Cecil's

Cecil's Delicatessen is one of the best delis in the Twin Cities.  Maybe the best! Nick, who grew up in the Highland area, has worked in the store for five years.  A graduate of Nativity grade school  and Cretin-Derham High School he probably knows many of the regular customers.

ABC WEDNESDAY-K-King Tut

Unfortunately no photography was allowed inside the exhibit at the Science Museum of Minnesota so I had to be satisfied with a photo of this huge poster just outside the waiting area.

Tutankhamun The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs

The exhibition features 50 objects from the tomb of King Tut, including the gold sandals that adorned the mummy's feet and a beautifully adorned gold coffinette that held his mummified internal organs.

In addition to the treasures from the tomb of Tutankhamun, another 50 ancient artifacts are featured, which highlight many of the most significant rulers of ancient Egypt such as Khafre, whose face adorns the Sphinx in Egypt and the queen who was powerful enough to become king. 

(Source: http://www.kingtut.org/about_the_exhibition?location=st.+paul%2c+mn)

To see more ABC WEDNESDAY post from bloggers around the world, click here.

Handsome Stranger!

It's difficult to get biographical information when sitting in the passenger seat of a car, with a long line of cars behind us at a parking ramp, and a restless granddaughter in the back seat.  Although I vowed to interview and post more information with my posts, I didn't have the luxury to do that this time.  Maurice's face was so handsome and kind, I couldn't resist quickly snapping his photo which pleased him!

The Common Loon

The Science Museum of Minnesota is basically an educational as well as an entertainment establishment. One of the galleries which focuses on the Mississippi River has a mock-up of river scenes.  The animal pictured is the state bird, the common loon. (No wisecracks, please!) This scene  duplicates its natural habitat.

Science Museum Exhibit

If you live anywhere close to St. Paul, Minnesota, come to the Science Museum on Kellogg Boulevard to see an amazing exhibition: February 18-September 5, 2011.


Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs is organized by National Geographic, Arts and Exhibitions International and AEG Exhibitions, with cooperation from the Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt.

King Tut-Steve Martin Lyrics

Now, when I die
Now don't think I'm a nut
Don't want no fancy funeral
Just one like ole King Tut (King Tut) 

What Can I Say?!

 I'm about ready to go round the bend.

Instead of the predicted 1-2 inches of snow last Tuesday, we got 6 more inches.

And, I'd rather be in México!~ 

In the bleak midwinter
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
Snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter,
Long ago. 

-Christina Rossetti
Mid-Winter, 1862

The Colours!

Red Peppers and Olives - My favorite part of any deli!

Greek mythology records that Athena, the Goddess of wisdom and peace, struck her magic spear into the Earth, and it turned into an olive tree, thus, the location where the olive tree appeared and grew was named Athens, Greece, in honor of the Goddess, Athena. Local legend tells us that the original olive tree still stands growing after many centuries at the ancient sacred site.

ABC WEDNESDAY-J-Jars and more Jars

Jars, more jars, and square vases, all the work of potter, Randy Johnston, whom you met here. 

To see and enjoy more ABC WEDNESDAY posts,
click here.

Classmates #3

Randy Johnston who chairs the Art Department at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls is another of Michael Simon's classmates from their years together at the University of Minnesota in the 1960's.  Both the Ikebana Long vase and the large triangulated platter are his art work.

It's Not Just A Cup!

According to ceramicist Michael Simon: "The cup is the most intimate of pottery forms.  Whether in the palm of the hand or the fingertips, we experience the weight and texture as we drink.  We pick it up without looking, kiss it with our lips and drink from it.  A good cup seems to hold the truth.  Every human culture has  developed cups..."

And for the first day of spring!!

Because my mood and spirits have been adversely affected by the mounds of snow and loooong winter here in Minnesota, I bought several bulbs to watch bloom.  It helped!

Northern Clay Center's Reception

During the Michael Simon's retrospective pottery show last Saturday (full explanation here), this man entertained the large crowd at the reception, playing non-stop for several hours.  Because he was busy, I did not interrupt him.  Steffe thinks, correctly I might add, that I need to add more biographical information to my portraits, the circumstances did not lend itself to interrupting this fine musician.  Next time!

Classmates #2

Another classmate, architect Wayne Barnum, had these ceramics on display.

See previous posts for background information on this retrospective of potter Michael Simon's work now on display at the Northern Clay Center on Franklin Avenue.

Classmates

In addition to Michael Simon's pottery, an accompanying gallery exhibited work, "Classmates,"  by four ceramicists who studied at the University of Minnesota with Simon in the late 1960's. If you missed the background information on this incredible retrospective, click here. The pieces above are the work of Sandy Simon, Michael's first wife who now operates an art gallery in Berkeley, California.

(An appropriate choice for St. Patrick's Day!)

An Irish Blessing

(A Blessing from St. Patrick)

May the road rise to meet you, May the wind be always at your back, May the sun shine warm upon your face, May the rains fall soft upon your fields, And, until we meet again, May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.

(Traditional Irish Blessing; origin unknown, although some attribute it to St. Patrick.)

ABC WEDNESDAY-"I" Incredible Artist & Imaginative Pots: Potter's Homecoming #2

Above:  the artist is signing his book for an admirer. The artwork below Michael Simon's photo contains more of his nature images that are important elements as part of the designs.

See my post yesterday for more about this artist and his retrospective exhibition that's at the Northern
Clay Center on Franklin Avenue. For additional information read the article here that caught my eye and discusses the artist and the exhibition.

To check out more ABC Wednesday posts, click here.

Hate to add this, but BEWARE THE IDES OF  MARCH!!

"Potter's Homecoming"

The headline "Minnesota-born Michael Simon returns from Georgia to the Northern Clay Center for a career retrospective" caught my eye. This article  in our local newspaper claimed that "Simon is one of his generation's more influential potters" so I had to see for myself.  On Saturday the Clay Center's galleries and showroom were wall-to-wall people when I got there, and after spending a short time viewing his work, I decided that the description of the artist's reputation was not hyperbole, but well-deserved. The top pot has a horse design and the bottom shows a frequent bird motif that he uses.  Tomorrow I'll show you more of his work plus other pots in another gallery that featured artistic creations of ceramicists who studied at the University of Minnesota with Simon in the late '60's. (I'm going back again next week, hoping that the crowds will be gone so I can take my time looking, and looking, and looking!)

"Without art, the crudeness of reality would make the world unbearable. " ~George Bernard Shaw

Here Today-Gone Tomorrow!

In the past I had posted many photos of "An-Apple-a-Day Project" here and here. Last Friday the exhibit was taken down.  Those of us who had purchased paintings arrived during a designated time period to pick them up while Joy Liberman and her helpers (one pictured here) were removing the installation.  The exhibit had been wildly popular, and it was sad for me to see its ending.  But, now my granddaughter has the large green apple on the left and I  have the other painting as a result!

A Mezzanine With A View

I took this photo while standing on the mezzanine overlooking the entrance and foyer at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.  A number of years ago I watched the installation of this chandelier as it was being installed piece-by-piece by an army of Dale Chihuly's minions.  It is lighted by neon rods in the center and is a huge attraction at the museum.

Conical Shelters

I decided that a little jaunt to that other city (Minneapolis) would be fun so I went to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, a museum that never ceases to delight me.  On the front lawn several tepees are erected, facsimiles of the kind used by the Indians of the Plains and Great Lakes regions.  If these moveable conical shapes could provide housing and shelter for the Native Americans during our too-often-brutal winters, I guess I should have no complaints this year.  How's that for a little bit or rationalizing?!

In a Matter of Minutes...

In a matter of minutes, the best laid plans can change! Dear Husband slipped and fell on his right shoulder last Friday.  On Monday his doctor sent him to get an MRI.  On Tuesday as we were packing for our getaway to México we got the bad news: rotator cuff surgery required.  Flights and casa were cancelled...so here we are, still in our own casa in St. Paul.  We missed the beginning of the winter season in Mazatlán, México because I was recovering from rotator cuff surgery and now we're missing the latter half because of Jim's surgery and recovery.  Since his pain is increasing, we made the right decision rather than toughing it out in another country.  So, come on back, and I'll try to post some scintillating Minnesota photos for you!

ABC WEDNESDAY: HOLIDAY!! "We're Leavin' on a Jet Plane!!"

Tomorrow, March 8th in the wee hours of the morning we'll leave on one of these wonderful jets to a much warmer clime for the rest of the month in México, kissing good-bye to the vestiges of a very snowy and cold Minnesota winter.  Our housesitting son who stays to take care of our animals while we're gone will have his hands full if it snows again, ...and it undoubtedly will!

Hustle over to my other blog, to see photos of Mazatlán, México.

"I'm leavin' on a jet plane
My bags are packed and ready to go
. . .
So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
. . .
'Cause I'm leavin' on a jet plane
Don't know when I'll be back again
Oh, babe, I hate to go!"
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
To check more ABC Wednesday posts, click here.

Forbidden Fruit-An Apple-a-Day #11

Although there are many more I could show you, these will be my final postings of An-Apple-a-Day paintings by my former colleague, Joy Liberman (Check out her website). She is a talented artist who doesn't just paint apples! The name of the artist whom she has "copied" is beneath each posted photo.  I cannot fully explain why I have been so taken with the exhibition of these apple paintings...perhaps it is her creativity or her talent.  Regardless, she is aptly named...JOY is what her work represents to me!

Albert Durer

Albert Durer

Lucas Cranach

More Minnesota Workers

Despite the cold weather, construction continues on the retirement community in our neighborhood.  The way buildings are put up now is a far-cry from the construction sites I used to see years ago.  I wonder how long it will be before it's finished?

Under Construction

Yesterday I  showed you a Minnesota Worker, and here are three different areas of the complex that are the result of the planning and skill necessary to complete this new community. It will be a wonderful urban development for retired people here in St. Paul, and already it has been received well with more applicants than units available. A lottery has determined who will be able to rent the units when the buildings are completed.

A Minnesota Worker

Several years ago I posted a number of Minnesota Workers as a theme, which I think I will resurrect again since it was so interesting for me.  No-one refused to accommodate me and were pleased to be photographed.  This man is working on a newly-designed complex being built on St. Catherine University's campus (right behind our house): apartments, studios, assisted living units as well as a memory wing. I'll show you more photos of the construction of this ambitious project tomorrow.

And the winners are...An-Apple-a-Day #9

The Son of Man, 1964

la chambre d ecoute rene magritte 1958

Both of these paintings are "take-offs" on Magritte images. I selected the top, and my granddaughter chose the other green apple, la chambre.

QUOTE OF THE DAY:  The mind loves the unknown. It loves images whose meaning is unknown, since the meaning of the mind itself is unknown. Rene Magritte
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Quiz result!!


1. The first person to guess my choice (July 4) was Irredento Urbanita.  6 other clever bloggers made the same decision.


2. NO-ONE correctly guessed my granddaughter's choice, which is July 19. However, 12 of you thought that she might have selected #14, which logically assumes that a young child would be attracted to the fairy tale image. I, too, was surprised that she did not make that her choice; she wasn't even remotely attracted to it.  Her choice was between a very blue apple attached to a different month and this Magritte look-alike.  Must be in our genes since she, too, was attracted to the Magritte images. (She did not know which painting I had chosen).

ABC WEDNESDAY -"G"- Green and An-Apple-a-Day #8

For those of you who have been following An-Apple-A-Day series, you will recognize that these paintings are the work of the artist, Joy Liberman, who embarked on a project to paint one apple a day to represent a full calendar year.  My first post of the series appeared here with an explanation of the project, and since then I have posted many of her fine paintings. In July her goal was each day to paint something which represented a well-known artist. Two of these today are: Picasso-"Still Life With Pitcher and Apples, and O'Keeffe-"Green Apple on Black Plate.

To see more ABC WEDNESDAY photos, click here.
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Quote of the Day: Interviewer: How do you know when you're finished with a painting?

                             Jackson Pollock : How do you know when you're finished making love?

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Don't forget to take my Quiz!