Winter ala Hiroshige

A Bridge in a Snowy Landscape by Hiroshige

Night Snow at Kambara by Hiroshige

 Clear Weather After Snow at Kameyama by Hiroshige

December 25, 2009

Snow

Angels

and

Golden Stars

Greetings!

Happy Holidays!

Warmest Wishes to All
Peace On Earth and In Our Hearts
Happy Holidays!

Warmest Wishes to All

Peace On Earth and In Our Hearts

Happy Holidays!

Warmest Wishes to All

Peace On Earth and In Our Hearts
Happy Holidays!

Warmest Wishes to All

Peace On Earth and In Our Hearts

Let It Snow
Let It

Snow

Snow

Snow

Cleveland Cultural Park

As I headed to the Science Center today to see the IMax Sea Monsters film, I went through a landscaped park setting where small signs would appear intermittently announcing various countries.  It was the Cleveland Cultural Gardens, a 50-acre strip carved out of the 254-acre Rockefeller Park, that currently represents 28 or so nations.

The Hungarian Cultural Garden at the

Cleveland Cultural Gardens

Here's a website that provides a brief pictorial tour:

http://azoony.com/hattrips/rockefeller_park.html

Gradations of White - The Mastery Thereof

Dramatic color as in Twilight in the Wilderness below

or

Excruciating Delineation of Hues and Shades

Both are extraordinarily masterful techniques.

Interior of a Church by Emanuel de Witte, 1680

Emmanuel de Witte (Dutch, c. 1617-1692). Interior of a Church, c. 1680. Oil on canvas, 62.0 x 54.0 cm. The Cleveland Museum of Art. Mr. and Mrs. William H. Marlatt Fund 1971.1

http://clemusart.com

Let Me See It For Myself

These images can only very feebly begin to hint
at the power of the original at the

Cleveland Museum of Art

because there is it truly mesmerizing to behold.

Which one represents the original?

Twilight in the Wilderness by Frederic Edwin Church, 1860

Frederic Edwin Church (American, 1826-1900). Twilight in the Wilderness, 1860. Oil on canvas; 101.6 x 162.6 cm. The Cleveland Museum of Art. Mr. and Mrs. William H. Marlatt Fund 1965.233

http://clemusart.com/

Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument

 at the intersection of  S. Roadway and Ontario

in downtown Cleveland

 

lit up for the holidays

the public square across from the monument

Terminal Tower Building as a Christmas Tree

Downtown Cleveland

The lights alternated colors!

 

 

"Blue Ice" Street Lamps

December 2009 - Downtown Cleveland

E 4th Street between Euclid Ave & Prospect Ave

 

Blue Street Lamps

 

A lone street lamp in front of the Saigon Restaurant.

 

The lightbulb was actually blue.

The "ice cubes" were clear.

Pretty cool, huh?

Venus de Milo

What a nice surprise it was to be greeted by this sight

upon arriving in Cleveland!

The Cleveland Venus adorning the Carl B. Stokes
Federal Courthouse

Yes, yes, alright, it wasn't the real Venus de Milo because, for one thing, her head was missing. And, we all know her much more renowned and older (read, ancient) sister resides in Paris at the Louvre. The form, nonetheless, was instantly recognizable.

Also of significant difference, she is reported to be 37 (thirty-seven!) feet tall.  The bronze "Cleveland Venus", as she is known, is one of a series of Venuses created by international pop artist, Jim Dine, who has Venus sculptures in locales as far-flung as Bordeaux, France.

 The Venus de Milo

As I researched information about this sculpture, I came across an interesting article about the controversy surrounding it, especially in the context of the building.  The objections seemed to primarily be from female attorneys, a demographic that I, as a woman and a feminist, generally admire.

What do you think?  Are their arguments valid?

http://www.newsenseonline.com/l_FT_2003_10_08b.htm

Clarence and Harvey

Clarence and Harvey were named as tributes to characters in two Jimmy Stewart movies. Clarence was the angel in It's a Wonderful Life and Harvey was a movie about a 6-foot rabbit who was possibly (probably) real.

Clarence and Harvey snacking on Jake's food.

Silly Rabbits!

(Jake was my brother's Sheltie, a great dog.)

My Clarence and Harvey as brothers were rare outcomes in a single kindle (litter) of Jersey Woolies bunnies. Their coloring, body shapes and personalities were completely different. They were great guys, and I miss them.

Clarence on the airconditioning vent much to Jake's chagrin!

Hilarious!

Harvey reposing on a cushion in

his regal "sphinx" position.

It's A Wonderful Life at the Michigan Theater

Enjoyed a free screening of this heartwarming 1946 movie that I still love at the Michigan Theater!

Gorgeous historical theater with balcony seating!

A live organ performance of a holiday carol preceded the film.

The movie ended with me sitting amongst an audience
whose satisfaction was palpable.

Clarence Odbody, Angel, Second Class and George Bailey

drying their clothes following a dip in the river.

The Great Wave by Hokusai and Le Gray

Both of these are called by various names such as The Great Wave Off Kanagawa or The Long Wave.

One is a woodcut from between 1826 and 1833,
and one is a photograph from 1857.

One artist is Japanese and the other is French.

  The Great Wave by Hokusai, approx. 1830

The Great Wave by Le Gray, 1857

The Lens of Impressionism at UMMA - December 6, 2009

I went to the guided tour of this exhibit today at the University of Michigan Museum of Art.  It was a fascinating juxtaposition of traditional academic painting in the mid-1800s and the impact of the introduction of a mechanical means of reproduction, the camera, and how each impacted the other. The work of painter turned master photographer, Gustave Le Gray, was featured prominently.

Gustave Le Gray


I will be going back for another guided tour because I was not prepared today to take notes but I will be next time.

Brig on the Water   (1856)

Who is Phoebe Gloeckner?

This is a post to get Phoebe's name into your consciousness just until I can finish the other one thousand things I have to do and then write a proper post about this fascinating woman.  She is a world-renowned graphic novelist and an associate professor of art at the University of Michigan but there's much more - lots and lots of complex layers to this person so when the "real" post has been written, I'll announce it on Twitter.