Women, art, and the future
- At October 14, 2019
- By Lisa
- In Art, Current Events, Editorial, Experiences, Features
0
I have great business associates — it turns out that most of them are women. On a Tuesday afternoon in October, I had the good fortune to speak with two of them. The conversation was familiar and light. We were coming down from our summer vacation high and now enthused by what we see as an active future. We’re making connections.
There was talk of arts and artists, lovely autumn weather and summer getaways. We spoke about climate change, politics, publishing, and the things women are doing to stop the madness permeating our society. The world needs healing and women have ideas.
Read More»Sleeping with Hemingway
- At October 07, 2019
- By Lisa
- In Experiences, Musings, Wellness
- 6
I sleep with books now. Sleeping with books wasn’t something I planned nor was it something I was aware of wanting to do. But it seems there was always some memory or picture in my mind of doing so — perhaps taken from the scene of a movie or from my former Scandinavian lifestyle.
In the past, I’ve never been able to sleep with books — which I promise is delightful — because I’ve always been sleeping next to a man. But there they are now, books and notebooks scattered around my bed, stacked in piles on the floor, and grouped together like high-rise buildings on my mother’s cedar chest. Presently I’m sleeping with a copy of Haruki Murakami’s Kafka On The Shore, Benjamin Dryer’s Dryer’s English, Hemingway’s Moveable Feast, Mary Gabriel’s Ninth Street Women, and Laure K. Denton’s Hurricane Season.
Read More»What now – In pursuit of purpose
- At October 03, 2019
- By Lisa
- In Experiences, Musings, Writing
- 2
I’ve been silent, I know.
For the last few weeks (months) I’ve been considering my state of what Lyn Slater at Accidental Icon, has called her “whatnowness”. We are not alone.
Thirty year olds are moving toward a new decade of numbers. Seventy year olds, first time empty nesters, college grads, political activists, women’s rights leaders … It seems we’re all considering what has gone before, where we are now, and questioning where we go from here.
Read More»Playing Smash Bros taught me not to be afraid to suck
- At April 25, 2019
- By Lisa
- In Experiences, Musings
- 0
My son studies physics at UMass Boston. He studies a lot but in his free time he enjoys playing video games. Like most his age, he has been playing an assortment of genres since he was six years old. So when he received a Nintendo Switch for Christmas last year, he wanted me to play with him … as a way of bonding, I guess. Or perhaps he thought it might be good for me to work out some aggressions. But I was intimidated.
Read More»Collecting Visual Trinkets – The allure of beauty in everyday life
- At March 24, 2019
- By Lisa
- In Art, Features, Musings, Photography
- 2
I had a hard time writing this essay. It has been several weeks in the making and perhaps because it was meant to be uplifting and inspirational, it stifled me. The photography came easily but words are hard and I found them somehow lacking in rightful expression—my writing tends toward the dark side of late. There are some creative notions, however, that I wish to share with you, dear reader, so let’s carry on.
Read More»Cozy Christmas – Celebrating Iceland’s Jolabokaflod
- At December 23, 2018
- By Lisa
- In Current Events, Experiences, Musings
- 4
The idea of being cozy. It is the absolute definition of self care during cold winter nights.
I learned a good deal about coziness when I was living in Scandinavia. This normally included big fluffy blankets, no less than five candles burning, and maybe a gathering of non-twinkling twinkle lights haphazardly arranged somewhere in a far corner.
Coziness extended outside of our homes as well. I very much loved the fact that during cooler months, and even in the dead of winter, some cafes in Gothenburg still offered outdoor seating complete with candles and blankets for those taking their coffee outside. There was just something so very beautiful about that, especially if the snow was falling.
In Denmark, coziness is referred to as hygge and in Sweden we embraced what was called fredagsmys or “cozy Friday”. Coziness is celebrated often as a tradition in these countries, but when well-embraced it becomes a lifestyle.
Read More»Artemisia’s Revenge
- At December 18, 2018
- By Lisa
- In Art, Features
- 6
Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-1653), was a painter so gifted, and of such high caliber, that she was included in my traditional art history education — traditional art history, of course, being the study of white men creating for the visual arts. To understand how important this inclusion was, you need to know that during my study of approximately 500+ years of art, I can only recall perhaps four female artists being a part of the curriculum.
Artemisia was bold in her depictions and strong willed in character. Her paintings and her personal life reveal an extraordinary woman who worked hard to secure a career which eventually found her a place in history. Her work has not just resonated over the last 400 years, but today is more relevant than ever in light of the MeToo movement.
Read More»Becoming entangled with a narcissist
Many people wonder how it is that we get entangled with a narcissistic personality that is not only abusive but is hell bent on destroying us. How could this possibly happen? I too was ignorant of how victims get caught up in abusive relationships. Until I learned.
“There must have been signs,” friends say.
“How could you have not known?” family asks.
“What was it about you that attracted this abusive individual into your life?” says your shrink.
The truth is, one of the hallmarks of narcissistic personality disorder is the narc’s ability to very effectively hide the monster within until it is time for him to begin his campaign of devaluation. This is known as the false face. In fact, the narcissist constructs an entirely false reality.
Read More»
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