art

A French Affair: Time with Napoleon

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Several weeks back, I stopped in at the National Gallery of Art and saw one of Jacques-Louis David’s most famous paintings, The Emperor Napoleon in His Study at The Tuileries. While taking in this massive and majestic work, I remembered that Virginia Museum of Fine Art would be unveiling a Napoleon exhibit during the month of June.

The Emperor Napoleon in His Study at The Tuileries by Jacques-Louis David

I went to the members preview on Saturday, June 9th, and this exhibit didn’t disappoint. The word “luxurious” is the most apt way to describe the exhibit. I will be returning again, before the exhibit leaves, so that I can (hopefully) get pictures that I can share on this platform.

fitness · life curation

A July Fitness Challenge? Let’s Do It!

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I’m a little more than a month away from my birthday (August baby checking in!) and I realized that I wanted a major change. I used to be slimmer some years back, but now I’m a little “cuddlier” than I’d prefer. I would love to be more toned and healthier. So I figured I’d try to get back into some sort of fitness routine by trying a fitness challenge.

fitness

Ab goals!

Almost two years ago, I purchased one of Brittne Babe’s 21 Day online fitness packages and, while I tried my hand at the meal planning and exercising, I hadn’t committed fully. So I figured that now would be a good time to kick my fitness goals into gear. I will start my training on July 1st, and I’ll post a final pic on August 1st. Keep your  fingers crossed for me: I love cake LOL! It’s going to take some discipline to remain committed to getting toned and feeling healthy and strong. But I’m eager to see some great results, so I’ll do the challenge! If you want to know more about Brittne Babe’s 21 Day challenge, click here.

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Brittne, looking perfect

Look out for fitness updates over the next few weeks!

words of wisdom

Words of Wisdom: Octavia Butler

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Tell stories filled with facts. Make people touch and taste and know. Make people FEEL! FEEL! FEEL!

I’m really surprised that I hadn’t written about this incredible author before, especially since she is one of my main inspirations when it comes to my writing. I haven’t tried my hand at science fiction/fantasy, but reading Octavia Butler’s work always makes me want to give it a whirl.

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Butler willed her success into existence. Some of her papers show the affirmations that she wrote, encouraging herself along the way. While working an assortment of temporary jobs, she would wake up early to write. Her writing effortlessly weaves fantasy with contemporary issues like politics and power struggles around age-old dividers such as race, gender and sexual relationships. Her characters – multidimensional and transcendent – stay with you long after you finish her books.

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I’ve read several of her stories, starting with Mind of My Mind though, knowing what I know now, I would have started with Wild Seed, my favorite book by Butler. Wild Seed is an origin story, which describes the long history between Doro and Anyanwu. This story sets the scene for the subsequent novels. These two powerful beings struggle with one another through centuries, until they have a final showdown that end their tug-of-war.

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I love how Wild Seed takes readers through Anyanwu’s growth into an empowered woman. I love reading about Doro’s calculated nature and how everything he does is part of his master plan. And most of all, I love how well-developed the characters are and how they navigate their dysfunctional symbiotic relationship. I found myself questioning my own journey to empowerment and self actualization while reading Wild Seed.

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On today, which would have been Butler’s 71st birthday, I’m sharing a few of my favorite quotes. I hope you enjoy!

 

(Photos courtesy of BlackMattersUs, JenebaSpeaks, Pinterest and ForReadingAddicts.co.uk)

art · luxury

Get Your Modern Art Fix at Christie’s

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My favorite piece from this auction (Untitled (2/98), I by Charline von Heyl)

I haven’t been monitoring the auctions as closely as I normally do. I’ve been a bit too busy keeping up with my online classes and navigating some big changes at work. So when I had a chance to check out Christie’s website, I was excited to see this Post-War to Present art auction.

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This piece could fetch more than $4 million USD (Peinture 195 x 130 cm, 3 février 1957 by Pierre Soulage)

Generally speaking, I’m more of a fan of global art and European art dating from the pre-World War II era. However, lots of exposure to contemporary art is starting to change my taste (I’m sure that my recent Instagram Artist series has something to do with that). This auction features two paintings by contemporary art darling George Condo, as well as pieces by notable artists like Willem de Kooning, Georg Baselitz, Damien Hirst and Ai Weiwei.

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The Secretary by George Condo

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Untitled by Willem de Kooning

This event will be held on June 28th at 2:30 PM. This is going to be an exciting auction, with prices expected to soar over $4 million USD. If you’re in London, you should check it out!

 

(Photos courtesy Christies.com)

style

Summer Style Musings

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These warm days have made me come ALIVE! I thrive during the summer months: I’m more energetic, more creative, more ME!

You all probably recall my Preparing for Spring style post back in March. I listed several items that I wanted to add to my wardrobe this year. I anticipated these pieces would work for my Kibbe type (Soft Classic) as well as add some more options to my style repertoire. Those items are as follows:

  • Pale taupe/light gray duster
  • Magenta blazer
  • Bright yellow a-line dress
  • Pale blue/green chiffon skirt
  • Oyster/champagne/ivory satin wrap (drape-y) top

I have been casually searching for these items, and I have updates (including a purchase!) on the status of my shopping list.

  • Pale taupe/light gray duster

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Naomie Harris at Calvin Klein (from Business of Fashion)

I’m still looking for this piece. The trick is finding it in a color that suits my neutral/cool undertones. Most of the dusters I’ve seen are dark (navy or black) or the undertones are all wrong (a little more warm than neutral). Fortunately, it’s warm enough where I don’t need a jacket anymore, but I’d love it for when the seasons change again and we’re experiencing cooler days.

  • Magenta blazer

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Naomie at the 2014 BAFTA Awards (from Elle)

This was the “toughest” item, meaning, I thought I’d never find it. Imagine my surprise when I found my blazer by “accident”. I was browsing JCPenney’s website and found this beauty – on sale!

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The blazer is Black Label by Evan Picone. The shade and design was perfect and the quality is superb. This was a clearance item and I purchased it for $23 (originally priced $75). I’ve been wearing it weekly and I always get compliments. I generally wear it with a solid tank top and jeans: I prefer clean, uncluttered lines and designs.

  • Bright yellow a-line dress

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Naomie Harris at the Spectre press conference (from Vogue UK)

I am on the fence about acquiring a yellow dress for the summer, because I really do have enough dresses and I aim to keep my closet as uncluttered as possible. *If* I can manage to part with at least two of my current dresses, then I’ll supplement my wardrobe with a yellow one.

  • Pale blue/green chiffon skirt

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Naomie at the Mandela screening (from The Fashion Spot)

I found two great options, and I’ll be ordering one of them as soon as I “make room” by getting rid of one or two of my other skirts.

This skirt by CoutureBridal is the perfect length and fabric, but I’m unsure if I want this particular shade of blue (I was hoping for a slightly dustier hue).

This seafoam green skirt by Fancy-Bridal is great, as well. I may just flip a coin and see which skirt wins!

  • Oyster/champagne/ivory satin wrap (drape-y) top

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With Olivia Palermo at the launch of Maison Makarem (from Getty Images)

I haven’t seen this yet, though I’ve gotten pretty close to what I’m looking for. I have a few other websites and shops that I’m going to check out over the next few weeks. However, if my desire for this blouse fades before I find it, then I’ll simply cross it off of my “want” list.

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That’s it for my updates! Do any of you make shopping lists before the beginning of the season? Let me know what you’re searching for in the comments below!

art · Uncategorized

Want to Learn About New Artists?

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painting

Make sure that you’re following me on Instagram, so you can see the daily artist spotlights that I’m featuring this month. I’m taking the time to share what I’ve seen on social media and (hopefully) bring additional attention to these talented artists. Who couldn’t use more art in their lives?

Here are a few of the artists I’ve featured so far:

reading list

Book Review: The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

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writing

When I mentioned The War of Art by Steven Pressfield in my May Reading List post, I shared that I had read it before, but I rushed through it. I read it as part of a business “boot camp” that I participated in a few years ago. The book was good but since the business I was designing wasn’t “creative”, it didn’t feel relevant to my circumstances at the time.

However, I’m in a different space in my life now, and I am tapping into my creative powers regularly. That’s why I post daily in this space, whether I have lots to talk about or not much going on. It’s all about continuing to write and dedicating myself to my craft. Errors and all, I post here every day with the hope that I’ll share something that inspires or educates.

Back to War of Art: this book is all about learning what “Resistance” is, how it impacts our creative projects, and how to break through it. For those that don’t know, Resistance is anything that distracts us from our creative projects or interferes with our creative expression. Resistance takes many forms, but each of them are detrimental to the creative, who is denied their natural expression when they allow Resistance to win.

Resistance is described as an enemy that has mastered the art of disguise: so much so, it’s possible that this enemy is attacking you from several angles. However, once identified, the enemy can be defeated and the creative can realize his/her ultimate goal. Pressfield assures us that Resistance can be beaten, as he stated, “Defeating Resistance is like giving birth. It seems absolutely impossible until you remember that women have been pulling it off successfully, with support and without, for fifty million years”.

The book is divided into three sections. The first section outlines the many disguises of Resistance: it can be something as blatant as procrastination or as subtle as vicarious living through loved ones. The second section describes the way to conquer Resistance which is going “pro”: utilizing strategies of the “professional” to sets out to do his/her work regardless of all of the Resistance swirling in the atmosphere. The third section is all about what happens after Resistance is conquered. This section speaks of the magic of starting a project, the incredible outcomes of deferring to “higher powers” like God, the Muses, etc., and moving beyond the Ego.

This entire book is enjoyable, but I’m especially a fan of the second section. Many of the practices outlined are disciplines that could serve you in multiple arenas. I often need to be reminded of what a “professional” does, so that, instead of being frustrated by circumstance, I’m focused instead on what I need to do.

This was such a good read! I hope you all check it out and find some benefit in it for yourselves!

life curation · music

Dads Matter

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Happy Sunday, everyone! Today is Father’s Day in the United States, and I’m fortunate to have experienced the love of two fathers: my biological dad and my stepdad. Instead of saying to you, ‘Go love on your dad”, I want to share what both of the fathers in my life meant to me.

My biological dad and I haven’t always been close, though there’s always been a lot of love between us. He is a better parent of adults than young children, and I can respect and enjoy that: after all, I’ll spend more of my life as an adult than I did as a child! He and my mom had a tense relationship for many years, and now I’m glad to say that they have grown to the point of having a friendship. It took a lot of years, but I love that there is no animosity between them. They married in the 1970s, so I often associate them with Earth, Wind and Fire. Here’s a song that I imagine that they may have danced to while they were dating.

My stepdad passed in 2012, and I’ll cherish the last conversation I had with him. He was very ill – in hospice care – and when I asked how he was feeling, he simply said, “I’m not doing too well, but I’m okay. How are you?” It still breaks my heart to think that he wanted to know how I was doing while he was slowly slipping away from us. I’ll also think fondly of how we would occasionally sneak out and get milkshakes from McDonald’s and chili cheese hot dogs from 7 Eleven (this was before I started eating healthier!) One of the last times we hung out, he said he was craving a milkshake, so we made a special stop just to soothe his craving. I miss him every day, but I’m happy that he left me some awesome memories. Here’s a song that he absolutely loved: I still can’t listen to it all the way through without breaking down into tears.

Those are a couple of my Father’s Day memories. Do you all have any memories of your father/father figures that you want to share? Please post them in comments below: I’d love to read them.

international · life curation

Learning a New Language

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Hey friends! I’m excited to share my latest learning adventure. Of course, I’m still studying Inside Opera and Cultures and Identities in Europe (I wrote about the courses here and here). But I also took on another learning experience because, well, it felt like a good idea!

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I’m studying Portuguese after visiting the Embassy of Portugal a few weeks ago. I love the language and I’m looking forward to becoming proficient over time. As it turns out, I have a few Portuguese speaking friends that are eager to help me practice, not to mention I have a lot more resources at my disposal than I did when I studied French and Spanish years ago.

For starters, I’m using YouTube, podcasts, digital textbooks, and media to learn Portuguese. Also, there are some excellent groups online (specifically Facebook) that can connect language learners with native speakers to practice or even to ask technical questions. I’m still assessing which resources are the best in my opinion, but as soon as I have a good list of resources, I’ll definitely share them here!

Are you all currently studying any languages? Let me know in the comments below!

art

Review: Philadelphia Museum of Art, Part 2

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Happy Friday, friends! There’s not a whole lot to say, especially if you’ve seen Part 1 of this review (you can view Part 1 here). I’ll stick to sharing photos that you all haven’t already seen and providing a little commentary.

I saw a few Pablo Picasso works that I’d never seen before. I’m so accustomed to seeing his Cubist works that I forget that he didn’t always work with abstract figures. Earlier in his career, he worked with Impressionist techniques, as you can see in the paintings below.

Head of a Woman, Pablo Picassso (1901)

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Old Woman (Woman with Gloves), Pablo Picasso (1901)

This is the style we know and love from Picasso:

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Three Musicians, Pablo Picasso (1921)

I always have loved Pierre-Auguste Renoir, another Impressionist. His photos are both timeless and beautiful. This is a tender portrait of his beloved wife and favorite model, Aline Charigot Renoir.

Portrait of Madame Renoir, Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1885)

This sweet-faced little girl was the daughter of an art dealer friend of Renoir’s.

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Portrait of Mademoiselle Legrand, Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1875)

Vincent Van Gogh’s Sunflowers are a great example of post-Impressionist work: it features thick paint, more vivid color selection and slightly distorted forms. The work is paradoxical: it’s a still life but the technique used by Van Gogh gives it a feeling of movement and dynamism. This work inspired Faith Ringgold’s The Sunflower Quilting Bee at Arles, which is also at the Philadelphia Museum of Art (I missed it on this trip, but I’ll be sure to catch it next time!) Ringgold even inserts Van Gogh into her work! You can view Ringgold’s work here.

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Sunflowers, Vincent Van Gogh (1888 or 1889)

Lastly, I was drawn in by the beautifully serene expression on the subject’s face. She looks like she was briefly interrupted while concentrating on her embroidery. She’s still thinking about her design and this is just moments before her attention is completed diverted away from her handicraft. I love how Mary Cassatt has caught this fleeting moment.

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Mary Ellison Embroidering, Mary Cassatt (1877)

I can’t wait to return to the museum to see some more artwork and to take lots of photos for you all! Talk to you all tomorrow.