THE ARTFUL READING CLUB

"The Hare With Amber Eyes"

By Edmund de Waal

July 25, 2014

THE HARE WITH AMBER EYES  is an in-depth study of the author's family, one of the wealthiest Jewish families in Europe...on a par with the famous Rothchilds. They started out in Odessa but lived in Paris and Vienna as well, making their mark wherever they went. They were bankers, art collectors...trend makers. De Waal explored his family history using a collection of 264 Japanese Netsuke as his vehicle...an inheritance from his great-great-great uncle, Charles Ephrussi, who started the collection in the 1800's. Netsuke are small figurines carved of wood and ivory that represented animals, people and mythical characters...most fitting comfortably in the palm of your hand (as was the hare with amber eyes.)

Traditionally used as belt ornaments on Japanese garments in the 18th and 19th centuries, de Waal was gifted with these amazingly detailed figurines after they journeyed from Belle Époque Paris, through the Second World War and the Holocaust,
via Vienna and Tokyo, ending in the 21st century. De Waal traces his family from their palatial homes, stands in the rooms where they stood and then follows them into the Holocaust and their meteoric downfall and the stripping away of everything they owned. 

If you love history and art...and the melding of the two...this is a book for you. I have collected netsuke for many years so this book immediately caught my fancy. At times tedious and very detailed, it was a lovely, sensitive, emotional yet factual accounting of the rise and fall of a historically well known, powerful European family through several generations.

Thanks for checking in...hope you enjoy what's left of July! See you after another short break!

Big Hugs,
abbyj

 HAPPY 4th WITH A NEW ARTIST 

July 1, 2014 

Hard to imagine we're into July already...the time really does fly the older we get!! Hope you enjoy yours...Happy July 4th (and to my Canadian family and friends, Happy Canada Day!)

A little bit of art in this posting...a new artist for me has been introduced at the Flicker group, DIGITALMANIA. Her name is Carme Magem and she's a Spanish mixed media artist...primarily oil painting mixed with collage. She's my inspiration this week...I tried to create two pieces of art with her as my inspiration. Here are two of HER pieces...

and here are the ones I was inspired to create...

My art was done digitally, different from Carme's. If you'd like to see more of Carme Magem's art, click here.

Enjoy your weekend...good company, good food, good weather and a fun celebration!!

I'm going to take a few weeks away from blogging and enjoy the outside fun that summer offers. Hope you do the same and I'll see you in a few weeks!

Big Hugs,

abbyj

ARTFUL READERS CLUB

Songs of Willow Frost  
by Jamie Ford 

June 25, 2014 

Set it Seattle in the 1920's and 1930's, this is a story about the love between a mother and her son during desperate times.

It's 1934 and William Eng is turning 12, celebrating his birthday along with all the other boys at the Sacred Heart Orphanage on September 28th, the designated day for all boys' birthdays at that institution. Their treat is a highly anticipated trip to a movie theater...something special during this depression era of sparse meals and few possessions. This turns out to be the best gift for William as it offers him something he's wished for each day of his 5 years at Sacred Heart...evidence that his mother is still alive. He recognizes the actress on the screen as his mother who abandoned him five years earlier. William decides to sneak out of the orphanage with a friend to search for his mother, Willow Frost, who happens to be visiting the city.

That he does find her is only a small part of this complex story. With a story that goes back to 1921 and forward to the present 1934, the sad tale of Liu Song aka Willow Frost is revealed and William understands why he was given over to the care of the Sacred Heart nuns.

Jamie Ford has a talent for writing profoundly sad books that offer tender moments and hope. (I loved his "HOTEL on the CORNER of BITTER and SWEET.) In both books, he points out that while the US may think of itself as a melting pot of many immigrant cultures, we have not always welcomed or accepted all citizens equally. The history of the film industry, the difficult depression times and the discrimination faced by the Chinese added to the emotional impact of this book...one that I enjoyed and recommend!

My art shows Willow, the star... and William, the little boy waiting... in Seattle's Chinatown in the 1930's.

Glad you stopped by...hopefully, this is a book that'll interest you. For other recommendations, check out our Facebook group, The ARTFUL READER'S CLUB.

Until my next regular posting,

Hugs,

abbyj

NEW ARTIST FROM NEW YORK

June 14, 2014 

Kanchan Mahon is a self taught artist from Vestal, New York. Her medium is handcut paper collage that's "quixotic, vibrant and surreal." Our task at Flicker's DIGITALMANIA group is to use her art as inspiration for creating our own in her style. Ours is primarily digital, however.
Here are examples of her art...

 and here are two of mine. 

Similar but different, right? DIGITALMANIA is a fun group that's always introducing us to new artists with different styles... always a challenge!

Thanks for stopping by...Happy Father's Day Weekend if you happen to be celebrating or are part of a celebration!

Hugs 'til my next posting,
abbyj 

TWO FUN PIECES

May 10, 2014  

Hi Dear Ones,

Tomorrow is Hump Day...midweek! Hope you're having a good week thus far and are busy doing things you like to do!!  :) I'm loving being out in the sunshine, smelling the flowers and walking barefoot in the verdant green grass. 

Some of my time has been spent doing the following fun art blog challenges- for your enjoyment (and mine...)

INSPIRATION AVENUE declares its theme to be simply "juicy!"  Sadly, I thought of gossip and how damaging it can be...

For THINK MONDAY, THINK ATC (TMTA,) the subject for art is "sandals." 

Just a short posting this time... enjoy the rest of your week! Thanks for taking a peek at my art!

Big Hugs,

abbyj

GLORIOUS, GREEN DAYS

June 8, 2014  

 

These are the kind of days that you're happy to be alive...lush green grass, flowering trees and blooms of all colors and varieties dot the landscape. Central New York has definitely awakened from her winter slumber and this resident is loving it! I hope you're well and enjoying life in your corner of the world! :)

This week, the blog art challenges are as varied as the blossoms outside my window! Here they are...

For COLLAGE OBSESSION (theme: nature) and SUNDAY POSTCARD ART (theme: in the garden,)  I used the same quirky creation...

For INSPIRATION AVENUE (theme: favorite month) and SOARTFUL CHALLENGES (theme: black & white June celebration,) these pieces seem to work...Clearly, my favorite month is June- also the month of our wedding anniversary!

THE THREE MUSES, despite the gorgeous days and nights, declared their theme to be sorrow...

Finally, for THINK MONDAY, THINK ATC (TMTA,) the call was for art involving an umbrella...

 I hope your week is sunny...not requiring the use of an umbrella!! Enjoy yourself and please do stop in again.

Thanks for checking in...
Big Hugs,
abbyj

 

 

ARTFUL READERS CLUB

Book Review for May 30, 2014

THE INVENTION OF WINGS by Sue Monk Kidd

If you read and liked Sue Monk Kidd's THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES, you'll love THE INVENTION OF WINGS! Based on a true story, this historical novel tells of Sarah Grimke, the daughter of a wealthy Charleston slave holder and her lifelong rebellion against slavery. In the mid-1800's, for her 11th birthday, Sarah was given ownership of a 10 year old slave girl named Hetty (nicknamed Handful.) Alternating views between these two females...their coming of age... the story follows the pair through 30+ years as they each struggle to escape oppression and find freedom for their bodies, minds and souls. It's about equality! This was GIRL POWER when girl power was unheard of, in the voices of strong women, both black and white! 

But, this is more than a story about the abolition of slavery. It's about women's rights, religious freedom and taking action against injustice whenever and wherever the need arises!

In the author's note, I discovered that Sarah and her sister (and co-crusader) Nina, were real people and it is most accurately THEIR story. Their contribution to the movements to abolish slavery as well as to gain equal rights for women is astounding...thanks to Sue Monk Kidd for honoring the part these sisters played in the betterment of the human spirit!!

This book will make you sad, angry, disgusted, outraged, happy, triumphant...you'll be reminded why slavery is one of the ugliest ideas ever...and you'll be glad that there were those who were strong enough to stand up in protest and make a difference!!

Thanks so much for stopping by...I'm looking forward to reading other reviews for this month and seeing the associated art... 

BIRTHDAY POSTING

May 29, 2014  

Happy Birthday to me! A yummy dinner tonight and a fun weekend with my family...perfect celebration! Hope you're all well and enjoying your day!

I've been working on some art challenges and would like to share my creations with you.

At Flicker's DIGITALMANIA group, the inspirational artist for this week is an Alaskan-born, Oregon-based woman named ANAHATA KATKIN. She's a mixed-media artist and co-founder of PAPAYA! Inc. Here's a piece I created in her style...

THE THREE MUSES were fashion conscious with their theme of HATS...

and finally, INSPIRATION AVENUE was seduced by MAGIC!!

Fun challenges...thanks for checking in.
Wishing you a happy weekend ahead...be safe!

Big Hugs,
abbyj
 

THREE LITTLE ONES...

May 25, 2014  

Hi Dear Ones,

Hope this short posting finds you well and enjoying your days...

The word BALANCE conjures up a variety of pictures. Now that it's finally Spring, I see a balance in nature...more each day! COLLAGE OBSESSION's challenge blog asked us to create a piece of art representing the word... A balanced life is something for which I've always strived...

SUNDAY POSTCARD ART asked us to look into our inner child with a theme of DOLLS... This is a picture of one of my Ethiopian adopted family members, Mimi. She's 8 years old and loves dolls in any form... as much now as she did when she was very little. Dolls are such a natural and international thing...

This is a little one I met in Namibia...a child of a Bushman friend.

Finally, at TAKE A WORD, the theme is BOOKS...

Hoping your week is peaceful...but enjoyable and fulfilling! 

Wishing you love,
abbyj

A VARIETY OF ART

May 22, 2014

We're coming up on Memorial Day Weekend and those who predict the weather say it'll be sunny and hot! I can't imagine how many barbeques there'll be...tradition for this weekend!! Do enjoy yours...

The online art challenge blogs have kept me busy on the computer creating a variety of art... sharing time!

COLLAGE OBSESSION very simply asked participants to complete the phrase, "A is for ___". My A is for Activism.

SUNDAY POSTCARD ART declared their theme to be GLAMOUR. I looked at a man's version of glamour...tongue-in-cheek...

TAKE A WORD was definitely thinking summer when they asked for a beach scene...

and THINK MONDAY, THINK ATC (TMTA) wanted to see a piece of art with stairs... I had fun with this one!!

Finally, at Flicker's DIGITALMANIA, our inspiration this week was Hungarian artist, KINGABRIT...a wizard at photo manipulation. I created these two pieces in her style...

Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you've enjoyed the art...and will join me again sometime next week.
Wishing you a fun-filled weekend...
Hugs,
abbyj

HOGRET (MARGARET)

May 16, 2014 

Hi There,

This is a quick posting about a new artist (for me...) Her name is Margaret and she's a collage artist from South Africa. She has many styles...all colorful and interesting. At Flicker's challenge group, DIGITALMANIA, we studied her art and created pieces in one of her fabulous styles. These are my creations...all fun to do and certainly, a challenge!

Enjoy... and thanks for your quick stop-by!

Hugs until my next,

abbyj 

PLAYING WITH ART

May 13, 2014 

Hi Family and Friends,

I trust your week has started on an up note...I've spent some of my time trying to work the pounds off at the gym, keeping my limbs and muscles stretched and loose, finishing a book that I loved (Sue Monk Kidd's THE INVENTION of WINGS) and creating some challenge blog digital art pieces on the computer. I'd like to share them with you.

SUNDAY POSTCARD ART asked for a creation with DOORS...I used a piece of graffiti I photographed long ago in Barcelona, Spain, put it on a door I photographed in Italy, and added a Central New York dog...

Next, TAKE A WORD was thinking back to times of CHILDHOOD...so was I, creating a mixed media and photoshopped piece...

and finally, for THE THREE MUSES, they challenged participating artists to create POSTAGE STAMP PEOPLE... I used the same stamp for both because I couldn't decide which to use...

Thanks for checking in...enjoy the rest of your week.

'Til my next,

Hugs,

abbyj

 .

MOTHER'S DAY, etc.

May 9, 2014 

The Mother's Day we know is a holiday that's barely 100 years old, but it's been celebrated in one form or another since ancient Greek and Roman times. For those interested in its history, click here! 

In honor of Mother's Day, challenge blog COLLAGE OBSESSION has declared its theme to be Mother's Day based... although most of the art I've done for this posting has an element of Mom in it...

for MY Mom...

and for our daughter and her two...now much older!

INSPIRATION AVENUE asked to see art about WATER...Mom's involved once again!

SUNDAY POSTCARD ART was interested in the CIRCUS...I put Mom in one of my circus pieces...

Wishing you and yours a Happy Mother's Day...I hope it's memorable and that you feel appreciated and loved for all the good you do! Put ME on the list of those who appreciate you, please! 

'Til our next meeting,
xoxox,
abbyj