No, this is not the Caribbean. It is Round Pond, Maine on a beautiful sunny day in April…Photo taken by my daughter Morgan Mathiesen.
three things we love
Many of the images above and below are clickable and lead to further information, so click away….
Faith Ringgold
Click image to hear Ringgold read her beloved children’s book Tar Beach
Art as a weapon of resistance
One of the Flying Home Series Mosaics at the 125th Street Subway Station
Faith Ringgold made political posters
Artist Faith Ringgold’s life’s work is being celebrated right now at the New Museum in downtown Manhattan through June 5, 2022. I look forward to seeing it when I am back in New York. I was first introduced to Ringgold's work through her children's book Tar Beach, which I enjoyed with my daughter many moons ago. Most known for her amazing story quilts, I have always admired her for her versatility and the fact that her art and her life are seamlessly intertwined. She is unabashedly herself and doesn't feel the need to stick to the confines of the "art world." I share her approach. Her humanity comes through in the way she combines her art with her politics, with her role as mother and teacher, through paint, sewing, illustrating, writing, and sculpting. Quoting from the website of the New Museum, "Ringgold has drawn from both personal autobiography and collective histories to both document her life as an artist and mother and to amplify the struggles for social justice and equity. From creating some of the most indelible artworks of the civil rights era to challenging accepted hierarchies of art versus craft through her experimental story quilts, Faith Ringgold has produced a body of work that bears witness to the complexity of the American experience."
Robin Williams
Robin Williams (1951-2014)
Robin Williams (1951-2014)was one of the greatest entertainers of all time, beloved throughout the world, until he met his untimely death by suicide in 2014. The recently released documentary Robin's Wish, tells the story of his illness and clears up myths of his final days. Robin did commit suicide but it was not a result of depression. In fact, he had lewy body disease, a degenerative brain disorder similar to alzheimer's, which went undiagnosed. It wasn't until after his death that an autopsy revealed how far along the levy body disease had taken over his brain.
Robin Williams was a true national treasure and I love to revisit his movies from time to time. Here are links to some of my favorites: Mrs. Doubtfire, Good Morning Vietnam, Dead Poet's Society and Good Will Hunting.
NYTimes Best Books
Why read? photo courtesy of Forbes Magazine/ Getty
The New York Times asked their readers what book they considered the best book in the last 125 years. Here is the list they published on December 28, 2021. What books would you put on the list?...Place your choice in the comment section below.
.Charity of the Week:
Unicef
Products of the Week
Mother’s Day is rapidly approaching…Let’s not forget to celebrate our moms…
It’s still winter up here in Maine…
About The Author
New York City based contemporary artist, Pam Smilow created the creative lifestyle blog “things we love” in an effort to foster a sense of community during times of isolation and reflection. To read more about her and her art, visit her website and check out the essay written by the Hammond Museum's Frank Matheis entitled The Sophisticated Innocence of Pam Smilow. And by the way, let me know in the comment section what you think of the new haircut...