tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38579881427477927552024-03-14T02:44:31.225-04:00The Beautiful NecessityGracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01961174973796318673noreply@blogger.comBlogger379125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857988142747792755.post-12083998089871010442014-10-26T14:23:00.000-04:002014-10-26T14:23:05.522-04:00Why I Haven't Been Here. And Also, a Gorgeous Calendar!The Beautiful Necessity was my very first blog, started in February 2008. At the time, I lamented that there wasn't more out there for enthusiasts of Pre-Raphaelite art to get information both on the original movement, and its influence and marketing in the modern day. But now...there are some incredible resources out there, not the least of which are <a href="http://preraphaelitesisterhood.com/">Pre-Raphaelite Sisterhood</a>, run by my dear friend Stephanie, and <a href="http://fannycornforth.blogspot.com/">The Kissed Mouth</a>, run by my dear friend Kirsty. Because of this, and new extracurricular obligations that are taking up much of my time, I haven't posted here very often lately. I do still plan to post here if I find new content, but the posts will be admittedly few and far between. Thankfully, as I said, Stephanie and Kirsty are incredible experts in the field, and I highly recommend following everything they both do!!!<br />
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In the mean time, I DO have new content to share with you! The incredibly talented Hannah Titania recently coordinated the creation of a new calendar for 2015 called Pre-Raphaelite Muses. This calendar features gorgeous never-before-seen images of modern day Stunners who are not only inspired by Pre-Raphaelite art, but are artists in their own right who help create new beauty every day! <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FKR5lfi40WA/VE07pjaJdZI/AAAAAAAANy8/zIbgabAnCc8/s1600/il_fullxfull.666747841_lcin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FKR5lfi40WA/VE07pjaJdZI/AAAAAAAANy8/zIbgabAnCc8/s1600/il_fullxfull.666747841_lcin.jpg" height="282" width="400" /></a></div>
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Or, in Hannah's words,<br />
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"<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".ad.$mid=11413569364888=2918bfa747952539915.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".ad.$mid=11413569364888=2918bfa747952539915.2:0.0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".ad.$mid=11413569364888=2918bfa747952539915.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text0:0:$4:0">After
finding other Muses from different parts of the world, who shared the
same inspiration and love for Pre-Raphaelite art, I started the Facebook
group 'Pre-Raphaelite Models and Muses'. People enjoyed sharing their
Pre-Raphaelite inspired photographs, and I loved all of the creativity. I
then had the idea of bringing modern Pre-Raphaelite Muses together to
create a calendar. </span><br data-reactid=".ad.$mid=11413569364888=2918bfa747952539915.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text0:0:$5:0" /><br data-reactid=".ad.$mid=11413569364888=2918bfa747952539915.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text0:0:$7:0" /><span data-reactid=".ad.$mid=11413569364888=2918bfa747952539915.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text0:0:$8:0">One
of the most important things about the Muses in the calendar is that
they are not simply models dressing up in a certain style, they are
being themselves. </span><br data-reactid=".ad.$mid=11413569364888=2918bfa747952539915.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text0:0:$9:0" /><br data-reactid=".ad.$mid=11413569364888=2918bfa747952539915.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text0:0:$11:0" /><span data-reactid=".ad.$mid=11413569364888=2918bfa747952539915.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text0:0:$12:0">Each
Muse in the calendar holds a special type of beauty that is described
as ‘Pre-Raphaelite’. Apart from all being artists’ models who pose in
the Pre-Raphaelite style for photography, paintings and drawings, they
are also artists themselves, care about nature, and inspire others
through their being and ideals. All the Muses in this calendar were
chosen not only for their unique beauty and artistic endeavours, but
also because they have a passion for Pre-Raphaelite art. Every page has
text about who each Muse is and their art. There are musicians, writers,
crafters and artists."</span></span></span><br />
<br />The calendar is available at the <a href="http://www.pre-raphaelitemuses.com/">Pre-Raphaelite Muses</a> website, and an exclusive sneak peek will be seen in the Winter issue of FAE magazine. <br />
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It can also be purchased on Etsy,<a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/207004837/pre-raphaelite-muses-international"> here</a> and <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/OndinesCurse/">here</a>. You can also follow new information on the project on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pre-Raphaelite-Muses-International-Calendar/1401336373420470">Facebook page</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SUtv4zEJ4nQ/VE074VwEr6I/AAAAAAAANzE/uxUDkwoZVGU/s1600/il_fullxfull.666621262_q5mr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SUtv4zEJ4nQ/VE074VwEr6I/AAAAAAAANzE/uxUDkwoZVGU/s1600/il_fullxfull.666621262_q5mr.jpg" height="282" width="400" /></a></div>
Incidentally, I was supposed to be a part of this project, but failed to get an image to Hannah in time for this year. Hopefully if the project is successful, I can participate next year!<br /><br />Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01961174973796318673noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857988142747792755.post-50608959253514203432014-09-01T20:01:00.003-04:002014-09-01T20:04:50.107-04:00Aurora OpheliaTonight, a friend linked an <a href="http://www.vanityfair.com/vf-hollywood/maleficent-costume-design-elle-fanning">article</a> on Vanity Fair about the costume designer for Maleficent, and how she focused on emphasizing Aurora's innocence for the new film.<br />
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Two costume sketches from the film's wardrobe department are shown in the article slide show, and the last one was immediately familiar to me.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zPBye6Iyre0/VAUIPGwHFwI/AAAAAAAANoQ/Qi3_4jv09G4/s1600/10660459_10152364149565168_635174299_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zPBye6Iyre0/VAUIPGwHFwI/AAAAAAAANoQ/Qi3_4jv09G4/s1600/10660459_10152364149565168_635174299_n.jpg" height="400" width="311" /></a></div>
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Who better, I suppose, to look at for innocent aesthetics than Ophelia?<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YV4NmnEkTdA/VAUIjgcO4wI/AAAAAAAANoY/EHWR9MEzmak/s1600/waterhouse_ophelia_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YV4NmnEkTdA/VAUIjgcO4wI/AAAAAAAANoY/EHWR9MEzmak/s1600/waterhouse_ophelia_03.jpg" height="400" width="253" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ophelia by JW Waterhouse</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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You can see some of the influence in the inspiration painting in the finished garment...the embroidered band around the hem, the sleeve style, and the chemise under the neckline.<br />
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I did adore this movie, and am counting the days till it's out on DVD and I can see it again!<br />
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<br />Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01961174973796318673noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857988142747792755.post-19210710839208586092014-08-01T16:41:00.002-04:002014-08-01T16:41:28.665-04:00A Curl of Copper and Pearl<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-79VYHsrm_sI/U9v7M14s4MI/AAAAAAAANjM/DD6wAKwnsvM/s1600/index.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-79VYHsrm_sI/U9v7M14s4MI/AAAAAAAANjM/DD6wAKwnsvM/s1600/index.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;"><span dir="ltr" style="font-size: 10pt;">This morning, right before leaving for work, I closed Kirsty Stonell-Walker's new novel, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Copper-Pearl-Kirsty-Stonell-Walker/dp/1494398923"><i>A Curl of Copper and Pearl</i>,</a> on the final page. The novel is the story of Alexa - <i>nee</i>
Alice - Wilding, one of Dante Gabriel Rossetti's most often used, yet
little known, models for the opulent and sensual female portraits we
know so well. Kirsty creates a wonderful story based on careful
research and some knowledgeable and careful extrapolation, with Alexa at
its center. <br />
<br />
I have to admit the book<i> </i>really got interesting for me when
familiar faces and names became more prevalent, especially when Alexa
started visiting Kelmscott and met the Morris family. I was a little
sad that she never met my personal favorite Pre-Raphaelite,
Edward Burne-Jones, but that's entirely a biased opinion based on how
much I would have enjoyed Kirsty's description of the man. I especially
adored Kirsty's vivid descriptions of Fanny Cornforth, the mysterious
Mrs. Jane Morris, and the man of the hour himself,
Dante Gabriel Rossetti. <br />
<br />
The most exquisite part of an already engrossing book to me was its last
few chapters, as we joined Alexa Wilding in hopelessly watching the
decline of this incredible light, Rossetti, who drew so many to him like
enchanted moths to a flame. To see the experiences
of his last few months through the eyes of a single observer, and one so
close to him, was heartbreaking. As Alexa laments when she hears of
his death, "what am I without him?" We can see, through the constructed
character we have grown to know throughout
Kirsty's book, why this man would inspire such devotion and dramatics.
Indeed, Alexa Wilding would be no more than a name on a census, were it
not for this face that looks back at us from Rossetti's canvases. <br />
<br />
A wonderful book, and highly recommended to anyone who enjoys the
Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, and especially to anyone who wants to
understand the facts of their lives more intimately. </span></span>Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01961174973796318673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857988142747792755.post-8858175882893891682014-07-03T13:08:00.000-04:002014-07-03T13:12:38.709-04:00Borrowing A Distinct DressHave you ever had a really long, involved, practically epic blog post or piece of conversational writing in mind, and because you just never seem to end up having the time to do it, you end up not writing anything at all? And then its been so long it's awkward...<br />
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Last spring, no, not 2014, but 2013, I went to the Pre-Raphaelite exhibition at the NGA in Washington D.C. And it was an amazing experience. It was my first time seeing these artworks I so adore in person, and it was truly almost a religious pilgrimage to me. I wanted to do a series of blog posts talking about all my experiences at the exhibition and at the Delaware Art Museum. But then things got busy and one month led to another...and I never got around to it. But there are things I really wanted to say! So I decided that there's no time like the present to at least start giving one or two highlights from the experience.<br />
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I had to share a fun little detail from the National Gallery. Honestly, and totally unexpectedly, in the room where Millais' Ophelia was triumphantly displayed in all its glory, I found myself drawn more to this artwork, Rossetti's Salutation of Beatrice.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wo8EIfULvss/U7WKpeYNhTI/AAAAAAAANa4/VbxdaqflWpM/s1600/the-salutation-of-beatrice-1859.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wo8EIfULvss/U7WKpeYNhTI/AAAAAAAANa4/VbxdaqflWpM/s1600/the-salutation-of-beatrice-1859.jpg" height="191" width="400" /></a></div>
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You see...all of the artworks, every single one, familiar or unfamiliar, was a thousand times more stunning in person than even the most accurate of online images could show. But some were more surprising in their beauty than others. We've all seen Ophelia. We all know the intricacies of the flowers scattered on the water's surface, the murky river reeds. But then there were artworks like this, easily admired and then put aside when perusing online collections. But in person...oh in person, the colors...the glowing, radiant colors so vivid and vibrant you felt like you should hold your hands out to it for warmth. The frame...the shining glowing wood frame, like the tree it came from was beaming with pride at the beauty it had been transformed into. The whole thing was just breathtaking to me.<br />
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But I digress from my point.<br />
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Across the room from The Salutation of Beatrice was another artwork we've all seen before...William Morris' La Belle Iseult.<br />
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This was also lovely in person, but not quite as stunningly so, perhaps because Morris never really quite got the "glowing colors" thing down in his paintings (but more than made up for it in, oh I don't know, a trillion other talents).<br />
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Wait a second...I thought to myself, peering at the familiar figure of Iseult.<br />
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I walked back across the room diagonally, looking at Beatrice.<br />
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I walked back across the room and looked at Iseult. After three or four times doing this, I think the security guards got a bit antsy.<br />
<br />
But sure enough, there it was...the same gown used as reference in both paintings. Oh sure, the colors had been changed, and the sleeves were patterned in one and solid in the other, but there was no denying that one-of-a-kind pinecone and circle-punctuated gridmark of diamond lines on the gowns.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2HhYaybXJSM/U7WNJwTJ5rI/AAAAAAAANbQ/0qYUEOju8pk/s1600/Image1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2HhYaybXJSM/U7WNJwTJ5rI/AAAAAAAANbQ/0qYUEOju8pk/s1600/Image1.jpg" height="245" width="400" /></a></div>
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Sadly, this was the best version of Beatrice I could find online, but trust me...in the actual outfit the design is far clearer and more distinct.<br />
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Like a modern day costumer who finds a dress reused in two movies, I always get a huge tickle out of discovering props or costumes reused across Pre-Raphaelite artworks. I recall seeing the same gown used multiple times by the same artist (Waterhouse, anyone?) but I can't recall ever seeing the same gown, modeled by the same woman, in two artworks with two subjects, by two artists.<br />
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It's just a little tidbit, but I didn't want to wait any longer to share it, as it gave me an inordinate amount of amusement and excitement to discover. Was it just coincidence that the gown was chosen for Jane to wear by both artists? Both paintings were done early in their careers...perhaps they were limited in their wardrobe options that early on. Or perhaps this is a subtle little sign of the quiet competitiveness between Rossetti and Morris, an ironic symbol when worn by the woman who would eventually be their greatest source of conflict (to what extent real or later imagined by scholars we may never fully know). <br />
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Who wishes this gown still existed? And indeed, perhaps in some dusty attic of some random rowhouse in London, this gown sits, folded and tucked away in a chest.<br />
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<br />Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01961174973796318673noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857988142747792755.post-65908456894187552972014-02-12T18:15:00.001-05:002014-02-12T18:15:41.599-05:00Happy Valentine's DayLast fall, I had the opportunity to jump on a photo shoot that has been a concept on my bucket list for a long time now. After talking to a friend at a graduation party in June, I had a lead on a knight in shining armor who had the clean-cut good looks to pull off a chivalrous photography concept.<br />
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We are still working on trying to find a publication home for most of these images, but I decided I just couldn't wait any longer to share one of them. And so in honor of Valentine's Day I give you....<br />
<br />
John William Waterhouse's<i> La Belle Dame Sans Merci</i><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2n_caXG4O-o/Uvv_0Pd1FAI/AAAAAAAAMzE/UVOKHst-Evc/s1600/webcomparewaterhouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2n_caXG4O-o/Uvv_0Pd1FAI/AAAAAAAAMzE/UVOKHst-Evc/s1600/webcomparewaterhouse.jpg" height="275" width="400" /></a></div>
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Photographer: Richard Wood<br />
Knight: Patrick Neill<br />
<br />Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01961174973796318673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857988142747792755.post-20569851928180443392014-01-29T16:37:00.002-05:002014-01-29T16:37:54.790-05:00I Feel I Owe You An Explanation...<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7eGHKvQXkF4/UulcbKFc1gI/AAAAAAAAMxM/HyMiVhmbyyE/s1600/227731_551960324831946_896497430_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7eGHKvQXkF4/UulcbKFc1gI/AAAAAAAAMxM/HyMiVhmbyyE/s1600/227731_551960324831946_896497430_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Portrait of me by <a href="http://ellie-lane-imagery.tumblr.com/">Ellie Lane Imagery</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;"><span dir="ltr" style="font-size: 10pt;">I
love blogging. There's something marvelous to someone who is an
introvert and creative about putting your thoughts out to the universe,
and having people respond positively. It's therapeutic to get my
thoughts down, exciting to share beautiful objects or
discoveries or realizations in an organized manner, and it's great fun
to go back and read through old blog posts, almost like discovering all
of the discoveries over again. <br />
<br />
But lately I've been a terrible blogger. I have three blogs, each of
which serves a different purpose, each of which I love very much for
different reasons: There's <b>Catty-Corner Cottage</b>, my personal blog where I share stories and pictures from the process
of fixing up and personalizing our first home. There's <b>The Beautiful Necessity</b>,
where I talk about my never-ending obsession with the Pre-Raphaelite
Brotherhood, and explore new and re-evaluated details of their lives and
their art. And then there's<b>
Domythic Bliss</b>, where I talk about the Mythic Arts in general, and
more specifically how to express a love for myth and fairy tale in one's
personal abode and daily environment. <br />
<br />
I haven't blogged at either of the latter webpages since early November
2013. And before then, it had been months between posts on either blog
as well.<br />
<br />
Please, reader, I beg you not to think I'm abandoning these blogs. I'm
not...I hold them close with a sense of ownership and pride and
community. But I have to admit something to you: life has been
challenging.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;"><span dir="ltr" style="font-size: 10pt;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JtzZWOS5Evc/Uulc0El9pXI/AAAAAAAAMxU/S4euZeXeKaM/s1600/a449ca158ccfc6012cb2f213985c3029.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JtzZWOS5Evc/Uulc0El9pXI/AAAAAAAAMxU/S4euZeXeKaM/s1600/a449ca158ccfc6012cb2f213985c3029.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By <a href="http://brookeshaden.com/gallery/">Brooke Shaden</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;"><span dir="ltr" style="font-size: 10pt;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;"><span dir="ltr" style="font-size: 10pt;">In early 2011, I discovered the absolutely phenomenal blog, <a href="http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/">Hyperbole and a Half</a>. The genius behind the entries, Allie Brosh, was one of the
most hilarious comedians in any medium I had ever seen. I spent half of
my time reading her entries wiping away tears
of laughter and trying to breathe. <br />
<br />
In October of 2011, Allie wrote a blog post about how she had gotten a
book contract. Her readers were all very excited, but then there was
nothing but silence; months and months and then over a year of
absolutely nothing. Even though I adored the blog, and
followed her page on Facebook in case there were any new posts ever, I
gradually stopped checking back to the blog itself.<br />
<br />
In May of 2013, Allie returned with an absolutely epic post
about <a href="http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2013/05/depression-part-two.html">depression</a>, and what it's like to go through depression. I mean, the brilliance with which she
described what it's like, with both wit and total
truthfulness and minute detail...it was nothing short of a blow-out
comeback phenomenon.<br />
<br />
Allie's experience is a perfect example of how life and all its
imperfections and struggles can get in the way of something we really
love. Mental illness is truly a destroyer of all joy, sapping any bit
of happiness you have and twisting it into knots. I
don't struggle with depression, but what I've started to admit to
myself, and what I've had an especially hard time with since October
2013, is a suspected generalized anxiety disorder. <br />
<br />
In late September, I went to my rheumatologist for a routine visit, and
his assistant thought she heard something of concern. An appointment
was set up with a cardiologist to have him check it out in late
October. And to make a long story short, I eventually
had to come to grips with the fact that some doctors will always want to
run more and more tests and will never be willing just to tell you that
everything will be okay, even if the problem is minor. I ramped up
such an overabundance of anxiety by the time
my appointment was scheduled, my heart was already racing a million
miles a minute, chest tight, panic attacks waking me up at 3am.</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VMSmwjRElVE/Uulc6SCRaQI/AAAAAAAAMxc/ylzvXsTZrco/s1600/what-moves-us_by_brooke-shaden-600_600.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VMSmwjRElVE/Uulc6SCRaQI/AAAAAAAAMxc/ylzvXsTZrco/s1600/what-moves-us_by_brooke-shaden-600_600.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By <a href="http://brookeshaden.com/gallery/">Brooke Shaden</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
Finally I decided to let the fear go, and I focused on having a great
Christmas. And it was a great holiday, but soon thereafter, I switched
the focus of my anxiety from physical wellness to fear for our house,
its safety, the weather and its affects on it.
My mind would create a thousand completely unlikely scenarios for how
everything could fall apart: the loud pops and cracks old houses make in
cold weather meant the roof was caving in, or the floor would give
way. An unknown smell in the air was undoubtedly
carbon monoxide poisoning and we'd die in our sleep (despite the fact
that we have detectors on every floor with fresh new batteries). And
lately? Our furnace will go out in the negative degree weather, leaving
our pipes to freeze and burst in the walls and
collapse the ceiling and floor. You get the idea, maybe. <br />
<br />
And the stressful thing about having an anxiety disorder is that
sometimes...well, often...the things you're worried about are things
that could legitimately happen. It's just that they are rather
unlikely, and you blow the ramifications of <i>what if</i>
they every happened way out of proportion, as if your whole life will
end if they occur. But because these fears really are theoretically
possible, it's hard to just ignore your anxiety.</span></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fJmyVlWZBcU/UuldHcAgtXI/AAAAAAAAMxk/pZpd92lQ15g/s1600/brooke-shaden02.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fJmyVlWZBcU/UuldHcAgtXI/AAAAAAAAMxk/pZpd92lQ15g/s1600/brooke-shaden02.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By <a href="http://brookeshaden.com/gallery/">Brooke Shaden</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
Everyone has worries sometimes, but usually we can tuck them to the
back of our minds, telling ourselves we'll cross that bridge if we come
to it. But lately I seem to lack that filter, that ability to let it
go. (<i>Let it go, I am one with the wind and sky</i>...)
And the worse the anxiety gets, the more it feeds on itself, until I can
no longer even focus or concentrate on anything other than my fears. I
haven't worked on a single creative project since Christmas, and as a
creative person who needs that almost as much
as I need food, I'm feeling the loss of it. But in my mind, the idea of
focusing on anything but the fear seems absolutely impossible.<br />
<br />
So...Um, yeah. I suppose there you have it. There's my rambling and
somewhat paltry explanation for why even though I love blogging, you
haven't seen much of anything from me lately. I'm working on my anxiety
issues...trying to find workable coping mechanisms
and relaxation techniques. And hopefully soon spring will come, both
nature's reawakening and the reawakening of my creative spirit. But for
now, I am in deep hibernation, just trying to survive my own personal
winter.</span></span>Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01961174973796318673noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857988142747792755.post-3740568975372409132013-12-01T11:11:00.001-05:002013-12-01T11:11:17.721-05:00Tarot of DelphiNow here's a worthy Kickstarter effort! Janet Hinkel is working on creating a <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/delphi/tarot-of-delphi-know-thyself">tarot deck</a> illustrated with neoclassical Victorian art, including quite a few familiar images. <br />
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The deck looks gorgeous so far, and so do the donation incentives. So donate a bit today!Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01961174973796318673noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857988142747792755.post-69781726595463244222013-07-07T17:15:00.000-04:002013-07-08T11:16:36.835-04:00A Guided Tour of the NGA Exhibition (By An Emotional Observer) Part 2So where did we leave off? Ah yes...I hadn't gotten very far, had I? So far we've only ventured into the first room of the NGA exhibition of Pre-Raphaelite art, and stepped into the second room to admire the wall of portrait sketches.<br />
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The Huguenot by Millais<br />
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Honestly out of all of the artworks in the whole exhibition, this was a strong contender for the most "wow" factor in person compared to online images or reproductions. The absolute precision in every line, the color. I saw the painting and the first thing I thought was "PURPLE"....the purple of the man's jacket is basically like the god of all purple...a rich rich rich rich shade that could be the god from which all other purple objects spring. Hyperbole, you say? Hmm...see it in person and then tell me what you think.<br />
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Another thing that struck me in this painting...do you see the gold cording along the top of the man's collar? I've hardly ever seen anything more realistically rendered. In person, it was almost three-dimensional, a hair-thin crisp line of rounded gleaming gold paint that immaculately cut across the canvas.<br />
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And can we just talk about their expressions?<br />
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This was the first image in the exhibition to really drive home to me the fact that art has a spirit to it. It's not just about the physical renderings on canvas...there is a palpable energy to the art in person that reproductions just cannot capture. For instance with this image...I felt like I was intruding on a personal moment. The female figure's eyes are filled with gleaming tears about to overflow onto her cheeks, and you can imagine from the gentle adoring love on the man's face that when that happens in the next few seconds after this captured moment, he will lift his hand from her hair to her cheek and gently stroke them away, shaking his head as he pulls the sash from his arm. Art like this is so much more than just a still image. It's an entire story.<br />
<br />
Ahem.<br />
<br />
So the next artwork to catch my eye was The Death of Chatterton. I've heard my British friends titter about how lovely this artwork is so I was curious to see it in person, as images of it never struck me as especially appealing...Pre-Raphaelite images of people already dead seemed a bit creepy to me. And yes, that arguably includes the famous Ophelia, but we'll get to her.<br />
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So Chatterton. I tried to find a good image of it online, but you know...I don't think one exists.<br />
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And okay, ladies, now that I've seen it in person I admit I can see what the fuss is about. It's not so much the beauty of the central figure to me, but the brilliance of the color scheme. In person, the art strongly resembles a hand-tinted black and white photograph, with its utterly shocking neon orange-red hair against the pale bed linens. The face is done in a pale version of the same pallet of purples and grays as the vivid pants he wears. Your eye is first drawn to the central figure with his angelic face and incredible hair, and then drawn upward to his view of the smoggy dreary city. The symbolism of the flower struggling to grow and thrive in the lack of direct light is palpable as you view the image. Once again, in an exhibition of gorgeous color, the subtle use of it here really is admirable.<br />
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Next was Millais' Order of Release. I'll be honest...like portraits of dead bodies, one thing that always tends to make me ambivalent about an artwork is a vacant stare in a situation where one isn't warranted. It's one thing for a solo portrait of a woman to feature her staring into space with a dreamy look on her face, it's another thing for the same look to be on the face of a woman who is supposed to be paying attention. For this reason I've never much cared for The Order of Release.<br />
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Sadly, seeing it in person didn't make it grow on me. It's beautifully painted. But...where is that woman looking!? Not at her baby. Not at her husband she just got to see again after goodness knows how long. Not even at the man at whom she's thrusting a piece of paper. But she stares vacantly with a mild look of bemused relaxation at a spot on the wall behind the soldier's door. Um...huh? <br />
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Ironic, considering that this is the same artist who put such potent emotion on the faces of the lovers in The Huguenot.<br />
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<b>EDITED TO ADD: Okay, I've had a few people give me their interpretations of the female figure's blank stare, and I have to admit that its given me a new respect for the painting. I still find it a bit unsettling, but apparently that may have been an intentional decision by Millais. Please read the comments below for excellent interpretations by several marvelous people. Thanks all!</b><br />
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The next artwork to really strike me was Hunt's Portrait of Henry Wentworth Monk. I'm not the biggest fan of William Holman Hunt. All of the Brotherhood had a rather signature style of painting people, and I've just not much cared for his. But the color in this painting is magnificent, as is the bold approach of a huge portrait of a single figure, after seeing so many elaborate canvases with multiple figures. I only found one image of this painting online.<br />
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I was also charmed by the contrast of this figure holding a holy book and a newspaper. But mostly I just adored the colors. Oh they are so lovely in person.<br />
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Rossetti's Found was the next piece to catch my attention. It's hard to say here how much of the feeling of this painting was because of what I know and think of it, and how much was the energy the actual painting was exuding, but I really felt bad for this well-done but unfinished canvas. I felt like Rossetti approached working on it with the same emotions the central male figure has on his face. The man's expression looks a little...well...lost. Like he's not sure what to think of the melodramatics of his fallen love, or what he should do next.<br />
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When Rossetti started this painting, he had a clear cut moral opinion of the shame of a fallen woman. Ironically, the woman in this very painting, Fanny Cornforth, taught him about the lustful rich full-bodied enjoyment of life that some "fallen women" celebrate. And I'm sure it was difficult to return to this painting of her looking so ashamed at her sexuality...something he had come to realize could be a celebration. And so the painting remained unfinished forever. <br />
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And Rossetti moved on to his luscious sensual-lipped women.<br />
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About whom we will definitely chat in an upcoming post. <br />
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Next time: two artworks, two artists, one dress. How embarrassing! <br />
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<br />Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01961174973796318673noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857988142747792755.post-40555557576866722682013-06-28T09:00:00.000-04:002013-06-28T09:00:04.540-04:00Mermaid Hugging ManLook for part 2 of my tour of the NGA exhibition in the next few days! In the mean time, I give you a Wombat Friday special. <br />
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On my birthday last Saturday, my awesome Pre-Raphaelite friend Verity gave me a heads-up on <a href="http://www.yizzam.com/edward-burne-jones-mermaid-hugging-man.html">this shirt</a> available on the website Yizzam under the description "Mermaid Hugging Man." I got a huge giggle out of that one, and Verity and Kirsty and I joked that all Pre-Raphaelite artworks should have literal titles. <br />
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Aaaanyway, I had to buy the shirt, and it arrived today! Morris the Wombat approves. <br />
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My favorite artwork on a shirt! (In case you didn't know, the ACTUAL title is <i>Depths of the Sea</i>, by Edward Burne-Jones) Life is good...Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01961174973796318673noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857988142747792755.post-4176577788071573472013-06-16T20:00:00.002-04:002013-06-16T20:00:30.326-04:00A Guided Tour of the NGA Exhibition (By An Emotional Observer) Part 1I have a confession to make: I avoided making this post. Its been about a month since I went to the National Gallery of Art to see the exhibition of Pre-Raphaelite art there. It was, despite my enthusiastic passion for the Brotherhood, the first time I've ever seen their art in person, and let me tell you it was overwhelming.<br />
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My friend Laurie dropped me off on Friday at the museum, and once I found my way around the building well enough to figure out where the exhibition was, I sat there in the atrium area right outside its entrance for a little while, gathering up energy and getting into the right mental state to tour the paintings.<br />
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In room one, my first reaction was overwhelming shock at the COLORS of the Brotherhood. It's one thing to read in books about their method of painting wet on wet with a white background for greater vividness, and it's another to actually see it in person. The first room was mostly full of large canvases with lots going on in the picture/multiple figures. A good example of this was...<br />
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Walter Howard Deverell's Twelfth Night<br />
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You're going to get tired of hearing this, but images online really don't do some of these artworks justice. It was, actually, interesting to me to see which paintings looked pretty much the same as they do online, and which ones weren't done justice at all. The colors in this were vivid as all getout, but the crisp lines of the details were what really stood out. The jester's curlicue mustache was rendered no thinner than an eyelash, but with exacting precision. The gargoyle statues on the stairs were crisply outlined.<br />
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In fact in the notes I took on the paintings, I almost wanted to look up a thesaurus for synonyms for the word "crisp"....that was the only word for the detail lines of the art....like an enormous HD television only even better.<br />
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In this same room, surrounded by opulent vivid colors, was Rossetti's The Annunciation<br />
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Ironic, since in its day it caused a bit of a stir for the way he painted Mary as afraid and unsure of her fate instead of divinely confident, it instead seemed at first unremarkable compared to the blaring colors of the other paintings in the room. But the soft lack of color other than the cool blue of the background and the streak of red from the banner at front suits the mood of religious contemplativeness.<br />
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Right near Rossetti's painting was one of the most famous, and the one that caused the Brotherhood heaps of trouble when it first appeared...you guessed it, I'm talking about...<br />
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Christ in the House of His Parents by Millais. (click through image to see much larger)<br />
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The first thing to strike me was the gorgeous pale blond of Christ's eyelashes. Pale eyebrows and lashes are so very beautiful to me, and Christ's face and eyelashes are beautiful in a way that transcends gender. But the details of this work, my word. It really drives home why the contemporary Victorians were so shocked by it. It's not just that Christ is a redheaded "street urchin" or that Mary looks like a real woman and mother. Its every little detail of the painting that was painted like real people. The woman with the orange shawl at rear has hands that are calloused and worn from years and decades of hard work. Mary's hands have vivid veins in them, so real you can imagine her as warm flesh and blood. And the feet! Everyone has the sort of feet that really did go barefoot all the time, with callouses, hardened toenails, dirty skin... I couldn't get over every little detail of this painting.<br /><br />We will end for today with the first artwork from the second room...one that almost everyone just glanced right by, but that was a favorite in the whole exhibition for me. (top ten at least) William Morris' self-portrait.<br />
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Oh I just wanted to give Topsy a great big hug after I saw this painting. It's incredible how pencil works can seem so raw and immediate compared to finished canvases. I honestly think part of my love for the pencil work of the Brotherhood is because of my love for THEM and their stories. Their personalities come through so much more directly in their pencil work. Seeing this sketch by a young William Morris, so hopeful and desiring of a life in the arts, you can sense his timidity in his lines and the expression on his face in the artwork. For being known for his blustery and boisterous outbursts, I get the sense that Morris really was in some ways an exceedingly shy and timid man, who had to push past his feelings of self-doubt to become the epitome of a renaissance man as we know him now. That really comes across in this piece. The terribly drawn lips, like a pair of green beans on his face, the lopsided eyes...and yet here's the bit that got me grinning: look at his signature. It's absolutely gorgeous in its architectural rendering, and in the original its the part that is done with the deepest and most confident lines. I just want to take him by the hands and say "oh Topsy, no, you're right...that sketch really didn't come out how you had hoped it would, but LOOK, oh just LOOK at your signature. You have an eye for art indeed, you just have to find your own place..."<br /><br />
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In the next installment, room 2 including the brightest most gorgeous purple I've ever seen in a painting, another painting that looks like a pastel tinted black and white photo, and a woman with an unnerving blank stare.....<br />
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<br />Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01961174973796318673noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857988142747792755.post-38171402040784332062013-05-24T20:34:00.000-04:002013-05-24T20:34:01.136-04:00A Garden-y Wombat FridaySometimes Morris the Wombat likes to celebrate #wombatfriday with a good book and a piece of chocolate cake. But sometimes when the weather is as glorious as today, Morris likes to go out and bask among the glorious flowers in the garden. <br />
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Maybe he's brainstorming new Wombatty and flowery wallpaper patterns. Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01961174973796318673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857988142747792755.post-73147933918624564622013-05-15T22:52:00.000-04:002013-05-15T22:53:53.982-04:00PRB Pilgrimage Part I: Delaware Art MuseumThis past weekend I went on a journey...a pilgrimage of sorts. This Pre-Raphaelite-obsessed lady went to the National Gallery to view the once in a lifetime Pre-Raphaelite <a href="http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/preraphaelites.shtm">exhibition</a> there. <br />
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Despite a passion for the Brotherhood that made me start this blog over five years ago, I have actually never seen a Pre-Raphaelite painting in person. Well...not until this weekend.<br />
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The experience was far too much to contain in one blog, so I'm going to do a series of at least two or three. First, I wanted to share pictures from my trip to the <a href="http://www.preraph.org/">Delaware Art Museum</a>. The National Gallery exhibition was extremely strict about not allowing pictures. Delaware, however, has the largest collection of Pre-Raphaelite art in the United States. And they were exceedingly kind and encouraging of photography, enthusiasm, etc. While there, I met a security guard who also shares a passion for the Pre-Raphaelites. (and gave him my card...hello if you're reading!) Believe me, it was tempting to talk his ear off about these artists who so obsess and fascinate me.<br />
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So when I go to a convention or event and get to meet a celebrity, I like to get my picture taken with them as proof that I met them and for a memory. It's understandable that I'd feel the same way about meeting these special pieces of art! My friend Laurie indulged me and took my picture next to a few. So I present to you...the Delaware Art Museum highlights!<br />
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The first image I saw at Delaware was this small portrait of Effie done by Millais on the trip when he first started falling for her.<br />
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This was on the wall by the entrance. Yes. I quite relate. <br />
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A Highland Lassie by Millais. I always thought this was Effie?<br />
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The Red Lion chair. Its companion chair was at the NGA exhibition.<br />
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Ah, hair biting. Such a Pre-Raphaelite tease.<br />
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Three Women in a Garden Making Music by Kate Greenaway. <br />
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A beautiful embroidered book.<br />
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The Somnambulist by Millais. <br />
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Ahhh it's Rossetti's portrait of Lizzie!! So tiny, so lovely, her pale eyelashes... (dies) Thought of you, Stephanie, while taking this one. <3 br=""><!--3--></3><br />
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Squee! Beata Beatrix! When I saw the painting done by Rossetti at the NGA exhibition, I was quite overcome. No seriously...to the point of needing to sit down and choke back sobs. This version at Delaware was done by the studio assistant Charles Fairfax Murray. And although it's technically amazing, I have to say...it doesn't have the soul of the original. But still...I was thrilled to be able to see it in person. <br />
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...as you can see. <br />
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Veronica Veronese. Yay Alexa Wilding!!<br />
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Time for a quick rest break, mirroring the central gent in Burne-Jones Briar Rose painting, The Council Chamber. <br />
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Hymenaeus by Burne-Jones. Such lovely colors in person. <br />
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The Spring Witch by George Wilson. The look on her face is just wonderfully rendered in person. <br />
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Cupid's Hunting Fields by Burne-Jones. This image is basically embossed it's so three-dimensional, and the metallic is just magnificent in person!<br />
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Love Sonnets by Marie Spartali Stillman <br />
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Alexa again! This time in a beautifully soft full size study for La Bella Mano. <br />
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Getting goofy again, here I am mirroring Alexa's pose in the finished artwork, La Bella Mano. <br />
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Mnemosyne by Rossetti. <br />
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Once again I had to try mirroring the hand pose. Water Willow...the portrait of Janey done on the shores of Kelmscott. <br />
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Delaware also has an admirable collection of Howard Pyle art, including his most famous piece, The Mermaid.<br />
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So there you have it! A brief look at my pilgrima....I mean trip...to Delaware Art Museum. Here's a teaser for my next post...since photography wasn't allowed in the exhibition at the National Gallery, I had to get creative...and mildly blasphemous.<br />
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Stay tuned for part 2!Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01961174973796318673noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857988142747792755.post-5459680120502917922013-05-03T08:15:00.000-04:002013-05-03T08:15:07.319-04:00Wombat Friday May 3rdSo Morris the Wombat decided (after reading Kirsty's <a href="http://fannycornforth.blogspot.com/2013/04/saint-george-and-crocodile.html">blog post</a> on Saint George and the Dragon) that Dragon Slaying is a perfect way to pick up chicks. <br />
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Thankfully he just didn't have the heart to follow through.<br />
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<br />Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01961174973796318673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857988142747792755.post-68910082679133684102013-04-12T13:06:00.001-04:002013-04-12T13:09:24.925-04:00My Innaugural Wombat FridaySome of you may already know about the Wombat Friday sensation that is sweeping the circle of Pre-Raphaelite bloggers of whom I'm fond. It started when Stephanie Pina of the <a href="http://preraphaelitesisterhood.com/wombat-friday/">Pre-Raphaelite Sisterhood</a> posted a photo of her wombat plushie on a Friday, and since then, numerous other dear friends who are respectable Pre-Raphaelite enthusiasts and scholars have bought wombat plushies and celebrated the end of the work week by photographing them in Pre-Raphaelite inspired ways.<br />
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If you wonder, why wombats? this wonderful <a href="http://fannycornforth.blogspot.com/2013/03/wombat-friday.html">blog</a> by Kirsty Walker is a good primer.<br />
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All this to lead up to my first Wombat Friday entry: <br />
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<a href="http://www.theearthlyparadise.com/william-morris-la-belle-iseult/">I Cannot Paint You, But I Love You.</a><br />
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<br />Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01961174973796318673noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857988142747792755.post-61746408689397316982013-04-07T12:33:00.000-04:002013-04-07T12:33:25.125-04:00For the Briar Rose<br />
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My two great loves are the subjects of my two blogs: the Mythic Arts and the Pre-Raphaelites. When those two loves merge, which is in more places than one might first think, I am especially in euphoria. <br />
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Introducing the new book of short stories edited by Terri Windling and Ellen Datlow, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Queen-Victorias-Book-Spells-Anthology/dp/0765332272/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365351363&sr=8-1&keywords=Queen+Victoria%27s+book"><b>Queen Victoria's Book of Spells</b></a>. I just finished the last tale in the book this morning, and let me tell you, they are all just excellent. However hard it may be to choose a favorite among such outstanding tales, I have to say the award from me goes to the story "For the Briar Rose," by Elizabeth Wein. And I am unashamedly biased on this front, as it tells the story of Margaret Burne-Jones through the metaphor/lens of the fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty. <br />
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Wein writes in her author note that she wrote this story almost fifteen years ago, and I find it especially telling that in her story, she talks about Ned Burne-Jones returning to a set of canvases he first started working on fifteen years earlier. In both cases, with Ned's masterwork series of Briar Rose paintings and with Wein's story so delayed in publication, the subject matter is so timeless and so beautifully rendered, that a hundred years could pass in a night's sleep and we would never be able to tell for how fresh and lively the result. <br />
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I adored this short story, not only because Wein describes what life must have been like at the Grange, with a vibrant and spontaneous Ned and Topsy holding court over their guests and family, but also because she goes a step further, and gives real vibrant life to Ned's daughter Margaret. She asks the question "what must it have been like to be on the periphery of these great men and their great works...to be flesh and blood of them, but still to be finding one's way through young adult life and one's place in it?"<br />
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I highly recommend the entire book, but I especially urge all enthusiasts of the Pre-Raphaelites to read this excellent short story. With Elizabeth Wein's permission, here is a short excerpt to whet your whistle:<br />
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When Margaret came home from Scotland at the end of the summer, she found the Grange sunk in its own enchanted sleep, and its inhabitants become prisoners in the Briar Wood of her father's imagination. Ned had begun work, again, on the paintings he had set aside fifteen years earlier, the lovely series of scenes from "The Sleeping Beauty." The Grange was awash with sketches of slumbering young men and women, of designs for armour and studies of draped cloth; Margaret found, in a bucket in the kitchen, a length of wild rose stem as thick as her wrist and so fiercely barbed that she was amazed no one suffered any injuries in getting it there. <br />
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Ned led his daughter out of the house to show off his work-in-progress. the Garden Studio stood between the little orchard and the road, a long building in whitewashed stucco with a few to the apple trees. Ned used the Garden Studio for his larger canvases, and now an entire wall was taken up with the unfinished<i> Rose Bower</i>. More studies for the series lay spread about the floor and tacked to the wallboards; and Margaret, even at eighteen, felt the odd excitement of being in a place properly forbidden to her. Most of her life she had only ever been allowed in here to bring her father cups of tea or paintbrushes that he had left upstairs and needed in a hurry. <br />
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When she entered the little building, she had a sudden strange impression that she could not tell where the world ended and her father's paintings began. Vagabond blades of unkempt, urchin grass had somehow managed to force their way through the earth packed between the red tiles of the steps leading to the furnace room, and pale tentacles of spindly, light-starved ivy were reaching through the narrow slit in the outer wall that Ned used to remove oversize projects. It took her a few moments to sort out the proper and appropriate delineations: which was the common climbing rose at the studio window, and which the unreal enchanted briar caught on the unfinished canvas. <br />
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Margaret fixed her eye on the edge of the vast canvas and touched her father's sleeve. "This is new. I thought you were at work on the old series."<br />
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"I thought I'd start a new one as well. That old princess was a wanton. I'll have to get her deposed and replaced. Think of it, lying there among her ladies-in-waiting with her nightdress all undone--what will the prince have to say about it when he comes to wake her up? He'll beat his own breast and tell himself, 'Now, I'm not having any of this, thank you!' And be off to the next castle without even patting her on the head--" Ned broke off and waved at the half-completed canvas. "to say nothing of the damage it will do my reputation if people think I condone such behaviour. Now <i>this</i> young lady will be a proper churchgoer. No lying in bed for her on a Sunday morning--except, of course, after the enchantment gets her, and then, of course, she doesn't wake up for a hundred years..."<br />
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Margaret listened to his absurd familiar patter with only half an ear. She was rather overwhelmed by the beauty of the tangle of thorns and shell-pink roses that pulled at the heavy, green drapereries of the princess's chamber. She marvelled that such a proliferation of depthless, timeless artistry could emanate from her grey-haired and nonsense-spewing father.<br />
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Two serving maids slept in a peaceful heap on cushions at the foot of the princess's bed, affectionate and comfortable, one of them slumped luxuriously in the other's lap, like sisters or the closest of companions. But a good third of the canvas was empty. <br />
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"Where's the Sleeping Beauty?" Margaret asked.<br />
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"Well," said Ned shyly, "I didn't like to start her till you were home safe and sound. I wondered if you'd model for her."<br />
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"Oh yes, please!"<br />
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"It won't be very exciting work. You'll have to lie there with your eyes closed."<br /><br />"But she should be waking up. That's how the story ends."<br /><br />"This will leave something to the imagination," said her father. "You don't know how the story ends."<br />
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<br />Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01961174973796318673noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857988142747792755.post-75065831321618651042013-02-28T23:28:00.001-05:002013-02-28T23:31:44.956-05:00The Allure of The Hollywood StunnerSo I don't know how I missed this one. My husband mentioned to me tonight a lovely picture he'd seen of a favorite actress of mine, Amy Adams, in an issue of People magazine from a few weeks ago. I went looking for the picture, and stumbled across another shoot she did in 2009 for Allure magazine that took my breath away. I only saw two shots, but boy were they....gorgeous.<br />
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The first image, combined with combing through Google Images for more shots from the spread, suddenly struck me as being rather Lizzie Siddal. Amy Adams in some ways reminds me of Siddal...having that delicate frailty and innocence about her that draws other people in, yet a strong steel core of courage and talent.<br />
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Also tonight my husband and I watched the movie "Now is Good" with Dakota Fanning, and I have to say I was quite impressed with her British accent and with her acting, the latter of which was never a question to me.<br />
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Now that the lawsuit surrounding the film Effie has been cleared up, release of the film is free to proceed, and I look forward to seeing another interpretation of an actress exploring the Sisterhood.<br />
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So I always love asking this question...which actors or actresses remind you of the Brotherhood or Sisterhood? Either in physical appearance or in apparent character?Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01961174973796318673noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857988142747792755.post-2259913920637966302013-02-21T20:53:00.002-05:002013-02-21T20:53:59.794-05:00Two Ladies of ShalottIvory Flame is one of my favorite models. Her face reminds me of a young Miranda Richardson, and she clearly has a great love of the Pre-Raphaelites from her images.<br />
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I love these images of Ivory Flame with equally lovely and Pre-Raphaelite model Ella Rose. The images were intentionally inspired by The Lady of Shalott.<br />
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For more images, click <a href="http://ivoryunderworld.blogspot.com/2013/02/pre-raphaelite-visions.html">here</a>. Ivory Flame does figure modeling, hence the blog content warning when you click the link.<br />
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<br />Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01961174973796318673noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857988142747792755.post-35160087803343183392013-02-18T13:29:00.001-05:002013-02-18T13:31:14.530-05:00The New Romantics in Out MagazineToday while processing magazines for the library where I work, I thumbed through the newest issue of <a href="http://www.out.com/fashion/2013/02/07/david-armstrong-new-romantics#slide-1">Out Magazine</a> and came across a fashion editorial that definitely caught my eye. It was called "The New Romantics", and the first figure in the title spread was lounging languidly in a very very Rossetti way, with one hand gracefully curved against their side.<br />
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Oh heavens me!!! The image was *<i>beautiful</i>* in a very Pre-Raphaelite way, and was also rather fascinatingly gender-ambiguous. I curiously leafed on...<br />
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What a gorgeously, gorgeously styled fashion feature, and in my opinion, most definitely inspired by Pre-Raphaelite visuals. It's delightful to me to see how, at least for these models, the poses, accessories, and color palettes that are more often gender-stereotyped as "feminine" work so wonderfully.<br />
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To read about another graceful male figure in Pre-Raphaelite art, and Kirsty Walker's first art crush, click here to read her wonderful blog post today, <a href="http://fannycornforth.blogspot.com/2013/02/ophelia-for-boys.html">Ophelia for Boys</a>.<br />
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<br />Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01961174973796318673noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857988142747792755.post-1792748622095332792013-02-10T12:23:00.001-05:002013-02-10T12:23:19.219-05:00Five Years<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S6lREwVDLsk/URfV1jQfjXI/AAAAAAAAKr4/3oV_m3iuwy8/s1600/487bcdc02f968.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S6lREwVDLsk/URfV1jQfjXI/AAAAAAAAKr4/3oV_m3iuwy8/s400/487bcdc02f968.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Art by Thomas Dodd</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
So
last Monday was a momentous occasion. I had it written on my
dayplanner and everything, and yet I've just been so busy I let it slip
by without public notice.<br />
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Monday was the 5 year anniversary of The Beautiful Necessity. <br /><br /><br />In honor of the occasion, I wanted to post the top five most popular blog entries here from the last five years. <br />
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<b><a href="http://thebeautifulnecessity.blogspot.com/2011/11/vogue-cult-of-beauty-with-saoirse-ronan.html">#5 </a>Vogue Cult of Beauty with Saorise Ronan</b><br />
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Because who can blame you all for wanting to look at gorgeous pictures of a modern Stunner?<br />
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<b><a href="http://thebeautifulnecessity.blogspot.com/2008/03/pre-raphaelite-tresses.html">#4</a> Pre-Raphaelite Tresses</b><br />
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I'm
pretty proud of this one, as it was one of my first forays into doing
research on the morals of Victorian times and applying it to an
understanding of the Brotherhood. <br />
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Plus, you know....pretty hair.<br />
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<b><a href="http://thebeautifulnecessity.blogspot.com/2008/02/singers-love-lady-of-shalott.html">#3</a> Singers Love the Lady of Shalott</b><br />
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Modern subtitle: why oh why did Alison Sudol recolor her hair? :(<br />
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<b><a href="http://thebeautifulnecessity.blogspot.com/2009/11/pre-raphaelites-on-model-mayhem.html">#2</a> Pre-Raphaelites on Model Mayhem</b><br />
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Am I sensing a "pretty ladies in pretty photos" theme here?<br />
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<b><a href="http://thebeautifulnecessity.blogspot.com/2008/02/artistic-dress.html">#1</a> Artistic Dress</b><br />
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This
one was a surprise to me! The top most viewed article in the five year
history of The Beautiful Necessity is a short one I wrote summarizing
the Artistic Dress Movement and its context in Victorian style. <br />
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So
there you have it folks! Five years of The Beautiful Necessity, and
hopefully we'll be celebrating our ten year anniversary before we know
it! In the mean time, I hear there's this modest little <a href="http://www.nga.gov/press/exh/3342/index.shtm">exhibition</a> coming to Washington DC later this month.<br />
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Maybe I'll go... ;)Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01961174973796318673noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857988142747792755.post-53806407023273268932013-01-26T00:18:00.001-05:002013-01-26T00:18:43.686-05:00Snow White and Brer RabbitI may not know the name of all of William Morris' wallpaper designs by heart, but I do pride myself whenever I'm able to "catch one in the wild," so to speak.<br />
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Looking over a post over at <a href="http://hookedonhouses.net/2013/01/23/ginnifer-goodwin-at-home-in-the-hollywood-hills/#more-49657">Hooked on Houses</a>, one of my very favorite blogs, I spotted one! <br />
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Ginnifer Goodwin, best known right now for playing Snow White in the tv show Once Upon a Time, is featured in the February issue of Elle magazine sharing her lovely abode. And what should I spy in the very first photo of her front door and entry?<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KGRrLT5Yml0/UQNmMqbKeeI/AAAAAAAAKj8/vJ6S0vItjOI/s1600/ELLE-Feb-13-Ginnifer-Goodwins-house.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KGRrLT5Yml0/UQNmMqbKeeI/AAAAAAAAKj8/vJ6S0vItjOI/s640/ELLE-Feb-13-Ginnifer-Goodwins-house.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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William Morris' "Brer Rabbit" wallpaper.<br />
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I have to say I find this wallpaper pattern to be the absolute perfect thing for a modern fairy tale princess' home.<br />
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<br />Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01961174973796318673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857988142747792755.post-76002903154375549182013-01-13T13:31:00.000-05:002013-01-13T13:31:06.334-05:00A Slice and a StunnerOf all the random P.R.B. sightings, I love this one so much...<br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/TonysPizzeria1937">Tony's Pizzeria</a> in Kingston, New York. My friend Julie snapped this shot for me.<br />
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So if you go there for a slice of pizza, be sure to pay attention to the wall art. And do take a few more pictures for me...I'd love to see more detail!!Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01961174973796318673noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857988142747792755.post-23306922559355448492013-01-07T21:33:00.001-05:002013-01-07T21:33:29.342-05:00House of the WolfingsToday while working my mild-mannered job as a daily reporter...er....librarian, I came across this short but delightful article in December's issue of <i>Wired</i>.<br />
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I love the final sentence especially. "Hey Peter Jackson, need fodder for another trilogy?" A movie based on Morris' fiction? Oh yes. Please.<br />
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Also, may I direct your attention to this wonderful collection of <a href="http://www.expressroulartaimages.com/fotoweb/Grid.fwx?archiveId=5001&SF_LASTSEARCH=&SF_FIELD1_GROUP=1&SF_GROUP1_BOOLEAN=and&SF_FIELD1=debenham&Kmenu=&doSearch=Search&rows=2&columns=8">images</a> of Debenham House, a gorgeous locale featured in a previous blog <a href="http://thebeautifulnecessity.blogspot.com/2012/05/snuff-box-debenham-house.html">post</a>. This link was shared by an anonymous commenter on the previous blog post!<br />
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I love all the comments I get on The Beautiful Necessity, and I always enjoy them, even if I don't always get a chance to reply. <br />
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Happy Pre-Raphaelite New Year!!!Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01961174973796318673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857988142747792755.post-86388605071319577532012-12-09T10:08:00.001-05:002012-12-09T10:08:26.275-05:00Another Red House ChristmasGorgeous images of Red House's celebrations of Christmas again this year. They really know how to do it up in the spirit of William Morris!<br />
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Images from <a href="http://thebeautifulnecessity.blogspot.com/2011/12/red-house-christmas.html">last year</a><br />
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A volunteer prepares to green the house.<br />
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Gingerbread Brother/Sisterhood...who could this be? <br />
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Father Christmas carries old-fashioned wooden toys in his sack. <br />
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The tree is bedecked with paper birds, their designs taken directly from the painted glass windows of the house.<br />
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This year, yesterday, there was a power outage at Red House, so they lit candles during the celebration instead.<br />
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Red House's incredible Father Christmas.<br />
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If you live in the area, please go visit Red House for Christmas for me!<br />
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And if, like me, you live nowhere near, follow the Red House <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RedHouseNT?ref=ts&fref=ts">page</a> on Facebook for many more goodies like this!Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01961174973796318673noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857988142747792755.post-56866621151508787702012-12-07T00:06:00.001-05:002012-12-07T00:06:33.285-05:00Trellis in HysteriaWhile watching a period film tonight, <i>Hysteria</i>, a movie about...well...the amusing Victorian origin of the vibrator....I noticed a William Morris wallpaper being used in the dining room.<br />
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And it's not a commonly seen paper.<br />
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William Morris' "Trellis" design has always struck me as almost modern in its geometric background and bold colors. It's fascinating to see it used in such a vivid colorway in a full room.<br />
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<br />Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01961174973796318673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857988142747792755.post-27564750659301676972012-12-02T22:18:00.001-05:002012-12-02T22:18:36.989-05:00A Tangle of Pre-Raphaelite RapunzelsStumbling through <a href="http://thefairyfashion.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a>, I came across a post sharing early concept art from Disney's Tangled. The following images fascinated me, as the faces are a little cartoony, but the color-scheme and overall "feel" are so very Pre-Raphaelite. The second image especially took my breath away.<br />
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<br />Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01961174973796318673noreply@blogger.com5