Christina Cordova

 

Ms. Cordova has taught sculpture at Penland and has been featured in various clay magazines. She's even had a few things at local pottery shows. I LOVE her work.

This piece was displayed in a corner at the Asheville Art Museum when we visited last month (or maybe the month before.)

Here's an article from the Asheville Laurel.

I've been very fortunate to visit several galleries featuring her work.

Signing of the US Constitution

 On July 27, 1939 Congress awarded artist Howard Chandler Christy a contract to create a large painting in commemoration of the signing of the United States Constitution. The painting was first proposed in 1937, during the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the signing, but Congress had refused to appropriate the $35,000 necessary to commission it, as many members felt that such an expense was inappropriate during an economic depression. The proposal failed again the following year, but was finally approved in 1939, with a reduced price of $30,000.

It took Christy over five years to complete the 18 x 26-foot painting, with much of that time spent doing research. He wanted to depict the signers accurately, so he searched out and studied the best existing portraits of them (no known portraits existed of two of the 39 signers—for those two he intentionally obscured their faces). The clothing, flags, and furniture depicted in the painting were also the products of careful and diligent research.

Even though not all of the delegates were present on signing day, Christy portrayed them all. He depicts George Washington as if he is gazing out into the future, while Benjamin Franklin stares out directly at the viewer. All of the subjects are identified in a key sketched by Christy.

The finished painting was dedicated in May 1940. After hanging in the Capitol Rotunda for 16 months, it was moved to east grand stairway of the House of Representatives, where it has been ever since.

Signing of the US Constitution, September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia by 39 delegates from 12 states.

Edward Hopper

 It's the birth anniversary of the painter Edward Hopper, born in Nyack, New York (1882). By the time he was 12, he was already six feet tall. He was skinny, gangly, made fun of by his classmates, painfully shy, and spent much of his time alone drawing.

After he finished art school, he took a trip to Paris and spent almost all of his time there alone, reading or painting. In Paris, he realized that he had fallen in love with light. He said the light in Paris was unlike anything he'd ever seen before. He tried to re-create it in his paintings.

He came back to New York and was employed as an illustrator at an ad agency, which he loathed. In his spare time, he drove around and painted train stations and gas stations and corner saloons.

Hopper had only sold one painting by the time he was 40 years old, but his first major exhibition — in 1933 at the Museum of Modern Art — made him famous. His pieces in that show had titles like Houses by the Railroad, Manhattan Bridge Loop, Room in Brooklyn, Roofs of Washington Square, Cold Storage Plant, Lonely House, and Girl on Bridge. Though his work was more realistic and less experimental than most other painters at the time, he painted his scenes in a way that made them seem especially lonely and eerie.

Edward Hopper said: "Maybe I am slightly inhuman ... All I ever wanted to do was to paint sunlight on the side of a house."

Writer's Almanac 2014

Summer Evening by Edward Hopper

Whistler

 It's the birthday of the artist best known for a painting of his mother: James Abbott McNeill Whistler, born in Lowell, Massachusetts (1834). His most famous painting was titled Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1 (1871), but it's more commonly known as "Whistler's Mother." It's a portrait of Anna Matilda McNeill Whistler in a black dress, seated in profile against a gray wall. When Whistler's scheduled model didn't show up for a sitting, he decided to paint his mother instead.

Frida Kahlo

  "And in the end, I think we don't need to do anything to be loved.

We spend our lives trying to look prettier, smarter.

but I realized two things.

Those who love us see us with their heart and attribute to us qualities beyond what we actually have.

And those who do not want to love us will never be satisfied with all our efforts.

Yes, I really think it's important to leave our imperfections alone.

They are precious to understand those who see us with their heart. "

Frida Kahlo artist, ( 6 July 1907 – 13 July 1954).

Born to a German father and a mestiza mother (of Purépecha descent), Kahlo spent most of her childhood and adult life in Coyoacán, her family home in Mexico.

Although she was disabled by polio as a child, Kahlo had been a promising student headed for medical school until being injured in a bus accident at the age of 18, which caused her lifelong pain and medical problems. During her recovery, she returned to her childhood interest in art with the idea of becoming an artist.

Kahlo's interests in politics and art led her to join the Mexican Communist Party in 1927,^[1] through which she met fellow Mexican artist Diego Rivera. The couple married in 1929^[1][6] and spent the late 1920s and early 1930s travelling in Mexico and the United States together. During this time, she developed her artistic style, drawing her main inspiration from Mexican folk culture, and painted mostly small self-portraits that mixed elements from pre-Columbian and Catholic beliefs. Her paintings raised the interest of surrealist artist André Breton, who arranged for Kahlo's first solo exhibition at the Julien Levy Gallery in New York in 1938; the exhibition was a success and was followed by another in Paris in 1939. While the French exhibition was less successful, the Louvre purchased a painting from Kahlo, The Frame, making her the first Mexican artist to be featured in their collection.^[1]

 While she had had solo exhibitions elsewhere, she had her first solo exhibition in Mexico in 1953, shortly before her death in 1954 at the age of 47.

Kahlo's work as an artist remained relatively unknown until the late 1970s, when her work was rediscovered by art historians and political activists. By the early 1990s, not only had she become a recognized figure in art history, but she was also regarded as an icon for Chicanos, the feminism movement, and the LGBTQ+ community. Kahlo's work has been celebrated internationally as emblematic of Mexican national and Indigenous traditions and by feminists for what is seen as its uncompromising depiction of the female experience and form.^[7]

Even as Kahlo was gaining recognition in Mexico, her health was declining rapidly, and an attempted surgery to support her spine failed.

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Source Wikipedia 

There are numerous paintings of hers which appear in various places, including my favorite Mexican restaurant (well, prints.)

Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo, with her husband, Diego Rivera painting the mural "Nightmare of war, Dream of peace," Mexico, 1952

I also would recommend the movie "Frida" which I recently watched on Prime. It shows much of her art, as well as her husband's (Diego Rivera). There is an artistic twist in the film whereby different works are connected to the quotes by the artist by animations. It also has English subtitle translations of the Spanish words.

Clouds

 Clyde Butcher's clouds are art.

I found Clyde on Facebook recently, (Clyde Butcher Photography) and am sharing just a bit of his art. 

He said:

I've been photographing in Myakka River State Park for many years, but after my stroke, it became my new backyard and second healing waters. Much like Big Cypress National Preserve was for me after the loss of my son.

Nature has always had a profound ability to heal me, and the water, in particular, has been my sanctuary. My time in the Everglades helped me heal in ways I never imagined, and now, in Venice, I've found the same comfort in the gentle flow of the Myakka River.

To see more of my images from Myakka and be inspired just as I have been: https://bit.ly/3S6Ytsw

 

He also has a web site clydebutcher.com

I lived in Florida many years...where it's mostly flat and wet. And all summer long thunder clouds float into being each afternoon. I once had a poster (black and white) of one of Clyde's beautiful clouds.

Wikipedia says this:

Beyond photography, Butcher is an active environmentalist. He has been instrumental in raising awareness about the importance of preserving natural habitats, particularly the Florida Everglades. Through his galleries, exhibitions, and public speaking engagements, he advocates for conservation and educates the public on environmental issues.

My photo of Lake Tomahawk in September 2023. 

Another view of Lake Tomahawk from November 2023.

Yes, North Carolina has thunder clouds also.

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Sharing with Skywatch Friday!

Today's quote:

There are two things to aim at in life; first to get what you want, and after that to enjoy it. Only the wisest of mankind achieve the second. -Logan Pearsall Smith, essayist (1865-1946)

Wild Things

  Maurice Sendak was born on June 10, 1928, in Brooklyn, New York, to Polish-Jewish immigrant parents. His childhood was shaped by the struggles of the Great Depression and the stories of relatives lost during the Holocaust. As a sickly child, he spent much of his time indoors, developing a love for drawing and storytelling. Inspired by Disney films and comic books, he decided early on to pursue a career as an illustrator.

His most famous works include Where the Wild Things Are (1963), In the Night Kitchen (1970), Higglety Pigglety Pop! (1967), and illustrations for Ruth Krauss’s A Hole is to Dig and Else Holmelund Minarik’s Little Bear series.

Maurice Sendak’s work captures the inner world of children with an honest and unfiltered lens. His stories explore themes of anger, fear, imagination, and emotional complexity while balancing whimsy with realism. His expressive illustrations add depth, evoking wonder with a subtle touch of darkness.

Sendak transformed children’s literature by addressing intense emotions and themes previously avoided in books for young readers. He challenged the idea that children’s stories had to be cheerful and simple, inspiring writers and illustrators to explore creative and emotional depth.

He won numerous awards, including the Caldecott Medal for Where the Wild Things Are, the Hans Christian Andersen Award for Illustration, and the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. His books remain beloved worldwide, and his influence on the genre is profound.

He was openly gay and shared a 50-year partnership with Eugene Glynn. In addition to writing and illustrating, Sendak worked as a set and costume designer for operas and ballets. Some of his books faced controversy due to their bold themes, but they have endured as iconic works of children’s literature.

Where the Wild Things Are

Maurice Sendak with his Wild Things

Wild Things Christmas Tree

Woman painter - Ottilie W. Roederstein

 

Ottilie W. Roederstein (German/Swiss, 1859-1937)
Selbstbildnis mit Roter Mütze Self Portrait with Red Cap

Tempera on wood
36 x 44 cm
Kunstmuseum Basel

Ottilie Wilhelmine Roederstein was a German-Swiss painter. She was the long-time companion of Elisabeth Winterhalter, one of the first female doctors in Germany.

She was first attracted to painting when the now-forgotten Swiss painter Eduard Pfyffer came to their home to do family portraits. This interest grew with visits to local museums. For a woman, training as a painter would have gone against contemporary social conventions. In 1876, she was allowed to study with Pfyffer, so she would be close to home.

Her talent for portrait painting soon became obvious and she quickly outgrew Pfyffer's studio. Her opportunity came when her sister Johanna married a businessman from Berlin. Johanna and her husband agreed to let her live with them there, and she found a place as a student in a special women's class given by Karl Gussow. In 1882, she had her first exhibition with an art dealer in Zürich and it was well received. That same year, she followed a friend to Paris, where she found a position in the studios of Carolus-Duran and Jean-Jacques Henner. By 1887, she was able to support herself with sales and commissions and no longer had to depend on her parents. She was a participant in the Salon and won a Silver Medal at the Exposition Universelle. She exhibited her work at the Woman's Building at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois.

After 1890, she moved to Frankfurt to be with her lover, Elisabeth Winterhalter; although she travelled widely (including a trip to Africa in 1913). She never lost track of her Swiss roots, however, and became an Honorary Citizen of Zürich in 1902. Five years later, she and Elisabeth settled in Hofheim am Taunus (a suburb of Frankfurt). Amongst her models was Gwen John who was intrigued that Roederstein wore a shirt, jacket and a fob watch. Roederstein's painting of her as "The Letter" was exhibited at the salon of the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts in 1908. That same year Roederstein and her partner helped to create the Schillerschule Frankfurt's first school for girls. After the war she did a number of portraits of women widowed by the war. She continued to exhibit regularly until 1931.

Roederstein died on 26 November 1937 in Hofheim am Taunus.

Source: Facebook  page of Maryellen Brown for Pride Month (June)

1887_Roederstein_Bildnis_ portrait of Elisabeth_Winterhalter

Roederstein_1918_Self- portrait

June is Pride Month, where we celebrate the lives of many LGBTQ+ people.

Beep beep...

 Let's look at some sculpture:

"Roadrunner sculpture, Las Cruces, NM. I love finding these unique works of art on my road trips. At 20 feet tall and 40 feet long, and perched up high adjacent to I-40,* its fabricated completely from landfill materials…old junk. The “feathers” on the underside are old shoes. As you stand under it, you become amazed at all the different pieces of junk that have been incorporated."

Thanks Linda Bell of the American Southwest Group on Facebook.

*One comment said that Las Cruces has I-10, not I-40, which might help people find it. Other comments said they stop at that rest stop also. Linda just let me know the artist was Olin Calk !

Also posted on When I Was 69 on June 7 as part of Saturday's Critters - Sculptural Animals

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Folk musician, Pete Seeger

When asked about his religious or spiritual views, Seeger replied: "I feel most spiritual when I’m out in the woods. I feel part of nature. Or looking up at the stars. [I used to say] I was an atheist. Now I say, it’s all according to your definition of God. According to my definition of God, I’m not an atheist. Because I think God is everything. Whenever I open my eyes I’m looking at God. Whenever I’m listening to something I’m listening to God."

 Peter Seeger (May 3, 1919 – January 27, 2014) was an American folk singer-songwriter, musician and social activist. He was a fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, and had a string of hit records in the early 1950s as a member of The Weavers, notably their recording of Lead Belly's "Goodnight, Irene," which topped the charts for 14 weeks in 1950. Members of the Weavers were blacklisted during the McCarthy Era. 

In the 1960s, Seeger re-emerged on the public scene as a prominent singer of protest music in support of international disarmament, civil rights, workers' rights, counterculture, environmental causes, and ending the Vietnam War.

Among the prolific songwriter's best-known songs are "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" (with additional lyrics by Joe Hickerson), "If I Had a Hammer (The Hammer Song)" (with Lee Hays of the Weavers), "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine" (also with Hays), and "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)", which has been recorded by many artists both in and outside the folk revival movement. "Flowers" was a hit recording for The Kingston Trio (1962); Marlene Dietrich, who recorded it in English, German and French (1962); and Johnny Rivers (1965). "If I Had a Hammer" was a hit for Peter, Paul and Mary (1962) and Trini Lopez (1963) while The Byrds had a number one hit with "Turn! Turn! Turn!" in 1965.

Seeger was one of the folk singers responsible for popularizing the spiritual "We Shall Overcome" (also recorded by Joan Baez and many other singer-activists), which became the acknowledged anthem of the civil rights movement, soon after folk singer and activist Guy Carawan introduced it at the founding meeting of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in 1960. In the PBS American Masters episode "Pete Seeger: The Power of Song", Seeger said it was he who changed the lyric from the traditional "We will overcome" to the more singable "We shall overcome".

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Seeger was an activist even in his senior years. He marched in the "Occupy Wall Street" movement. According to his grandson, Pete Seeger was chopping wood only ten days before his death. A legend in his own time, we won't see such a man very often. A man who truly stood up for the rights of all. 

Judy Collins sings with Pete Seeger, Turn, Turn, Turn. 1966

I've read more about Pete Seeger's life elsewhere, and invite you to learn more about this talented man.

The Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Inc. is a non-profit organization based in Beacon, New York that seeks to protect the Hudson River and surrounding wetlands and waterways through advocacy and public education. Founded by folk singer Pete Seeger with his wife Toshi Seeger in 1966, the organization is known for its sailing vessel, the sloop Clearwater, and for its annual music and environmental festival, the Great Hudson River Revival.