three things we love

George Harrison's Last Performance

Youtube really is a place where you can find all sorts of interesting things, including this interview with George Harrison,who appeared on host and presenter John Fugelsang's VH1 program. What was George doing there as he always shied away from the limelight? He actually was on the show to help his friend Ravi Shankar promote his (at the time) new album Chants of India. There are a lot of pearls here including Harrison's thoughts on life and death, on Bob Dylan, on the story behind The Traveling Wilburys among other interesting topics… As it turns out, it was the last time Harrison performed before his death—an impromptu concert before the staff of thirty of VH1! And if you stick around to the very end of the video, you will hear an acoustic and very raw version of George singing one of my favorites: All Things Must Pass…

Angelic Rendition of Hallelujah

P.S. 22 student Elisha has such a beautiful voice!

It is getting colder outside and the days are getting shorter as we move into the winter season. I am again including this angelic rendition of Hallelujah here as a pick-me-up I imagine we all could use right now. Even though Hallelujah is not my favorite Leonard Cohen song, this December 2, 2015 rendition by Elisha of P.S. 22 is one of the most moving performances I have ever heard. Call me schmaltzy but I can't imagine this not pulling at your heartstrings...

Bread and Puppet Theatre

Bread and Puppet’s very affordable art is available for sale on their website

Elka Schumann and her husband, Peter Schumann, founded Bread and Puppet Theatre in the 1960s.

I recently read about the death of Elka Schumann, Matriarch of the Bread and Puppet Theater. Co-founded in the 1960s by husband and wife team Elka and Peter Schumann, Bread and Puppet is one of the oldest, nonprofit, political theatre companies in the country.

I had seen this theatre group perform at protests against the Vietnam War way back when with their signature giant paper maché and cardboard puppets and signs, but I had no idea that there existed a "museum" in Glover, Vermont, where all these art props were housed. Gert and I happened to stumble upon the place by sheer accident, while driving across the state on the way to Maine after attending a wedding in Lake Champlain. What a stumble it was--a truly amazing place--chock full of raw art and a true treasure in the middle of rural America. Well worth a visit!

Elka Schumann's story is a fascinating one--a life truly well lived, and although her husband Peter had the title of Artistic Director, Elka's role in Bread and Puppet cannot be overstated—she was the glue that held the whole enterprise together behind the scenes of Peter’s manic creative energy.

A third stroke took Elka away on August 1, 2021. She died with her five children and husband at her side. Read Democracy Now's obituary of her here. In true form, she had performed the workers’ anthem The Internationale on recorder during a Bread and Puppet circus performance the day before.

Bread and Puppet is still active today. For more information, check out their upcoming December schedule.

charity of the week

Please consider participating in the Toys for Tots program.

smilow + mathiesen bedding

This cotton duvet cover is so wonderful—thick, soft cotton, available in different patterns, and comes as a comforter as well…Cotton pillow shams are also available for purchase. Check out these and all our other products in the artSHOP section of our website: www.pamelasmilow.com/shop-all.

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...