Tag Archives: arts

Aug20

music connects people.

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went to my grandson’s (a born entertainer), arts camp

 in a beautiful northern michigan location

to pick him up and to see his choir performance

where some of their rehearsals even took place in the woods

it was a wonderful experience for him for many reasons

new friends, no electronics, learning to play piano, sing new music

time away from home, tell stories, eat camp  food, have new adventures

at the camp performance

my daughter noticed

that grandson j, and his longtime friend, also j

were singing in much the same positions

where they had performed

at a school concert

where they first met seven years ago

so wonderful they are still friends and still love music.

—

‘the true beauty of music that it connects people.

it carries a message, and we, the musicians, are the messengers.’

-roy ayers

*Roy Ayers Jr. was an American vibraphonist, record producer, and composer. Hw began his career as a jazz artist, releasing several albums with Atlantic Records, before his tenure at Polydor Records beginning in the 70s, during which he helped to pioneer jazz-funk.

—

blue lake fine arts camp, twin lakes, michigan, usa – summer 2025

Sep23

boundless.

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sss

enter this charming store

 like walking into a dream

towers, and dragons, and costumes, and animals, and castles, and art, and toys, and books, and puppets

surrounded by enchanting hand-painted murals

 a circle where story tellings and puppet shows and theater play are shared

 imaginations are encouraged and play flows freely.

‘the world of reality has its limits; the world of imagination is boundless.’

-jean-jacques roussseau

Aug17

fado.

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a very moving performance of fado music

in a close setting

soft lighting, candles, silence, just taking it all in

straight from the heart

the passionate, soulful, traditional music of portugal

muito bonito.

“the only thing that matters is to feel the fado.

the fado is not meant to be sung; it simply happens.

you feel it, you don’t understand it and you don’t explain it.”

– Amália Rodrigues, Portuguese activist

Known as the “Rainha do Fado” (“Queen of Fado”), Amalia Rodrigues was a Portuguese singer and actress best known for her passionate and romantic, yet hauntingly tragic, renditions of fado, Lisbon’s traditional form of song. 1920-1999

Known worldwide, Fado was recently considered an Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO because this musical style reflects a large part of the country’s identity. Since the time of the Discoveries, the Portuguese have carried with them a feeling of melancholy that is purged through music.

Fado means ‘fate.’

Mar26

the arts of peace.

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not me, nor my garden

but he and i have similar attitudes

and this warmer weather

really has me wanting to get my garden going

then just stand back

and take it all in. 

(hello to claude monet, at giverny gardens in 1923, perhaps thinking about painting it)

—

“to plant a garden is the chief of the arts of peace.”

~ mary stewart

Apr10

poetry of the foot.

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how will she dance with only one shoe

all i can picture

is that tiny ballerina

in the music box

dancing

around and around and around

up on her toes

forever

on just one foot.

—

“dancing is the poetry of the foot.”
-john dryden-

Jul8

the circus arrives.

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to avoid crowds, montreal’s circus festival will pop up in random places

Over the course of this week, some lucky residents in Montreal will be entertained with surprise circus acts that will pop up around the city at undisclosed locations.

The outdoor performances are organized as part of Montreal’s annual circus festival and are taking place from July 6 to 12 at random locations around the city in order to avoid huge crowds from gathering and maintain physical distancing.

As artistic director of Montréal Complètement Cirque, Nadine Marchand explains, a truck called the “Bonheur Mobile” will roll up to alleys, parks, streets, and squares in Saint-Michel, Anjou, St. Henri and the Quartier des Spectacles (to name a few) over the next week.

Ten Quebec circus performers will come rolling out and put on an hour-and-a-half-long show for any unsuspecting Montrealers who happen to be passing by or looking out the window.

Apart from breathing life and joy into the city, the festival has also been organized with the goal of providing work for the artists, as many have been out of work and unable to perform or tour due to the pandemic and it’s not clear when their industry will be back up and running.

Those lucky enough to happen upon one of these surprise performances are asked to stay on their front steps and balconies to avoid getting too close to others.

—

“the circus arrives without warning.”

-erin morgenstern, the night circus

 

 

 

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story credits: marilla steuter- martin, cbc news, daily optimist magazine

Apr9

journey.

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“One day you finally knew what you had to do,

and began, though the voices around you kept shouting their bad advice —

 though the whole house began to tremble

and you felt the old tug at your ankles.

 “Mend my life!” each voice cried.

But you didn’t stop.

You knew what you had to do, though the wind

pried with its stiff fingers at the very foundations

though their melancholy was terrible.

It was already late enough, and a wild night,

and the road full of fallen branches and stones.

But little by little, as you left your voice behind,

the stars began to burn through the sheets of clouds

and there was a new voice which you slowly recognized as your own,

that kept you company as you strode deeper and deeper into the world,

determined to do the only thing you could do —

determined to save the only life that you could save.”

 

—

credits: papercut by annie howe papercuts, poetry by Mary Oliver – ‘Journey.’