Summer in Russia 2019

I spent the summer in Russia, exploring places I've only read about in books or got a glimpse on television.

This summer it was total immersion. Living with locals in Saint Petersburg and Moscow and doing research for an upcoming project. A dream come true.

One of the most beautiful places was The Winter Palace designed by architect Bartolomeo Rastelli for Tsarina Elizabeth in 1754. Completed in 1762, the royal family stayed here only during the cold winter months. The photo above is one of its opulent staircases - about 100 people could easily stand on it at one time and it wouldn't be too crowded.

My favorite place to see shows was at the historic Mariinsky Theatre. During most of the soviet era, it was known as the Kirov Theatre, and some abroad still call it that today. Since 1860, the theatre has been home to the Mariinsky Ballet and Mariinsky Opera. The building was designed by architect Albert Kavos and completed in 1860. Kavos also designed the other famous theatre house, the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow.

Absolutely stunning! It is at the Mariinsky Theatre that George Balanchine, Vaslav Nijinsky, Anna Pavlova, and Tamara Karsavina began their phenomenal careers. Also artists Mikhail Baryshnikov, Rudolf Nureyev, Natalia Makarova, Galina Ulanova, Irina Kolpakova, and Marina Semyonova trained and danced here.

The Church of Spilled Blood is so much bigger and majestic than any photograph I've ever seen. Only up close and in person, can you see the intricate detailing of the exterior. What was most impressive was the beautiful jewelers' enamel used to cover the 1,000 square meters (10,760 sq ft) surface of the five domes. Absolutely stunning!

Comments

Surviving my Teen Years with Shakespeare

I became passionate about poetry in high school when I desperately needed guidance. When I needed something to make sense of the chaos others called life. There was no IG, no FB, no Internet, no cell phones, no "reach out and touch" when life quickly crumbled, leaving you alone with just the clothes on your back. Earlier this year I revisited all 154 Shakespeare Sonnets and began making textile books inspired by them. Here is Sonnet One -- Don't Get Twisted by the Bling of Youth.

Born of Love, Shakespeare's Sonnet 151

Over the summer I worked on new artwork, Born of Love , inspired by Shakespeare's Sonnet 151. The book offers a translation of the sonnet to the language of textiles and embroidery. Working on this book allowed me to explore the beauty of textiles from four continents. Its construction is inspired by the poetic structure within the sonnet. This book, along with two other of my art pieces, will be on exhibit at the Folger Shakespeare Library from 16 Sept 2024 - 9 Feb 2025.

Evidence: The Art of Candy Jernigan

Art is Life I was introduced to Candy Jernigan's art and book when I was going through cancer treatment more than a decade ago. Her meticulously arranged collages, paintings, and drawings have had a profound impact on the way I view art, life, and visual storytelling. Before reading her book, I had never seen how powerful art journaling could be -- that it could also be an artistic tool for social commentary. Candy Jernigan (b. 1952- 1991) attended Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY. Soon after graduating she became a painter, set and costume designer in Provincetown, MA. In Evidence , Stokes Howell wrote, " By the time she returned to New York in 1980 she was starting to develop the themes and methods she would work with the rest of her life." Candy described the transformative process of taking found objects, "trash," and discarded materials from life and turning them into art: "In 1980, as I set out on my first trip to Europe, I decided...

Baltimore Sonnets

Search This Blog