Friend of and encouraged by naturalist Charles Darwin and painter Frederick Church, Marianne North was perhaps one of the most prolific yet unsung artist/recorder of the botanical world ever. Traveling to no less than 15 countries in the Victorian era was in itself a daunting legacy, but to top this, she did it mostly solo. Throughout her 50-year … [Read more...] about Dancing Backwards, Part 3: A Remarkable Life of Adventure and Art
Dancing Backwards Part 3: Fathers – Listen up!
This story is a reminder message to all fathers, which is especially timely since Father’s Day has recently just come and gone. If you think you are not making a profound impression on your daughter, think again. Fede Galizia is one of the many women artists featured in this series who learned her trade from her successful miniature artist father, … [Read more...] about Dancing Backwards Part 3: Fathers – Listen up!
Dancing Backwards Part 3; More Stories of Gifted but Forgotten Women Artists
Before the Renaissance period of the 16th Century, it was rare for women artists to sign and date their work. Catharina van Hemessen, born in 1528 in Belgium, broke that spell when she did just that! She also became one of the first female artists to become known as a sought-after exceedingly skilled portrait artist featuring women subjects. Only a … [Read more...] about Dancing Backwards Part 3; More Stories of Gifted but Forgotten Women Artists
Dancing Backwards Returns; Going Medieval with Skeletons: More Stories of Mostly Forgotten Fabulously Talented Women Artists of the Past: Part 3 Coming in September
How does a 850 year old skeleton relate to Dancing Backwards? It is posited that this woman/skeleton was a scribe/artist and somehow while working on a manuscript, a small chunk of lapis lazuli pigment was accidentally embedded in the flesh of her lower jaw behind her front teeth. According to the Smithsonian Institute, scientists like to poke … [Read more...] about Dancing Backwards Returns; Going Medieval with Skeletons: More Stories of Mostly Forgotten Fabulously Talented Women Artists of the Past: Part 3 Coming in September
The Final Reveal
Dancing Backwards in High Heels More Lessons from Fred and Ginger Part ll Yesterday's opening reception was lovely. The entire staff was in attendance, Joe, Krissy, Lynette, and Marilyn too! The guests enjoyed locally made salted chocolate truffles and lemonade throughout the afternoon. So now, as promised, posted are all ten finished paintings … [Read more...] about The Final Reveal
Dancing Backwards in High Heels to the Balalaika with Marianne Von Werefkin
I chose the artist, Marianne Von Werefkin, as my final series post for the simple fact of her country of origin, Russia. It is a place very mysterious to us here but nonetheless has immense historical intrigue. Dave and I had the great fortune to travel there in 1985 when Glasnost was just beginning, and though we subsequently traveled to many … [Read more...] about Dancing Backwards in High Heels to the Balalaika with Marianne Von Werefkin