California Dreaming by Lily Iona MacKenzie

 

 “The Capacity for delight is the gift of paying attention.”- Julia Margaret Cameron

  Mrs. MacKenzie’s poetry is an exquisite dance of words on the crevices of both pain and joy. She grew up on a farm in Canada, where her surroundings inspired her to see the beauty in everything.  

 It is not easy to summon up a common thread to all these poems.

 A number of poems at the beginning reflect on the inquisitive nature of the art; the last few poems of the collection seem to harmonize with the first section, for the poet conjures up questions that lack answers.

  A section is dedicated to the impact of Covid-19, and another one deals with a lyrical exploration of emotions. Her words carve a gentle trail into the soul of the reader.

  There is an array of her poems that meditates on the power of specific masterpieces by Matisse, Vermeer and other artists. The images of the paintings are included, so one gets to “see” the poems through her words.

 The musical rhythm of her verses along with the ingenuous quirks embedded in some of her poems assemble to create a unique style of expression. I think the magic of her poetry is also revealed in the variety of themes and elements she offers.

 I find the author intriguing. I have added one of her novels to my reading list: Freefall: A Divine Comedy.

 Lily Iona Mackenzie’s literary works have appeared in more than 160 literary magazines, and she teaches literature and creative writing at the University of San Francisco, California.

This lady's enigmatic gaze has captivated the attention of various generations of people. Mrs. Mackenzie traces the energy of this intriguing painting by Johannes Vermeer in one of her poems. I will share a fragment of it:

“It’s the contrasts

that make her enigmatic.

Her lips hover on the verge of sensuality,

her expression

chaste as well as inviting,

pale skin

lit from within.

 

A force of nature, she can’t be contained

for long in that frame, watching

the world pass her by.”

 

 One could say that Mrs. Mackenzie’s poetry celebrates the power of art, so I expected Mrs. Mackenzie would transcend the boundary of focusing on the female artistic muse and include the artworks of women artists as well. My curiosity propelled me to search for them in her collection, but I was sad and disappointed to see that no poem was dedicated to the masterpieces of women artists.

 Women artists have worked as hard as men to create their masterpieces. If we celebrate art, shouldn’t we celebrate the art of women artists as well?

 Unfortunately, biases against women artists continue to be alive and well.

 According to a website from Yale University, research has shown that women’s art appears less frequently than men’s art at auctions and galleries. A study of Yale Art School graduates over 120 years suggests that institutions pose bigger obstacles than market participants. If you attend art auctions or wander through an art gallery or museum, you will find that the majority of artworks is likely to be by men.

 One study found that men’s work made up 96 percent of art sold at auctions around the world from 2000 to 2017.  This may be due to the biases of buyers, curators or museum managers against women’s works. Institutional barriers may play a role too.

 Women’s names are still less likely to be mentioned in books, so there is less awareness on their works. Therefore, curators need to work harder to support women that are not in the spotlight. The biases against women artists have been well documented, and I am sharing a few links at the bottom of this post to help you learn about this important issue.

 

  California Dreaming was published by Shanti Arts Press.

 I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for visiting My Writing Life blog, a space of awareness, reflection, inspiration.

 Till next month.

 

Supplementary reading material:

https://news.artnet.com/art-world/gender-discrimination-art-study-2171375

https://nmwa.org/support/advocacy/get-facts/

https://insights.som.yale.edu/insights/is-the-art-market-fair-to-women

 https://www.npr.org/2020/01/24/799163534/gender-bias-reveals-consequences-for-female-artists

In Search of Van Gogh

   

“There is something infinite in painting—I cannot explain it to you so well […]. Tomorrow I hope to go and work in the open air again.” Vincent Van Gogh (The Hague, August 26, 1882. To Theo.)

  When you think you have read everything about Vincent Van Gogh, a book release proves you wrong. “In Search of Van Gogh” invites you to trace the artist's steps, and to visit the mental and physical spaces that he inhabited. Art historian Gloria Fossi put together Van Gogh’s musings and reflections on life experiences, relationships, art and books, along with relevant photographs, adding new revelations about the artist.

  

Historians used to believe that the remarkable vortex in his painting “The Starry Night” was the product of his hallucinations. However, a number of American astrophysicists now agree that it may be “a reference or a memory of one of the most fascinating nebulae ever discovered: the Whirlpool Galaxy in the Canes Venatici constellation”. It was discovered by Charles Messier in 1773. Vincent Van Gogh was an avid reader and had a special interest in the sky.

  Now we know that the stars in his paintings were not placed randomly. Researchers agree that Vincent carefully studied the sky, and his artworks reflected them with a certain precision, helping scientists to deduce, for example, that “The Starry Night over the Rhone” was painted in Arles at about 10:30 p.m. between September 20 and 30, 1888.

  During his time in Arles, Vincent Van Gogh wrote: “I absolutely want to paint a starry sky. It often seems to me that night is still more richly colored than the day, having hues of the most intense violets, blues and greens.” (Arles, between September 9 and 14, 1888).

   Vincent Van Gogh did not mind the rain or the wind as he worked in the study of nature.  He portrayed rural life in the memorable images of peasants working, sharing a meal or simply chilling out.  Guided by his intuitive wisdom, Vincent Van Gogh persevered through every obstacle, bolstering the fire of his indomitable creativity; his ardent curiosity; and his love for nature and people.

  There are various amazing facts about Van Gogh in “In Search of Van Gogh”.  Did you know that Vincent descended 700 meters underground to explore the suffering, discomfort and ordeals that miners faced every day? Gas explosions were frequent in those days, and Vincent  helped to treat the wounded in one of the Borinage mines.

 

  In 1990 photographers Danilo De Marco and Mario Dondero traveled to all the places where Van Gogh had lived and worked. Their artistic black-and- white photos were carefully arranged to be integrated deftly into this book, which was published last year for the first time. Unfortunately, Mario Dondero passed away in 2015, and “In Search of Van Gogh” is dedicated to him.

 “In Search of Van Gogh” offers the opportunity to get to know Vincent Van Gogh as a person and an artist, washing away prejudices and myths that cloud the understanding of his artworks.

  Van Gogh’s art continues to touch the hearts of millions of people across the world because his oeuvre transcends time and space. The freshness of his works infuses vitality in the viewers. His drawings and paintings showcase more than what any words can convey. His brushstrokes spark passion for life; the masterpieces he created are fearless depictions of his soul and those of his models. 

    The essence of Vincent Van Gogh’s empathic nature is captured with exquisite grace by Gloria Fossi’s book, and the photographs included complete a vibrant journey into his life and art.

    You can continue learning about Vincent Van Gogh by checking the full collection of letters to his family and friends. Reading those letters is a trip of poetry and inspiration. The literary value of his writing is finally gaining momentum and getting the recognition it deserves.

    Vincent Van Gogh’s full collection of letters, including critical annotations and illustrations, is the result of fifteen years of research by the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam in collaboration with the Huygens Institute for the History of the Netherlands in The Hague. The collection is online here:

www.vangoghletters.org

  

 

Enjoy more of his works here:

 

Uncommon Folk

"I have had a joy from which no one can rob me - I have been able to touch some people with my art."
Mary Cassatt

Who could have predicted the destiny of these artworks? 

 This question came to me over a month ago, when I visited the Milwaukee Art Museum to enjoy the exhibition that is currently on display until May 4.

  The Uncommon Folk Exhibition includes an interesting variety of paintings, sculptures, toys, quilts and a few photographs.
 All artists were self-taught. Some of the works are anonymous: they had been abandoned or left behind on farms or on the streets, but they were rescued by people. Now they are preserved because of their beauty, artistic value and historical meaning.

  Let’s take a look at some of the captivating masterpieces.

Calvin Black (1903-1972) created a theatrical environment in the California desert. He delighted tourists with   wooden dolls, wind-driven and mechanical.

Ted Gordon, an artist from Kentucky, drew hundreds of portraits with simple curved lines. Through these lines he created these complex portraits.

I found the story of Eugene Von Bruenchenhein (1910-1983) fascinating. He was a simple man who  worked  at a bakery during the day. In his spare time, however, he was a passionate artist. During his lifetime he created thousands of works: paintings, sculptures and photographs.

 He also wrote poetry and recorded his thoughts on a variety of subjects.  What I find very inspiring about this artist’s devotion to art is that he was not attached to the outcome of his creative endeavors.  He just worked on them with fervor.
His ardent spirit vibrates in his masterpieces.

This photograph I took includes some of his sculptures and paintings. There is a whole section dedicated to Eugene Von Bruenchenhein at this exhibition.

 His work has been showcased in different museums in Chicago, New York city,  London and Venice. 

He noted that he believed his art was “ the result of unknown forces at work…forces that have gone on since the beginning.”

 If you want to learn more about this exhibition you can read this article or check the official website.
Have you been to any interesting exhibition lately?
 Talking about creative endeavors, I will take a break from blogging to finish writing a story.
 Enjoy the spring air - or the autumn air, depending on the hemisphere you live on...

Passion

I mentioned the word passion on my previous post.

What is passion?

 I believe passion is the essence of any kind of art. In my writing life passion is the intense desire to create something with words. It is attached to discipline. Discipline is what helps you to attain your goals.

  My main goal is to read and write something meaningful. Let me be clear on this:  my passion is not to convince people to read what I write.

 Working on your creative passion brightens the shore of your island. It invites you to see the world through refreshed eyes.

  I also believe that being passionate is about being sensitive. Our societies may mock sensitivity and there is a general trend to believe that being sensitive means being weak. I disagree.

  Being sensitive makes you stronger. Being sensitive is about feeling the world under your skin. This does not make you weak. It makes you more compassionate and mindful, and it invites you to expand in different directions and to embrace the bittersweet side of life.

    Being passionate encourages you to create ripples that will reach the shore of other islands and universes.

  Working on your creative passion makes you feel the heat of spring amid the winter; it brings you a cool breeze in the summer. It’s like holding onto a raft in the turbulent waters of life.

    Working on your creative passion enables you to grow flowers in the desert and it infuses you with the resilience of a weed that survives a drought. Your passionate creativity transports you to diverse settings and will enhance your own identity by pouring over you a different one.

  There’s a time to feel sad and a time to feel happy, and the pain of different situations opens up bridges and highways to other souls. You need your solitude just as you need your time to share a part of yourself with others.

   Being passionate is what allows you to appreciate the beauty around you and to celebrate each second of your life because being sensitive is about being alive. (If you can’t feel pain, you are not as alive as you think you are).

  Being passionate is about conjuring up a world of possibilities under the rocks that you encounter in your journey. Working on your passion is like being inhabited by a population of birds in the core of your being. You watch the birds fly away in different directions, and you feel the bliss of knowing that a part of you exists in those birds while your feet are happily dancing on the ground.