Skin: The seduction of surface....

I was invited here Friday night to the opening of an exhibition called Skin: the seduction of surface. It started May 19 and will run until September 9th. We were greeted outside by the succulent aroma of pulled pork. Sensuous food served up by a snazzy chef. Lookin good:)

This was a fascinating exhibit curated by Sarah Fillmore exploring place, race, religion, identity and sexuality through physical and conceptual ideas of skin in many forms. She gathered together works by Canadian and International artists whose art entertains notions of skin in wide ranging mediums and perspectives.

The exhibit is about  layers, ways we protect ourselves, ways we are exposed and ways we express ourselves. Seduction and it's opposite, revulsion. Covering and uncovering.

The artists include Jana Sterbak,Colleen Wolstenholme, Attila Richard Lukacs, Mitch Mitchell, Duke & Battersby, Till Friewals, Shary Boyle, Evergon, Vito Acconci, Kent Monkman, among others.

It was a thought provoking and unusual exhibit. Some pieces I really really liked and others left me baffled and then there were those that left me cold.

This piece below was one that really intrigued me. These dogs were made from fabric and swathed in veils and fur stoles.The workmanship was so detailed and beautiful. Unfortunately, I did not get the name of the artist responsible for this work so you will have to refer to the list of names above.

This one by david R Harper was called Stewed, Screwed and Tattooed. Goat skins with embroidery. Pretty but disturbing to me also.

There were a few larger paintings that I quite liked.

The most provoking item in the exhibit is the "Vanitas" by Jana Sterbak. Raw meat sewn together into a dress and hung in an elegant gallery setting. Created from 50 pounds of flank steak, this heavily salted meat will decompose, cure and dry out over the length of the exhibit. 

Looking at this dress provokes many thoughts, parallels, fascination and revulsion. Themes of consumption, appetite, sexuality, vulnerability, transience...... Lady Gaga's famous dress was inspired by this one.

I loved this wonderful bear covered in red felt roses.

It was an interesting exhibit and if you are in Halifax, pop into the gallery and take a peek at this latest show. I only scratched the surface here.... 

Oh where, oh where has my little voice gone?

Oh my......  I don't know where my blogging muse/mojo/magination is these days. Maybe it has Spring Fever. It will be back soon........in the meantime, I do pop in here frequently.

Mail Art

 Tara Bliven of  Ephemera Press (a small letterpress company) has been organizing a fun art letter exchange called The Elevated Envelope. How wonderful to get something like these in your mailbox! Mail art has always been popular but some of these are really lovely! This gorgeous dragon letter with exquisite calligraphty was created by Bridgette Hefferan.
I'm going to register for the next round I think! This green letter was created by Teresa Banman, the snowball globe has actually got a clear cover on it and you can see the small painting she did inside.

 Doodles by Julie Goette I like this one.

An envelope created by Tara herself!  Fun to read about the process.

You must also read the story behind this Lunar Moth envelope done by Elizabeth M Corsa!

The Newfoundland Store

While waiting for my annual Spring tire exchange, I decided to have a walk around the local neighborhood and visit this wonderful shop. I am ashamed to say that in all my years here in Halifax, I have never set foot in it! I've admired it many times driving past but that was it.

Tucked away on a neighborhood side street, the Newfoundland Store is a Halifax institution that has remained relatively unchanged for 95 years! The hand stencilled signage on the windows has never been upgraded and is so charming in this world of bold advertising. See if you can read what some of the items are.

Stepping inside is like entering another era. High ceilings, wooden shelves, everything painted gleaming white. Product neatly lined up. Not a lot of it but enough to keep their dedicated customers happy. Children of original customers now bring their children to shop.

Everything in the store is from Newfoundland, products and books that you cannot get here.An ecelctic mix of goodies. Pease pudding. Remember the rhyme? "Pease pudding hot, pease pudding cold, pease pudding in the pot, nine days old"

In the back room are some more unusual items like salted pig's tails, cod tongues and their biggest seller, corned beef. (salt beef). In the old days you could get caribou, moose, venison, rabbit and seal. Flipper pie was a specialty. Now with health regulations and inspections, wild meat cannot be sold. There is a freezer stocked with all sorts of things too.

I loved the bright and airy feel to the place. Clean as a whistle and full of interesting things.

The Newfoundland Store was opened in 1917 by Mr and Mrs Hill. Forty-five years ago, Cliff and Pat Yarn took it over.  Cliff has since passed away and Pat runs the shop with the able help of Dave Harnett. Dave has been working there since he was ten years old! Forty six years he has been there. He lived just down the street and was hired by Mr. Hill to stock shelves because Mr. Hill was too short. A year later the Yarns took over and Dave forty six years later is still here managing the shop. He is the one who makes all the signs:)

Dave loves his work and the customers have become friends. While I was there, there were a few people who popped in for things knowing exactly what they wanted. One woman was purchasing tins of salt fish. I asked her how she used them and she said "fishcakes". So much easier than buying dried salted fish, soaking and then flaking and mixing with onions and mashed potatoes.

Another man was in for his fix of peppermint lumps! (or nobs as the Newfies say)

If you have a chance, do pop by and have a visit. It is on Willow Street, near Robie. A bit of living history.

Of course I had to purchase something before I left and it was a tin of custard powder,  a packet of Jam Jams, another big seller at the shop and their famous summer savoury. (a green herb)

Yeppers, a place to cherish.

Tell your friends...

 I saw this yesterday while waiting for my car to have it's summer tires installed. What should have been a short wait turned into a long one as they discovered I needed new tires, my brake pads needed replacing and an oil change was required. My wallet was surprised too! The long wait also turned into a great opportunity to explore a nearby shop which I will be writing about in my next blog post. I cannot believe I have not visited it before. It is a local landmark of sorts. Stay tuned.

Pssssst, "I love you"

early morning sunshine

Dear friends, I've been a tardy blogger lately. Life has been busy and it seems as though there is always something else to do! I miss blogging regularly and will try to be better at it:) Off to the market this morning. Hope your day is grand!

Cross Stitch Art

Woo hoo! Here is an example of one of my images that is now available as a cross-stitch pattern!  I have partnered up with GeckoRouge,  a cross stitch company  in the UK to produce cross stitch kits and patterns. There are 8 to choose from at the moment but more will be rolling out soon! The real thing is much more vibrant.

'Sunset Garden Tabby' measures: 17.86 x 14.29 inches

With this cross stitch kit you will receive:

• Full glossy colour cover for reference
• A black and white pattern
• Pre-sorted DMC Stranded Cotton with extra length
• 14 Count DMC Aida complete with an extra 2 inch border around each sides
• Factory Sealed John James Tapestry Needle
• Full Instructions with diagrams
• Usually dispatched within 2-3 working days (Please allow up to 10 - 15 working days for delivery outside the UK)  FREE shipping Worldwide.

Portraits of some artists..

I came across a treasure trove of images the other day....the Life image archives hosted by Google. Warning, it is really interesting, you can search for anything. I just wrote artist into the box and  these are just a smidgeon of what's available.What is really cool is that once you click on a picture, there are small thumbnail pics under "related images" and you can see more pictures  from the roll of film that had been shot. Here are some amazing extras of Marilyn Munroe, (click on the related images to see)

The picture above is Artist Pablo Picasso creating light drawing in Vallauris, France 1949, Photographer was Gjon Mili

Andy Warhol with his Barbie Doll, 1986, no photographer listed.

Marc Chagall painting in his studio, France1949, photographer Gjon Mili

Thomas Hart Benton and look who the photographer is...Alfred Eisenstaedt

Portrait of artist Alberto Giacometti surrounded by his sculptures. Paris, 1951, photographer Gordon Parks.

Artist Henri Matisse, seated in his bed, some of his work spread out before him, drawing in space w. light-tipped pen. It worked with Picasso so he thought he'd give it a go with Matisse:)  Gjon Mili. Taken in Nice, France, 1949.

80 year old Georgia O'Keeffe at her Mexican ranch. 1966, John Loengard

Titanic 2012

There have been a swirl of Titanic events here in the last few days. They honor the poor souls who lost their lives and the heroes who deserve acknowledgement again, one hundred years later. I went to a fascinating fashion show at the Martime Museum the other night, it was the final project for graduating Costume Studies students at Dalhousie University. They had to pick a passenger on the Titanic, research them, write a 20 page paper using primary sources and then design and create an outfit from the undergarments outward.  Historically accurate materials and methods were used. Stunning. As they modeled the clothes, the story of the person was read. My daughter is in this program and was a bit daunted at the work ahead of her.

Yesterday I attended a Spiritual ceremony at the Fairview Lawn Cemetery where 121 of the victims are buried.  It was a perfect April day with clear skies and mild temperatures. There were very moving musical performances and some touching speeches. Relatives of some victims were present. I usually visit this spot once a year or so, it is near my home. A few years ago, high in the trees, someone thoughtfully hung a set of windchimes above the Titanic graves. It is lovely to visit and hear the melodies when the place is quiet and empty.

This is one of the most photographed placemarkers, thanks to James Cameron's movie.

The real J Dawson was Joseph, grave 227. He was a 23 year old Irishman. A trimmer, one of the hardest jobs on the ship. Delivering coal to the  fireman at the furnaces. He was off-duty when the impact occurred, but rooted through his dunnage bag to equip himself with his National Sailors and Firemen's Union card  before finally being allowed topside with the rest of the black gang when all the boats were gone.  He was found barefoot because many firemen pulled off their heavy workboots on the deck of the Titanic before the stern inverted, hoping to save themselves by swimming. Such sad stories. Here are some artifacts people have left at his grave.

There were Sea Cadets and other youth groups each standing vigil holding flowers to set on the many graves.

EVERY grave there holds a story.  Most we don't know. The story of John Law Hume is one of great courage and inspiration. Grave 193. He was  Scottish violinist aged 21 who every one knew as Jock and was a member of the Titanic orchestra. A very cheery chap who everyone loved.
 Here's a bit from the Worcestor Gazette....
"New York, April 19.-Of all the heroes who went to their death when the Titanic dived to its ocean grave, none, in the opinion of Miss. Hilda Slater, a passenger in the last boat to pull off, deserved greater credit than the members of the vessel's orchestra. According to Miss. Slater, the orchestra played until the last. When the vessel took its final plunge the strains of a lively air, mingled gruesomely with the cries of those who realized that they were face to face with death.

"It was terrible," said Miss. Slater, who had come from her home in England to visit a brother, an architect in this city. "From the moment the vessel struck, or as soon as the members of the orchestra could be collected, there was a steady round of lively airs. It did much to keep up the spirits of everyone and probably served as much as the efforts of the officers trying to prevent panic." 

The last song the orchestra played was "Nearer My God to Thee". Young Jock perished unaware that his fiancé was pregnant with his child.  This was an extraordinary wreath, complete with full sized violin. The little note attached read, "Forever my hero", left by his great niece, Yvonne Hume.

It is remarkable how after all these years, the story and events still have a profound impact on people. There were visitors paying their respects from all over the world.

This is the grave of tiny Sidney Leslie Goodwin, "the unknown child", who thanks to DNA testing is unknown no longer. The story is FASCINATING and you can read about it here. His grave has come to represent all the children that died that night.

Simple graves, each one with  the same date. April 15, 1912.

New York dreaming

I don't know why, but I love this picture of New York! Lower East side. The Surtex show is happening  this May 20-22  and I REALLY  would love to go. How amazing and inspirational to explore it and then maybe get a booth there one day.  I have a deep hankering  to visit the Metropolitan Museum again. Get filled up with art and beauty. That's my daughter below, I came across this pic and had to post it. Isn't her hair amazing!

Ah yes...New York!