Edgar Degas Comes to New York!

Well, not Edgar Degas himself of course, but a compilation of his works at a special exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. What does art have to do with Natural Living? Quite a bit because what many famous artists over the years were able to connect to whether it be nature or spirituality or religion or ideas, perceptions - it is still a unique expression of the world around us - one that is aesthetic rather than commercial - for most artists are either poor or starving and try to create something more original than just what a machine or computer can do. It can be any medium whether it is sculpture or paint or pottery or photography or glass or stained glass or writing or music.

   In art history, different groups or movements, whether it be Realism, Romanticism, Impressionism, Art Nouveau, Pointilism, Modernism, Abstract and so on, are expressions. How the aspects of light, color, texture, form and mediums like paint, charcoal, pastels and monographs are handled, as well as subject matter. Some artists in Paris painted what they thought was real life and catching grim wisps of peasant or street life. And in groupings where they discussed art or argued about principles of art and power struggles to be noticed and accepted, meanwhile the art itself was wanting to be born in expression.
   This also goes for music as an art form, and can't we all appreciate a good piece of music - and didn't our mothers' lullabies rock us to sleep?
   Experiencing art, light, color - I feel these are natural things that nourish the body, mind, soul and spirit.
   So yes, an exhibit of the works of Edgar Degas. I drove to the City on a summer Sunday morning, striving to be at the doors of the museum when it opened, and yet the line was already out the door. I was taken on a magical, mysterious tour of a collection from around the world, and doubt there will ever be another one like it.
   Edgar Degas did not consider himself to be an Impressionist and by good fortune he came from a wealthy family, so he was able to paint art for the sake of art and not necessarily the critics.
   I learned that Edgar Degas was about  more than just painting ballerinas, for which he was famous, and cafe singers, washer women and prostitutes, but he was really painting Paris. But also during his time was the strong influence of the introduction of photography, and the use of printing to make monographs as an art form as well.
   With the Industrial Revolution, people were seeking balance between the natural world and the  mechanical world, not so different from now when we spend our days on computers and phones and televisions. Whereas some artists were concerned with light during this time in history, and throughout history as well in different degrees and techniques, Degas' passion was capturing movement in such a way that figures still appeared to be moving - so real or surreal that you expect the characters to move as if in a film, yet some figures appear to be stern or stoic. Others give just a hint of movement which is enough to suggest movement and power. All of this of course was experimental.
   While viewing these works in this exhibit, it was clear to see that Degas' did many movement studies, and sketched certain subjects over and over again. He pursued his own ideas. Originally he went to the Louvre and copied Renaissance paintings, and throughout his years of painting he struggled to reconcile the old traditions with the new - which was quite a challenge and something that faced all the artists of his time.
   Degas experimented with modern techniques by using the "monotype" process - which is to drawn in ink on a metal plate which was then run through a press and produced a print. After the single print was produced Degas would rework and revise with color and it allowed him to try to experiment and create. He produced at least 300 monotypes.
   And although Degas did meet with Impressionists and was friends or acquaintances or enemies of many artists of the times, and although he organized many Impressionist exhibits, he still considered himself to be a realist.
   But no matter what he did, Degas and other artists throughout history give us the gifts of their creativity and expression that comes from within a creative process and not something manufactured by a machine or an assembly line.
   I felt very inspired when I left the museum. However, it was pouring rain by then. I had bought some books in the bookstore and didn't want them to get ruined. Although the bag was water "resistant" I couldn't be sure in the downpour. I waited awhile for it to let up, but it didn't really. I did have an umbrella and rain jacket and waterproof shoes, so I tucked my bag inside my jacket and headed out into the storm.
   There were puddles everywhere that had flowed into small streams. It was dark and grey, nothing like the idyllic summer day you would imagine. Everything was wet from buildings to cars to streets and sidewalks and windows. So I rushed through the streets, passing by Rockefeller Center and St. Patrick's Cathedral, and small streams of people of all ages, sizes and colorful clothing, a sense of movement like a tide in the streets, together with cars and taxies flowing at their own frenetic pace. And yet it still had an order to it. Stop lights would cease the flow of cars, and yet allow streams and lines of people to cross.
   It wasn't long before I found my parking garage and went into the flow of the streets, then down through the tunnel and headed towards home. The trip itself was an expression of life, and me within that life. This is natural living, to be alive, and to experience and feel and appreciate life.

Enjoy,
Maery

Memories of Nice  ..... Let the Healing Begin

   I've been to Nice only once, with the family one summer years ago. As one of

Resting on a rock in Nice, above the city

my favorite places, I began wondering what is it about a place or places that attract us to it? Is it the energy of the land, is it because you were born in a particular place and raised there?
   It is hard to pinpoint exactly what makes each country or nation different, other than the obvious physical things like climate, topography, the people, the customs, the food. Surely that is part of it. But then why do other places make us feel uncomfortable?
   I am also writing this because recently there was a very terrible incident there that took the lives of many innocent men, women and children. So perhaps in remembering the good memories I had there, plus this mystery of why some lands are more attractive than others may help to restore some peace and healing to a place that has been wounded.
   I remember coming on the plane, after having some minor injuries, so I was in some pain and uncomfortable on the flight over. I rarely sleep on transatlantic flights, so I was happy to see the dawn as we drew nearer. Just looking at the crystal blue waters, I felt as though I had been transported to another world. After landing the glare of the sun was so bright it took awhile to adjust. There it is again, that supreme quality of light in the South of France. It is so bright and crystal clear and pure, like it is transparent, yet at the same time has a kind of golden glow to it. You could not capture it, and most likely none of the artists who have tried to work with the light have never really captured its true essence.

Family time at the villa reading

   Riding through the town, it was a hub of activity, of people moving around, walking, going to cafes and shops, and then the promenade along the waterfront. And still more people, as it was the height of summertime. It was almost too much to take in all at once, for the senses were filled and overflowing.
   We made our way up into the hills, way above the city, to a villa of a family friend where we were staying for awhile. Even the streets had their own kind of charm, winding and turning ever upward into the hills, with the scenery becoming more rugged and rural, tall grasses and trees and dusty dirt clinging to the ground, swirling sometimes as we drove by.

My nephew by the fig tree in the yard

   It was very comfortable at the villa, which was white, and the sunlight sometimes seemed to make it glow. From there you could see the city below, the sky and the sea, but it was hard to tell if the Azure Coast was named for the color of the sky or the sea or both. Every day there were different colors and hues of deepest blue, with touches of pink in the magnificent sunsets.
   We didn't venture very far, but sat outside in the glorious sunlight reading or resting, and having outdoor cook outs in the evenings with the fresh food from the market place. 
   Although I had some discomfort and was very stiff, and I had forgotten to pack my herbs, it seemed the place itself was one of healing between the air, the light, the colors, who knows what it was? A place that was timeless but also a sense of being ancient.

Me at Cimiez

   So who knows what makes us each find different places that we are attracted to. I know for example I usually have trouble in Germany, it is a very strong and vibrant place, but perhaps too intense for me. Even New York can sometimes be harsh, with its granite base. Some mountains can be hard and sharp and rocky, while the Catskills of New York are very soft and round in nature it seems.

Mom at Cimiez

   So this bears more investigation, as connecting to one's homeland is indeed a part of natural living, because you are connecting to the land and the whole earth. All too often we forget about nature and living a natural life, so tied up in our work and our technological toys of phones, ipads, and drones. So it causes more questions, as to what places may make you feel well, while others not so well.

   We cannot turn back time, but we can preserve what we have and what we love as best we can. 

Wishing you well,
Maery

Tranquility

Summer Drought

   We are finally into the hottest days of our summer here in the Northeast. Yet many of us do not realize that it has been quite dry since the Spring, even though we seem to have had many stormy days. Now that the heat has finally kicked, and the lack of rain, there is evidence of vegetation burning up, animals searching for water. I find the wild rabbits sitting on the cool grass of the front lawn in the shade, birds searching for water.
   Currently in the New York area here, we are about 3 inches below what our normal rainfall is. We had only one big snowstorm this year, as compared to many storms over the last few years.

Very little water

   Now someone once told me, that when you have a lack of rain, and when things heat up, it is often followed by a storm such as a hurricane. This Fall, at the end of September, it will be exactly 4 years since the devastating

Hurricane Sandy struck the Northeast. Does history repeat itself? Are the conditions right for another strong hurricane system?
   Hurricane season starts on June 1, and ends on November 1. Things are usually very active around the end of August. So we shall see. We did have a mild winter, and when the waters of the Gulf Stream are very warm, it makes conditions favorable for storms.
   About a month ago, I visited my family in Florida. My sister in law wanted to take me out in their boat, but after we launched, we saw all these dark clouds. Knowing the severity of storms coming off the Gulf of Mexico, I was anxious to get back to shore. After I left and went home, there were reports of mini tornadoes in the area, so it is good we went ashore!

   Of course it is interesting information to learn about storms and weather patterns and phenomena of nature, but really my point is that when you learn to know these signs, and know about weather conditions and things that can be potentially dangerous, you are once again actively living a natural life. You are more attuned to what is going on around you and in nature.
   Another example of the drought was the journey up to the mountains last weekend. Because of the lack of rain, things were very, very dry, and there had been some forest fires as a result, which was very sad. I went to the local waterfall where I like to sit and read, but the water was barely a trickle as opposed to the rushing waters of Springtime. Often in Summer the water flow is less, but this is the worst I have seen in the ten years I have been visiting this state park.

On the mountain

   And in other parts of the country, like Texas, there have been massive floods, and in California and Arizona, more wildfires. And in Paris, unusual floods caused much destruction and there was fear that the art in the Louvre would be damaged. When I was in Paris years ago and walking to the Louvre every day, I never imagined it would be in danger of flooding.
   So different scenarios and situations for different places around the world, but it makes me think again about the balances of things. Too much water in some places, and not enough in others. It seems the planet is out of balance, and yet nature always seems to rebalance itself somehow.

Wishing balance to one and all

Maery

Here Comes The Sun.....   Being Cautious Outdoors in the Elements

   Well, Summer is officially here, and the Sun is strong and bright, and hot. It is a welcome change after Winter, and a somewhat cold Spring here in the U.S.  During the month of May it was even necessary to turn the heat on a few times, which is most unusual weather for us.

   So now the Sun is here, and the days are getting progressively hotter, and it finds us spending more time outdoors, whether it is just walking, sitting outside in the yard, or engaging in sports, or spending time by our oceans, bays, lakes or rivers. It is a part of being connected to nature, and sometimes it is easier in Summer than in Winter when there is extreme cold or snow, unless you enjoy winter sports.
   In northern climates, ancient peoples would worship the Sun, while is southern climates or hot climates, ancient peoples would worship water.
   The Sun is the source of life and growth. Without it vegetation could not live, nor would there be life without the warmth of the Sun. And yet it can be a double edged sword, for example, like the rose has its thorns, too much exposure to the Sun can be harmful. As in everything, there needs to be a balance.

   So it is important to be careful of how much exposure your skin gets to the Sun, and it is important to wear sunblock. With so many choices out there, how do you choose? And which products are more natural, and which are possibly more toxic?

   I am always reading about the differences in sunblocks online. Most commercial sunblocks contain not only chemicals for blocking the sun, but have additives like parabens. Unfortunately parabens are toxic. In women, additives like parabens or chemicals can combine with estrogen and make a woman's estrogen levels too high, and is thought to possibly be a link to breast and other cancers. So read labels, do your research, and try for organic sunblock found either online or in health food stores. The least harmful blocks for the sun seem to be titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. I do not believe there have been any studies done on the effects of these ingredients, but they are certainly better than some of the products out there. 

   The minimum sunblock protection should be an SPF of 15, but SPF 30 is what is recommended. And your sunblock should protect you from both UVA and UVB rays from the Sun. Be advised as well that even on cloudy days you can get a burn, so wearing sunblock is essential for daily use. I have found certain brands to be less effective than others, and sure enough when I researched them online, many people had the same conclusion. If you are still getting burned even with sunblock, check your sunblock and change it. Read the reviews of people who have used the products out there on the market, both the positive and negative.

   As well, hats, clothing and umbrellas can reduce extreme exposure. There is clothing available now that blocks the sun's rays. More and more I see children wearing shorts and long sleeve shirts in the water which is a great protection.

   In general, clothing provides an SPF of about 6, so you might want to put sunblock on under clothes before leaving the house.

   Of course the hours when the Sun is strongest is between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Most days I take my walks early in the morning, and if I go to the beach I am usually home early. And if I do gardening or yard work I wear a hat. Sunglasses to are important to protect your eyes.

   I love nothing more than to be in the great outdoors and enjoy the summer and all it has to offer, but I am still cautious. I worked in the field of Dermatology for many years and have heard all the precautions, and heard about and seen patients with melanoma and less serious skin cancers.

   And it doesn't matter if you live in a northern climate. Recently a young girl of 18 passed away from melanoma and she lived in England. Her mother always made her children wear sunblock when they were away on vacation in sunnier climates, but not at home. And it does not matter if you have fair skin, or darker skin, everyone has the potential for skin cancer.

   As much as I love the outdoors, I respect nature including the strength of the Sun. As well as storms and high winds. We tend to think we are invincible, but even we must obey Mother Nature! 

   Be careful when boating, and follow the rules and regulations of the water, and always wear a life jacket as well. Last night there was a forecast for severe thunderstorms, yet some men went out on a boat at 8 p.m., just when it was getting dark, and the storms were already swirling around nearby. Their boat reportedly lost power, and they were rescued by the Marine Police Unit who happened to spot their boat on radar. The question is, why would you venture out on to deep waters if there were dark clouds and thunderstorms predicted?

   Also when boating or hiking, make sure people know where you are going and always have a cell phone with you. Stay on marked trails. Bring pepper spray for possible bears, especially in late Spring and Summer when mother bears are protective of their young. Wear natural insect repellents for mosquitoes and ticks if they have them in your area.

   Summer is all too short. I try to be outdoors as much as possible, even at night when the weather allows. Money cannot buy the simple pleasures of a sunrise or sunset, or a blanket of stars in the night sky. Some day I would love to see the Northern Lights. Nature's firework's display!

   But in all things, and all adventures we still need to be practical so we can be safe.

Hoping you will be well and safe

Maery