike creatures that populate mysterious places and engage in mystical and other-worldly activities are a trademark of Varo’s artwork. Furthermore, Varo proved to be well-versed in numerous fields like science, alchemy, psychology, and religion. That comprehensive knowledge gave her artworks multilayered meanings. Finally, Varo collaborated and interacted with prominent Surrealist figures.
Varo’s art is also of crucial importance when it comes to gender studies and feminist theories. Even though she did not declare herself a feminist or address gender inequality in her work, the way Varo depicted women undermined traditional patriarchal values. Her paintings often feature strong and independent female figures undertaking roles that were commonly perceived as masculine. Moreover, Varo never objectified the women she portrayed. Her female characters had depth, intellect, and creativity.
In the end, thanks to Remedios Varo we can conclude that there are always new and lesser-known female artists just waiting to be discovered. Frida Kahlo has become an absolute symbol of female Surrealist art to such an extent that other women artists have been set aside. Therefore, more room needs to be made for different and not-so-popular women artists. Remedios Varo serves as an exemplar highlighting the growing need for art history articles, blogs, and media that amplify the visibility of women in art.
https://www.thecollector.com/remedios-varo-female-surrealist-painter
Tuesday, December 10, 2024
Zinaida Serebriakova. Ukranian-French painter.
Born this day in 1884, on Neskuchnoye estate in Russia, the marvelous painter Zinaida Serebriakova. Here by herself at mirror in 1909. She was born on the estate of Neskuchnoye near Kharkov (now Kharkiv, Ukraine) into one of the most refined and artistic families in the Russian Empire.
In 1914–1917, Zinaida Serebriakova was in her prime. During these years she produced a series of pictures on the theme of Russian rural life, the work of the peasants and the Russian countryside which was so dear to her heart:
The most important of these works was Bleaching Cloth (1917, Tretyakov Gallery), which revealed Zinaida Serebriakova's striking talent as a monumental artist. The figures of the peasant women, portrayed against the background of the sky, gain majesty and power by virtue of the low horizon.
At the outbreak of the October Revolution in 1917, Serebriakova was at her family estate of Neskuchnoye, and suddenly her whole life changed. In 1919 her husband Boris died of typhus contracted in Bolshevik jails. She was left without any income, responsible for her four children and her sick mother. All the reserves of Neskuchnoye had been plundered, so the family suffered from hunger. She had to give up oil painting in favour of the less expensive techniques of charcoal and pencil. This was the time of her most tragic painting, House of Cards, which depicts her four orphaned children.
She moved to St Petersburg where she was able to get work sketching items in the Kharkov Archaeology Museum. Her daughter, entered ballet school. So she survived - one of the few who did.
In the autumn of 1924, Serebriakova went to Paris, having received a commission for a large decorative mural. On finishing this work, she intended to return to the Soviet Union, where her mother and the four children remained. However, she was not able to return, and although she was able to bring her younger children, Alexandre and Catherine, to Paris in 1926 and 1928 respectively, she could not do the same for her two older children, Evgenyi and Tatiana, and did not see them again for many years.
After this, Zinaida Serebriakova traveled a great deal. In 1928 and 1930 she traveled to Africa, visiting Morocco.
In 1947, Serebriakova at last took French citizenship, and it was not until Khruschev's Thaw that the Soviet Government allowed her to resume contact with her family in the Soviet Union. In 1960, after 36 years of forced separation, her older daughter, Tatiana (Tata), was finally allowed to visit her.
It was not until 1966 that any of her work was exhibited in the Soviet Union but to this day, most of her art remains in France. Zinaida Serebriakova died in Paris on 19 September 1967, at the age of 82. She is buried in Paris, at the Russian cemetery at Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois.
https://museumstudiesabroad.org/zinaida-serebriakova/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)