THE ARTFUL READERS CLUB

"The Glass Room" by Simon Mawer

November 1, 2013

 

 

 

 

I really enjoyed this month's book...I hope you found the same level of absorption, anticipation and excitement in YOUR October read! I've enjoyed this process so much...the reading, creating a piece of art representitive of the book, followed by a review...that I'm going to continue the process on my own when Darcy's finished with it in January (IF she's finished with it!!) Thanks Darcy...for suggesting this wonderfully creative vehicle!

 

THE GLASS ROOM by Simon Mawer starts as newlyweds, Viktor and Liesel Landauer, meet architect Ranier von Abt...not just an architect but a "poet...of light and space and form," who agrees to build their dream home... a "modern house, adapted for the future rather than the past, to the openness of modern living." THE GLASS ROOM is a story focusing on the lives of a group of people in Czechoslovakia with this stunningly modern architectural gem of cement, steel and glass, as a centerpiece...and it's a story about the social and political changes that occur in Eastern Europe between the two world wars, all of them affecting the fate of the house and the architect's dream. But, the house acts as far more than a backdrop for the events of the novel. As the world spins into chaos, the very symbolic Landauer house is the only constant, though it shifts identities more than once!

 

The lives of the people Mawer creates are tragic, joyous and oh, so  interesting. He shows the many ways people learn to survive not only politics, war and dislocation, but also personal upheaval and adversity. I found all his characters very believable and likeable. Sharp and edgy, I found myself completely absorbed in the story of THE GLASS ROOM. What makes it even more intriguing is that such a house exists in Brno, in the Czech Republic. Although the story centers around this house, the rest of the story is a work of fiction.



 

The book is beautifully written and the author's words paint detailed images of the people and the times with subplots and many characters connecting and reconnecting over the 60+ year time span covered by the book. Interesting to note that the restoration of the house on which the novel  is based (see above photos) has been open to the public since March 6, 2012. I highly recommend THE GLASS ROOM by Simon Mawer... I loved it!

 

Hugs...'til my next posting...and happy reading,

Abbyj

 







ARTFUL READERS CLUB

"The Distant Hours" by Kate Morton

December 27, 2013 

I'm so sad that this is the last posting of the year for Darcy's unique ARTFUL READERS CLUB. For 12 months, we've read books of our choosing, reviewed them and produced art pieces inspired by them!  I'm going to continue to do this on a monthly basis whether or not Darcy continues her challenge. I look forward to her challenge for 2014, though!!
This month's book was a biggie, but worth the time.  THE DISTANT HOURS by Kate Morton, started with a letter...one that had been lost for a very long time... received by Edie Burchill's mother, Meredith.  This is the catalyst for a mystery that pulls Edie to Milderhurst Castle, outside of London in Kent. Her mother spent the summer at Milderhurst as an evacuee from the air raids in London during WWII, but is now reluctant to talk about the time. In this engrossing read full of family secrets and betrayal...equal parts mystery and historical fiction...the novel swings back and forth in time as a young woman living in the early 1990's, Edie Burchill, researches her mother's past experience and her stay at the Castle, a property literally mired in secrets. The Castle is still inhabited by the sisters Blythe...now very elderly ladies...twins Percy and Saffy and their younger sister, Juniper, who has never recovered from being abandoned by her fiancee during the war. The contemporary and historical narratives combine to aid Edie in unraveling the mysteries surrounding her mother's past and that of the eccentric sisters. But, of course, there are many twists and turns before we learn the bitter truth!
Milderhurt Castle dominates this tale with its imposing architecture...it's a living, breathing creature filled with the echoes and voices of previous inhabitants and it inevitably weaves a  spell over those who enter its doors (literally and figuratively!) The characters are very well developed and engaging plus we have all the usual Gothic elements of mystery, gloom and menace. For me, THE DISTANT HOURS was a perfect book...perhaps it will be for you, too!

Have a Happy New Year...wishing you all the best of everything in 2014. 

Hope to see you next posting!
Stay safe...
Hugs,
abbyj

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

October 30, 2014

I love Halloween...the feeling of the cold air in my face and the spooky dangers lurking around every corner... but I loved it more when I was a kid!! For those of  us who still love Halloween...hope yours is a fun one!!

Some of the art challenge blogs have gotten into the spirit...like THE THREE MUSES who asked for a black, white and red theme. Of course, I turned it into a Halloween treat...

TAKE A WORD requested art in the usual Halloween colors, purple and green...

And finally, SUNDAY POSTCARD ART wanted to see the theme "witches' brew!"

Good wishes to you and yours...hope your Halloween is SPOOKTACULAR!!

Hugs...'til my next,

abbyj

THE BEAUTY OF AUTUMN 

October 23, 2013

Autumn...what a beautiful season in Central New York! The colors are beyond imagination and are a wonderful gift to those of us who live here. I don't think I could live in a place that didn't experience all four seasons. Each one has its own magic and its own sense of wonder. 

In the realm of autumn, COLLAGE OBSESSION challenged artists to create a piece of art with a scarecrow theme. My scarecrow is just  a bit unconventional!

THINK MONDAY-THINK ATC wanted a black and white theme...I HAD to add a bit of color despite the challenge requirements...

For FLICKER's DIGITALMANIA group, we were introduced to Chicago pop- artist Tom Fedro. His art is a bit challenging for someone who doesn't draw or sketch!  These pieces were inspired by his art...

Thanks for stopping by for this latest art challenge posting. Hope to see you again...

Enjoy your weekend and week ahead!

Hugs,

abbyj

HELLO AGAIN!

October 19, 2013

 

Hi Dear Ones,

It's been a while since I've blogged...I've been working on a book about Michelle's and my recent visit to Orvieto, Italy. That's completed now, so I'm back, playing with the various Yahoo and Flicker art group challenges. I hope these weeks have found you well and as busy as you'd like to be! It always seems that you get a little ahead, only to fall back...that's  a continuous movement for me!  :)

 

On to current art... I've started slowly with two pieces to satisfy three challenges:

 

SUNDAY POSTCARD ART declared "13" to be their theme for the week...TAKE A WORD requested "orange..." both in the spirit of Halloween. Here's my art to stand for each one...

 

THE THREE MUSES' thoughts are about "the light of the moon." Not in the spirit of Halloween at all, but rather to my African heart where I photographed  a  young Maasai warrior, soon to be a member of the initiated Maasai men, walking on the road. This was in Tanzania several years ago.

That's it for now...starting again slowly. Please join me at the end of the week for my October book review and art.

 

Thanks for stopping in.

 

Big Hugs,

abbyj

VIEWS OF ORVIETO

Umbria, Italy

October 6, 2013

 

 

What a whirlwind week Michelle and I had in Orvieto, Italy. We participated in a photography workshop with well known photographer and teacher, Catherine Anderson.  It was a time for learning to observe our surroundings more closely, to take the time to appreciate our observations while recording them, a time for togetherness for mother and daughter, a time to meet new friends and rekindle old friendships...and a time for spiritual renewal. The San Lodovico Convent, now a Bed and Breakfast, is a most peaceful and welcoming place. The 3 nuns who are in residence there are warm, caring people. 

"Mama" Giovanna, the Mother Superior, and the beautiful stone angel were the first welcomes we received, soon to be followed by our hosts, Bill and Kristi Steiner of ADVENTURES in ITALY.

 

I'm still searching for the words to describe the week. The sights, the caring and sharing of our lives with others of like minds, the food, the leadership and instruction of Catherine and the unparalleled kindness of the Orvieto residents who welcomed us with open arms...priceless! Catherine not only inspired us  for our normal making of photos, but also using iphone and ipad apps for making them into pieces of art... sooo much fun! I'm just going to post some photos that will hopefully, give you a feeling for this wonderful town that's built on a huge rock, with a system of Etruscan caves beneath it and  cobbled, labyrinthine streets and alleyways to wander.  Enjoy...

 

 



 

 

 

In the Convent Library by the window

 

 

 

 

Angel ouside our window

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I took this photo with my iphone at Termini Train Station in Rome...the little girl just caught my eye...

 

Thanks so much for reliving Orvieto with me. It's a place you'd love to visit...medieval, welcoming and oh, so beautiful. A special thanks to the women (and Beeeeeel) with whom I shared the week, to my daughter for joining me and to my husband for encouraging me to reach for my dreams. You "American Beauties with Cameras" are part of my heart now... I wish you well and hope we meet again.

 

Much love,

abbyj

 



SEPTEMBER BOOK REVIEW 

ARTFUL READERS CLUB

September 27, 2013

Happy Fall, dear readers. It's the season for those gorgeous autumn colors...and the first fall book review. This month, I'm reviewing Eowyn Ivey's THE SNOW CHILD...(out of season...sorry :) ) for Darcy's ART and SOLE ARTFUL READERS CLUB.

Based on a traditional fairy tale called "The Snow Maiden," Ivey's first novel is magical and captivating. Set in 1920's Alaska, the book tells of a middle-aged couple, Jack and Mabel, who left their city home, family, friends and memories of a stillborn child to pursue a new life in wild isolation. The author's portrayal of an untamed Alaska is so beautifully detailed that you can feel the snowflakes on your eyelashes...the chill of the darkness!!  The story has the intricate fragility of those snowflakes, the natural honesty of the packed snow beneath your feet and the unnerving quality of a nighttime dream. It fascinates as it touches the heart.

Alaska is not all Jack and Mabel imagined and from the start, we sense that they're having a hard time making a go of it. But everything changes the night of the first snowfall, when the couple gives in to a childish whim to build a snowman...actually, a beautiful snow girl. They give her red mittens and a red scarf...both of which vanish with the morning light. Slightly melted, all that's left behind are fresh child-sized footprints in the snow and a flash of red on a child running through the woods.

Gradually, Faina, a winsome blonde child with a wild fox for a friend, emerges from the woods to befriend the childless couple. Is she indeed a "snow fairy" or a wild child who knows better than anyone how to survive in the rugged north country? Is she a figment of Jack and Mabel's imaginations?

I loved how the author made the child as much a mystery for the reader as for the main characters. As Faina's identity grows clearer (though never completely defined,)  the narrative also becomes a more realistic portrait of the Alaskan wilderness and a study of the hard work involved in building a family and a home there. With enough vivid detail about hunting and farming, it's a very believable painting. Too, as a portrait of a marriage, THE SNOW CHILD is exceptional. The love between Jack and Mabel, how it waxes and wanes over time, how they work together to survive the harsh climate and how they make friends with their nearest neighbors...all adds extra warmth and wit to the story.

Even as Faina embodies a natural order that can't be tamed, George and Esther (and their family)...the nearest neighbors... show Jack and Mabel (and the reader) just  how important "community" is for survival. 

THE SNOW CHILD is a beautiful story of survival and hope...magical yet very real. I loved this book and highly recommend it!