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Posts Tagged ‘paintings’

in addition to stained glass …

Posted in Branches, Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged , , , , , , , , on November 20, 2017| Leave a Comment »

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… the McMullen Musem of Art has three concurrent displays on exhibit this fall through December 10th. Detailed information can be found in this museum press release. What I especially appreciated about the museum itself is its overall architecture that bridges old and new architectural styles and which takes into account the natural landscape as being part of the visitor experience. The floor to ceiling glass walls on each floor present an airy feeling … and that’s before you even realize that there is an amazing roof top deck.

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Given that two of the three exhibits focus on nature, landscape, realism and symbolism, it inspired childish delight to walk up the stairs with clear glass all around, seeing the landscape outside, and then to walk into beautifully curated exhibits like that of Alston Conley’s New England Sky …

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… and that of Nature’s Mirror: Reality and Symbol in Belgian Landscape.

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And in the midst of so much landscape there was the unexpected appearance of man, in this case, The Old Man Blessing, by Belgian painter Leon Frederic.

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The area accessed by the public to view art is actually not that large but comes across as quite spacious. Technology, whether a video showing the Belgian landscape of today on the wall, or a tablet with additional stories about the artists of the period, accentuate the visitor experience.

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Again, I thank Anulfo Baez for introducing me to this new phase of the McMullen Museum and I look forward to future visits.

Sources and Additional Reading (and Viewing!)

http://www.bc.edu/sites/artmuseum/press/fall-2017.html

http://www.bc.edu/sites/artmuseum/exhibitions/conley/

http://bcheights.com/2017/09/10/mcmullen-hones-natures-mirror-belgian-landscapes/

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stationery works

Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on September 28, 2014| Leave a Comment »

I have an unofficial postcard club of 5, 6 and 7 year olds.  It is mostly a quarterly mailing of nature-themed images.  I have offered to hand the postcards to my young friends but they seem to like the idea of a handwritten note, a stamp applied, and the piece of paper traveling around the world (so to speak) before winding up in their mailbox, addressed to them specifically.  I have told the older ones that one day soon I expect a note in return.  😉

If you follow this blog, you know how much I love producing postcards of the stained glass windows at Trinity Church in Copley Square.  Of late, I’ve been focusing my attention on the painted walls.  Expect a future post about the original paintings orchestrated by John La Farge in the late 1800s and later painting done over the decades during various renovations.

This postcard is of St. Paul on the west porch of Trinity Church.  I especially love the reflection of the church in the glass of the neighboring John Hancock building.  This postcard is now available at the Shop at Trinity Church.

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a series of hands

Posted in Inspiration, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 26, 2013| 3 Comments »

Hands, hands, hands.  I was surprised in preparing this post to discover that I have written about hands quite a bit over the years. Two posts that moved me most were from four years ago, Hands I and Hands II.   Hands stood out again during a recent visit to the Boston Public Library, visiting yet again the room with the Abbey Murals. I’ve photographed the murals often but this time I tried to focus on the hands.

For those new to the murals, in the 1890s Edwin Austin Abbey began a series of 15 wall paintings depicting The Quest and Achievement of the Holy Grail (based on a version of the legend by Henry James).  They were installed in 1895.

On the BPL website, you can read a description of the 15 panels and the story they depict.  Given how many shy maidens must have their hands kissed by Sir Galahad …

… and how many babes, swords and various vessels must be borne aloft and so on …

… well, it’s clear why Abbey paid so much attention to the hands of his legendary figures.

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The Art of Rod MacIver — Connecting with Something Larger than Ourselves

Posted in Guest Contributor, Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 30, 2012| 2 Comments »

Snowy Evening by Rod MacIver

Snowy Evening by Rod MacIver

On occasion I muse on this blog about pausing and giving one’s self permission to stop moving in a world that is increasingly hectic.  One resource that has been especially useful for me of late is Roderick MacIver’s A Pause for Beauty, a daily e-journal produced by the Heron Dance Art Studio featuring MacIver’s paintings paired with his words or select quotations.

Solo Migration by Rod MacIver

Solo Migration by Rod MacIver

I was moved to contact MacIver, wanting to know more about this artist, his inspirations and the creation of his Heron Dance Art Studio.  Following are excerpts from our conversation.  Please note that the images he has granted permission to share on this blog are those he considers some of his favorites.

Eagle Morning by Rod MacIver

Eagle Morning by Rod MacIver

The website describes Heron Dance as a literary nonprofit and art studio founded in 1994.  While MacIver’s paintings dominate the site, he made clear that Heron Dance began as a print publication — a blue newsletter — based on interviews with people he met during his travels, people “who had some concept of greater good.”  “Art,” he noted,  “was minor in the beginning.”   As for why he conducted these interviews, “Well, previously I had worked on Wall Street and then I was diagnosed with a serious illness, non-Hodgkins lymphoma.  As I survived that illness, I wanted to devote myself to something positive.”  And so he set out to capture the experiences of people doing good works, learning about their spiritual lives, what motivated them, the nature of their struggles, as well as hopes.  Eventually, as he fully describes on his website, he stopped looking without and began looking within.

Tranquil Reflections by Rod MacIver

Tranquil Reflections by Rod MacIver

He taught himself to paint while in the hospital.  The art made its way into the print publication simply as part of the graphic design of the masthead.  It was over time, he shared, that the art became more important.  As more people began asking for his artwork, he realized his art could be an integral part of a business.  But painting he asserts is about more than business.  “No, I enjoy painting.  I need to create time to do more of it.”

Grizzly Wonder by Rod MacIver

Grizzly Wonder by Rod MacIver

He currently splits his time between the business side of the Heron Dance Art Studio (located in Vermont) and “the quiet beauty” of cabin life in the Adirondack woods where the landscape’s influence is clear in his painting.  Taoism is inspiring him these days. Taoism is a spiritual tradition that promotes living in harmony with nature, among other beliefs. “It’s an interesting approach to spirituality.  Water is an important component that I am exploring.  Water-related activities have been an important part of my life.”

Morning Solitude by Rod MacIver

Morning Solitude by Rod MacIver

The home page of the Heron Dance website lists his current and ongoing creative projects including new collections of his paintings and personal reflections available in books, calendars and diaries.

Heron Whisper by Rod MacIver

Heron Whisper by Rod MacIver

If you have a quite moment, or better yet, if you are seeking a quiet moment, I encourage you to read Mr. MacIver’s very detailed account of the the origins of Heron Dance via this link.  There you will find excerpts from the interviews mentioned earlier in this post, and see not only the evolution of a publication like Heron Dance but also witness the ongoing evolution of a person and his unique journey in this life.   Enjoy!

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