Monday, 2 November 2009

The Baroque, a must for all art lovers.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00j8bwk

Three-part series exploring the Baroque tradition in many of its key locations. Starting in Italy and following the spread of the wildfire across Europe and beyond, art critic Waldemar Januszczak takes us on a tour of the best examples of Baroque to be found, and tells the best stories behind those works.
He follows Baroque to its dark heart in Spain, focusing on the route of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela and featuring star painters Velasquez, Caravaggio and Zurburan. He then carries on through Belgium and Holland to discover such celebrities as Rubens and Vermeer.

These three, one hour long programmes were on late tonight, starting at 11.00pm and going back to back until the last episode finishes at 3.00am. Sadly I have to go to bed………….if this were a weekend I would sit here glued to the TV until three in the morning. The good news is that all three programmes can be viewed any time over the next 7 days on the web-site. I’m not sure if this is viewable outside the UK, if it isn’t….. I’m truly sorry cos its worth spending the time to see.

Below is a short video of The Italian Baroque Sculptor, Painter and Architect Gianlorenzo Bernini and the Monks of St. Michael's.

Sunday, 1 November 2009

The Art of Dance

Found these, thought they are pretty dam amazing and decided I would share.
The first one is ;

Chinese blind and deaf artists are seizing a chance in a lifetime to shine at the Paralympics with a fascinating show called "My Dream". One of the highlights features deaf dancers synchronizing movements to look like the thousand-armed Buddha of Compassion.
The second one is a famous deaf Chinese  dancer with a dance called  
‘’The spirit of the peacock’’ Personally I think this is more 'birdlike' than swan lake.
The  last one is The Moon Dance, I just love the shapes the dancer makes in this one.

 

Saturday, 31 October 2009

Art Sunday; Jolomo

ART SUNDAY

JOHN LOWRIE MORRISON  (JOLOMO)

His home site here
http://www.jolomo.com/


I BOUGHT THIS PRINT FROM THE SECOND HAND MARKET.

It’s not a painting, just a print, probably a mass produced print, but I spotted it, immediately liked it, and bought it very, very cheaply.

Then I thought I should familiarize myself with the artist……..so here’s what I learned.


John Lowrie Morrison was born in Maryhill, Glasgow in 1948. He moved with his parents and brother Murdo to Hyndland

He studied drawing and painting at Glasgow School of Art from 1967 to 1972 and then trained as a teacher at Jordonhill College in 1973.

After qualifying he took a post at Lochgilphead High School. He met his future wife, Maureen at Templeton's Carpets where he had a summer job doing designs.

In 1987 John Lowrie Morrison became the principal art teacher at Lochgilphead High School.

He was an Art Examiner with the Scottish Examination Board and became involved in Standard Grade Development and went on to become a member of the Higher Still Advisory Panel.

More about his life and works here

http://www.aboutaberdeen.com/johnlowriemorrison.php

Friday, 30 October 2009

Song Saturday; Anneke van Giersbergen

Anneke van Giersbergen
My choice this week is Anneke van Giersbergen (born March 8, 1973), she has a rather lovely voice which I thought deserves to be heard by a wider audience.

she is the former singer of the Dutch band The Gathering, now involved in a solo project called Agua de Annique.

More information here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anneke_van_Giersbergen





Tuesday, 27 October 2009

about bloody time http://freegary.org.uk/ The Commons home affairs select committee is to look at Garry Mckinnons case again and question why US lawyers need only demonstrate ''reasonable suspicion'' to demand extradition of a UK citizen to America and why there is no reciprical agreement. Sure I heard on the raqdio yesterday that Garrys autism and general health implications are also being looked at again, like I said...............'bout bloody time, wheels of justice sure do turn slowly!!!!

Poetry Wednesday; Address to the toothache

Ohh woe is me

Here I sit, thankfully recovered from the dam cold but in agony with toothache.

Been suffering this way since Saturday morning and it’s taken me from then till now to get an appointment. SO……one hour from now I’ll be sat in the dentist chair. Wish me luck

Will look for some suitable painful art work when I get back.

Ok back now with totally numb face, found some suitable art work,.........this guys work reminds me of toothache  !!

Art work by Christopher Le Brun

Christopher Le Brun RA
Born: 20 December 1951, Portsmouth, UK
Elected RA: 12 December 1996
Category of Membership: Engraver
Christopher Le Brun studied at the Slade School of Fine Art, London from 1970 to 1974 and at Chelsea School of Art, London from 1974 to 1975. From 1976 to 1983, Le Brun was a visiting lecturer at Brighton, Chelsea, Slade and Wimbledon Schools of Art.

More information here. 

http://www.royalacademy.org.uk/academicians/engravers-printmakers-and-draughtsmen/christopher-le-brun-ra,427,AR.html

This translation is not mine, it was found here

http://www.worldburnsclub.com/poems/translations/address_to_the_toothache.htm

Address To The Toothache.
Rabbie Burns

1.
My curse upon your venom'd stang,
That shoots my tortur'd gooms alang,
An' thro' my lug gies monie a twang
Wh' gnawing vengeance,
Tearing my nerves wi' bitter pang,
Like racking engines!

2.
A' down my beard the slavers trickle,
I throw the wee stools o'er the mickle,
While round the fire the giglets keckle
To see me loup,
An' raving mad, I wish a heckle
Were i' their doup!

3.
When fevers burn, or ague freezes,
Rheumatics gnaw, or colic squeezes,
Our neebors sympathize to ease us
Wi' pitying moan;
But thee! - thou hell o' a' diseases,
They mock our groan!

4.
Of a' the num'rous human dools --
Ill-hairsts, daft bargains, cutty-stools,
Or worthy frien's laid i' the mools,
Sad sight to see!
The tricks o' knaves, or fash o' fools --
Thou bear'st the gree!

5.
Whare'er that place be priests ca' Hell,
Whare a' the tones o' misery yell,
An' ranked plagues their numbers tell
In dreadfu' raw,
Thou, Toothache, surely bear'st the bell
Amang them a'!

6.
O thou grim, mischief-making chiel,
That gars the notes o' discord squeal,
Till humankind aft dance a reel
In gore a shoe-thick,
Gie a' the faes o' Scotland's weal
A towmond's toothache.

This is the Translation

My curse upon your venomed sting,
That shoots my tortured gums along,
And through my ear gives many a twinge
With gnawing vengeance,
Tearing my nerves with bitter pang,
Like racking engines!

All down my beard the drools trickle,
I throw the little stools over the mickle,
While round the fire the children cackle
To see me leap,
And raving mad, I wish a Heckling comb
Were in their backside!

When fevers burn, or ague freezes,
Rheumatics gnaw, or colic squeezes,
Our neighbours sympathize to ease us
With pitying moan;
But you! - you hell of all diseases,
They mocks our groan!

Of all the numerous human woes -
Bad harvests, stupid bargains, cutty-stools,
Or worthy friends laid in the crumbling earth,
Sad sight to see!
The tricks of knaves, or annoyance of fools -
You bears the prize!

Where ever that place be priests call Hell,
Where all the tones of misery yell,
And ranked plagues their numbers tell
In dreadful row,
You, Toothache, surely bears the bell
Among them all!

O you grim, mischief-making chap,
That makes the notes of discord squeal,
Till humankind often dance a reel
In gore a shoe-thick,
Give all the foes of Scotland's well
A twelve months toothache.

A small boy recites the poem with much enthusiasm for the dialect.


 

 

return to the tour here

http://lauritasita.multiply.com/journal/item/1528/Poetry_Wednesday_102809_Sign_in_and_take_the_tour_

Saturday, 24 October 2009

Saturday 24th october 2009




Today started out cold but dry. My friend came for me and off we went, the idea was to find a sheltered spot on or near a beach and paint a cold day by the sea. Virtually as soon as we set off the rain started, it became steadily worse and worse and worse. We had a wander along the beach and took a couple of photographs of the sea and the rusting old winch machinery used by fishermen in times gone by. As far as the eye could see seaweed lie strewn along the beach. Not just little straggly bits of seaweed; hundreds of whole plants with their roots still attached had been snatched from the seabed and dumped on the beach. It looked like a field of writhing brown worms all tangled together. I couldn't help thinking this quantity of seaweed torn from the seabed would have made a substantial impact of the underwater eco-system. The wind howled, the rained whipped the sea and we decided to head inland.
We were hoping for a reprieve from the wind and rain, The weather was no better inland. There was water gushing down the side of the road, it was like driving alongside a small fast flowing river. The trees were nice and the ground was covered in orange and gold leaves, soon it became too wet to lean out of the window to take photos. We had no choice but to head for home. Just inside my gate, bouncing around in the wind and dripping with rain was my last bloom. This new rose bloom battled against the elements and somehow managed to remain in one piece.