How Would You Tell the Tale?

Adoration of the Magi
by John Duncan

Journey of the Magi

‘A cold coming we had of it,
Just the worst time of the year
For the journey, and such a long journey:
The ways deep and the weather sharp,
The very dead of winter.’
And the camels galled, sore-footed, refractory,
Lying down in the melting snow.
There were times we regretted
The summer palaces on slopes, the terraces,
And the silken girls bringing sherbet.
Then the camel men cursing and grumbling
And running away, and wanting their liquor and women,
And the night-fires going out, and the lack of shelters,
And the cities hostile and the towns unfriendly
And the villages dirty and charging high prices:
A hard time we had of it.
At the end we preferred to travel all night,
Sleeping in snatches,
With the voices singing in our ears, saying
That this was all folly.

Then at dawn we came down to a temperate valley,
Wet, below the snow line, smelling of vegetation;
With a running stream and a water-mill beating the darkness,
And three trees on the low sky,
And an old white horse galloped away in the meadow.
Then we came to a tavern with vine-leaves over the lintel,
Six hands at an open door dicing for pieces of silver,
And feet kicking the empty wine-skins,
But there was no information, and so we continued
And arrived at evening, not a moment too soon
Finding the place; it was (you may say) satisfactory

All this was a long time ago, I remember,
And I would do it again, but set down
This set down
This: were we led all that way for
Birth or Death? There was a Birth, certainly,
We had evidence and no doubt. I had seen birth and death,
But had thought they were different; this Birth was
Hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death,
We returned to our places, these Kingdoms,
But no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation,
With an alien people clutching their gods.
I should be glad of another death.

– T. S. Eliot

What Color Is the Coming Year?

"Stormy Sea" by Sharon Hart

Last year prior to joining the glitzeratti at the vernissage at Art Basel Miami, I delivered a painting to an art patron in Miami. Much to her delight it was a monochromatic painting in the identical color that the Pantone Color Institute, had just announced was the “color of the year.” I knew the color as French Ultramarine Blue, whereas Pantone elected to term it “ Blue Iris,” or No. 18-3943. Coincidentally throughout the year I painted several mono-chromatic paintings in the color of which Leatrice Eiseman, the executive director of the Pantone Color Institute said: “Blue Iris brings together the dependable aspects of blue, underscored by a strong, soul-searching purple cast. Emotionally, it is anchoring and meditative with a touch of magic.”

December first seems to be open season for magazines, newscasts, and even blogs to present “The Annual Best of ... ” or predictions for the year to come. I , therefore, was reminded that every year the Pantone Color Institute chooses a "color of the year", essentially as a media –grabbing exercise. Considering the state of the economy, I pondered what color Pantone would seize upon as “The” Color for 2009. Review of past trends gave me some clues to their thinking process. Here is their previous panel of choices:

2000:
Cerulean Blue: Chosen for the millennium for its calming zen state of mind.











2001:
Fuchsia Rose: A reversal from the previous year, more exciting, more feminine and sexy.











2002:
True Red: Recognizes the impact of 9/11 with a patriotic hue.










2003:
Aqua Sky: A cool blue meant to restore hope and serenity.










2004:
Tiger Lily: Acknowledges the hipness of orange, with a touch of exoticism











2005:
Blue Turquoise: Another reversal to a calming shade.











2006:
Sand Dollar: A neutral color that expresses concern about the economy











2007:
Chili Pepper: Chosen for its pizazz and sophistication and its hint of ethnic taste.











2008:
Blue Iris: A mix of blue and purple that suggests dependability and magic











Pantone is considered by some in the decorating community to be a “Color Authority”. There is a video entitled “Color Watch 2009” that addresses how Pantone’s Executive Director chooses palettes and identifies future color trends, stating that they draw their inspiration from artists, museums, and the economy.


Prior to the Pantone’s announcement, I playfully discussed the topic with a couple of friends, as it provided some light relief to other more pressing issues such as the global economic condition. Someone suggested that green would be a logical choice, considering the focus on organic foods, the environment, and money. Another individual opted for bamboo, as the Chinese influence on the west is becoming an increasingly dominating consideration, both on products, as well as in banking. I, however, suggested that considering the economy, people will opt for comfort foods such as Kraft macaroni and cheese ---a peculiar shade of yellow-orange and that with the focus on optimism that was reflected in our recent elections, yellow-orange would be the most logical color for 2009.

Much to my surprise, today I discovered that Pantone announced that 14-0848 Mimosa, yellow as the color of the year for 2009. Their rational from the press release follows forthwith:

“In a time of economic uncertainty and political change, optimism is paramount and no other color expresses hope and reassurances more than yellow.

“The color yellow exemplifies the warmth and nurturing quality of the sun, properties we as humans are naturally drawn to for reassurance,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “Mimosa also speaks to enlightenment, as it is a hue that sparks imagination and innovation.”

Artists have long used color to direct the mood of the viewer, in addition to being used because of cultural symbolism. A good example of this can be found in the colors traditionally selected by icon writers. Here is a brief synopsis of the meanings ascribed to the colors often used in Christian religious icons:

* Gold symbolizes divine light.

* Blues are associated with heaven, mystery and the mystical life

* Red is linked with heat, passion, love, beauty, life ,

* Orange-red, associated with fire, suggests fervor and spiritual purification.

* Purple & crimson is associated with royalty and the divine. It is the symbol of supreme power.

* White is associated with the divine world, purity, innocence, and is sometimes used with what Orthodoxy calls "the uncreated light,"

* Green represents the earth's vegetation, fertility, youth, hope and freshness, and martyrdom

• Brown is affiliated with poverty, humility, bare earth, dust, inert matter and all that is transient and perishable.,


It will be interesting to explore how artists will use color in 2009. Although “experts” such as Eisenman may suggest that we respond to tides such as economic conditions to determine our palette choices, I would suggest our choices are not that volatile. I would also suggest that artists are not that vulnerable and suggestive to marketing influences, but are more apt to be the fulcrum by which consumer choices are directed.

Art and the Power of Myth

Although conventional credit is given to the holiday being first celebrated by the pilgrims at the site of Plymouth Plantation, in 1621, Governor William Bradford officially proclaimed Nov 29, 1624 a day of thanksgiving to be shared by all the colonists and the neighboring Native Americans to thank God for saving their lives and guiding them through their struggles through their journey on the Mayflower and during the following years of draught at Plymouth.





Later, In 1863 President Abraham Lincoln appointed a national day of thanksgiving. Now it is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States and on the second Monday of October in Canada. Although “Thanksgiving” is often considered a decidedly American holiday, even Australia celebrates an official day of Thanksgiving in May. Details can be found at http://www.thanksgiving.org.au/


Norman Rockwell's illustration Freedom from Want appeared on the pages of The Saturday Evening Post on March 6, 1943 and was inspired by a speech given before the United States Congress on January 6, 1941 by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt during which the president enumerated four basic freedoms to which every person was entitled. In this illustration, by using familial images and a projection of prosperity, Rockwell tapped into archetypal concepts of comfort and hope that are culturally driven.

In an interview with Bill Moyers, Joseph Campbell, the late mythographer, stated that myths are “stories about the wisdom of life." He taught that they are life-nourishing and that we as individuals as well as a society have need of myth. Norman Rockwell used his personal family cook as the model for the elderly grandmother figure in Freedom From Want, and provided the nation more than a grandmother-figure to relate to during a particularly economically distressed period. Freedom From Want wasn’t originally issued as a Thanksgiving illustration, but as a message of hope for a nation hungry and fearful, a myth for a nation who experienced the deeper meaning of “man does not live by bread alone.” (Deuteronomy 8:3)


I find it interesting to note that people who think they are not influenced by art, have subliminally been socially shaped by art. For example, on Thanksgiving, countless Americans will strive to emulate the meals that Norman Rockwell presented on his illustration Freedom From Want. It is paradoxical that this struggle to put food on many an American dining room table is being done at the same time that the US government is considering providing more than $7.76 trillion to rescue the US financial system after guaranteeing $306 billion to Citigroup—which as much as half the value of everything produced in the nation last year.

Norman Rockwell ‘s Saturday Evening Post covers also provided representations of the feast day that captured various aspects of the American persona. I’ve included several of them on this blog, as many people aren’t familiar with the images.

The Thanksgiving feast also provided inspiration for other artists, including the illustrator Joseph Christian Leyendecker whose works often graced the cover of the Saturday Evening Post, Jean Leon Gerome Ferris, and Jeff Koon’s who designed a 53-foot-high balloon "sculpture" called "Rabbit" for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Traditional Thanksgiving representations can be found in many places, but it is harder to find artistic representations of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, which is celebrating its 80th year of festivities. Joseph Delaney, a noted artist who was captivated by the energy and tradition of parades captured the balloons, floats, and excitement of the parade at Herald Square in his painting “Macy’s Parade” which was created between 1974-1984. The painting is now in the permanent collection of the Knoxville Museum of Art.














This Thanksgiving and in the days to follow as global finances have tanked, experts are forecasting that food prices will increase between 3-9% next year, homes are being foreclosed upon, companies are closing their doors and unemployment rolls are expanding, it's hard for many to rejoice. However, this is, indeed the ideal time to give thanks for all that we have---including cultural myths that feed our nation during times of dire need.

What is the First Work of Art You Remember?

The Art Newspaper’s Digital edition has started a video series entitled “The first work of art I remember”. In the short video, viewers are introduced to the sculptor Anthony Caro, photographer David La Chapelle, and Harry Blaine, and the works of art that inspired them as children. No matter who we are, we've been influenced by art at an early age, even if we are not fortunate enough to be exposed to works of art in great museums and cathedrals throughout the globe. Children are introduced to folk art, prints or paintings their parents or mentors love, and often even the illustrations in a book will serve to inspire the young.

This morning, after watching the video I had to think about my earliest memory of art, as I lived in a home infused with the humanities. What piece in particular could I recall as the earliest inspirational piece? Much to my surprise, it was a print that hung in my grandparent’s dining room. The art is what I’ll term a “period piece” of kitsch, but it still engaged my imagination and lurked in my memory long after the passing of time. I won’t go so far as to say that it inspired me to become an artist, for it didn’t. Yet when I was a child, it captivated me entirely and on many an occasion when I have viewed the print in other locations, I have looked on it with fondness. It is more than sentimental journeying that holds my interest now, it is a recognition that the artist achieved his intended message in this work.

Today as I reflected back on the painting, I realized that I didn’t even know the name of the artist or the painting…..although I could describe it in graphic detail. After significant research, I discovered the painting was actually a photograph taken in 1918 by Eric Enstrom; it is entitled “Grace.” I encourage you to read the full story about the picture’s origin: http://www.gracebyenstrom.com/history.html It’s a short read, but quite inspiring.

During the 1920’s , Enstrom’s iconic image could be purchased in several versions, as a black and white photograph, as a sepia-toned photo, or as a photograph that would be over-painted in oils by Enstrom’s daughter, Rhoda Nyberg. In fact, she would oil paint them to order, changing the color of the old man’s shirt according to the wishes of the individual who commissioned the painting.

It is interesting to note the difference between the photograph and the painting, as the sepia photo doesn’t include the light streaming. This artistic technique aids in directing the eye towards the model’s hands, and only later does the eye then travel to the items placed on the table. I do not intend to enter into a dialogue about Enstrom’s talents as a photographer, but I do believe that the work was substantially enhanced by his daughter’s coloration.

What first work of art do you remember? How did it impact you? How did it inspire you? How do you relate to it today? Perhaps there is a story awaiting you, too!