June 3, 2013 in Photoworks, Textures
With the weather dry and sunny at last, garden chores have been beckoning me outdoors. Hence it’s up and down the weathered back stairs many times a day. This just caught my eye as I was coming up with my camera in hand after taking a few photos of some of the flowers in the garden. As you can see, I like this image better than the flower ones. I love the surprise of suddenly seeing it and wondering how I could have missed it before.
May 28, 2013 in Photoworks, Textures
As I am packing away my late mother-in-law’s lovely piano shawl to pass on to our eldest daughter, I feel an urge to play with it. Very gently I arrange it on the scanner, this way and that. Yes, these are for me to keep. Danke schön, Omi.
May 23, 2013 in Blogging, Canada and BC, Neat stuff
a charming scene of Canada Geese parents and their six downy yellow goslings
spotted on a sightseeing tour for my Finnish cousin and friend a couple of days ago
(a note of apology to my dear readers for turning off commenting due to a massive onslaught of shoes, bags, drugs, and unmentionables… hope only for a few days)
Added 25th May: Unable to send a comment, Tom has so very kindly responded via a post on his blog Gwynt. I love his tale of an unforgettable face to face meeting with a swan.
May 20, 2013 in Canada and BC, Home
A peek at the back rhododendron garden on this Victoria Day long weekend. The bees are buzzing about drunkenly, not letting me get too close. Busy days continue. Tomorrow a cousin from Finland comes to visit!
May 15, 2013 in Books, Found Objects, History, Home, Photoworks
I have been peeking into some of my late mother-in-law’s boxes which my husband brought home from her house, now sold. Her obviously very old handwritten cookbook intrigued me, reminding me a little of my mother’s Finnish cookbook.
While my mother’s book was a published one, “Omi’s” is all handwritten by many different hands in an originally blank and indexed book. I imagine that her mother, grandmothers, aunts, sisters and friends may have written many of these, perhaps for her when she was a new bride, or when she was emigrating to Canada. The handwriting is exquisite and often seeming too tiny to read.
I don’t recognize her handwriting in the book itself unless it changed later, though some of the loose slips may be by her hand. Like in my mother’s cookbook there are numerous slips of loose recipes and clippings inserted throughout, and some glued in, like the one above with Gothic text. My German is poor, and the handwriting hard to read (even husband has trouble) but I do recognize a lot of kuchen (cake) recipes! Omi loved to bake cakes so I’m not surprised.
May 10, 2013 in Being an Artist, Drawings
Two quick drawings from my art school days recently came back home to me, one of my then future mother-in-law and one of my then future husband. She loved these so I had given them to her. They were framed along with another one I’d done of a future sister-in-law. They were hung in every home she lived in since.
Being behind glass, I had difficulty capturing good photos of these drawings. Finally I tried my scanner by taking the lid off in order to fit the frame over the edges. They are still not accurate copies but suffice as an example of my very early sketch work and shall be my record in case one of our daughters wishes to have these. As I’ve mentioned before, my late mother-in-law’s home has been sold and contents are being dispersed amongst family as much as possible. “Omi” was a wonderful supporter of my work, even purchasing several of my prints which have also come back.
May 7, 2013 in Home, Photoworks, Textures
a crocheted silk lace piano scarf
made by my late mother-in-law many decades ago
bringing forth memories of it gracing her piano
Joy and woe are woven fine,
A clothing for the soul divine.
Under every grief and pine
Runs a joy with silken twine.
– William Blake – Auguries of Innocence
May 5, 2013 in Nature, Photoworks
the first fallen flower from several on the phalaenopsis
gifted to me by my sweet three months ago
May 2, 2013 in Art Institute (Printmaking), Being an Artist, Canada and BC, Culture, Current Events
Just when the school year is finishing and many students in Studio Arts have put up their graduation exhibition, the administration at Capilano University in North Vancouver has announced that they would have to make cuts to many programs because of a shortfall of $1.3 million in funding from the BC government. Studio and Textile Arts are particularly targeted along with other courses. Studio Arts is and has been a very well-respected program for 40 years.
Students and Faculty and Friends of the Arts are fighting this very hard. A Facebook page and a petition have been set up which are receiving lots of support but we need much more. I have personally been part of the excellent studio arts program at Capilano and want to help by asking friends and readers to please sign this petition in support of arts education, ALL education, and to pass it on to others.
Here is one very special and supportive comment at that petition:
I would not be writing this letter of support for Capilano University’s Studio and Textile Arts Program as an Associate Professor at Emily Carr were it not for the incredible education I received there. Having subsequently toured many art and design schools over the years in the United States and Canada, and having been an external reviewer last year of Capilano’s program, I can testify that the program ranks among the best. Simply put it offers a first rate blend of intellectual, material, and technical development delivered by extraordinary faculty in a beautifully equipped, community-friendly studio setting. The program is a major contributor to the high profile for culture and excellence the University enjoys, and its reputation far outdistances its relatively small size. It would be a false economy to eliminate this program as the University’s profile would be greatly diminished on the cultural scene, locally and nationally. – Alexandra Phillips of Vancouver
There is a provincial election campaign going on and we are questioning all candidates on this issue. Why are some universities getting way more funding than others, while others are experiencing cuts? Why any cuts to any kind of education? Coincidentally or not, the University is having their decision-making budget meeting on May 14th which is the very day of the election!
Here are a few of the many reports in the news media:
– THE TYEE by Crawford Kilian
– CBC NEWS
– Alliance for Arts and Culture
Thank you for reading and for your support!
ADDED May 3rd: In the Straight: Capilano University needs to hit the pause button on its budget plans, by Reg Johanson. Excellent comments too.
UPDATE May 20th: After weeks of petitions, protests and meetings, the University board has agreed to delay the cuts for another month to research and possibly propose a new plan.
April 30, 2013 in Canada and BC, Current Events, Home
Sunday was spent traveling to the Victoria area on Vancouver Island for my late aunt’s ‘remembering’… a sweet event, lovingly and artistically arranged by her daughter, my cousin, at her charming lakeside cottage home. Heartwarming stories and memories shared with hugs, laughter and tears. Another wrenching goodbye was to this house which my cousin has to leave soon.
Our own family stayed at my late mother-in-law’s house where one sister-in-law has lived for many years after her passing. With her daughter and husband joining us, we had a celebration of their coming first child over a traditional family breakfast on Monday morning. Seated around Omi’s teak table with her German china we remembered the many years she used to serve us a similar breakfast. A walk around her lovely garden had me misty-eyed remembering her as she worked in it, as we had to say another goodbye to another home, for this has now been sold, so many years since she left it. (Please see daughter Erika’s lovely post about it.)
The ferry ride home is always so very beautiful – the blue skies, white puffy clouds, sparkling waters, lovely islands sprinkled with cottages….
It’s taken me a long time to write this and I apologize for the wistful nostalgia. I must be getting old.