UPCOMING: I will be in California from June 2nd through June 15th, 2023 with a big selection of paintings and works on paper. Please email me at pamsmilow@me.com if you are interested in setting up an appointment to meet with me and see art in the quiet of your home or if you would consider hosting a small "art gathering" during that time in exchange for a piece of art.
Many of the images below are clickable and lead to further links…
Kindness
The secret of happiness is spreading kindness and love…
Stick with this video—it starts off a little slow but is totally inspiring…
You are not going to want to miss reading this column or going on this guy's instagram for some pure inspiration and a dose of love. Meet Zachery Dereniowski, winner of my Nobel Prize of Kindness, aka the MD Motviator on Instagram, TikTok and other social media platforms.
It all began during the pandemic when Zachery Dereniowski was feeling very isolated, struggling with mental health issues and even considering suicide. In desperation, he decided to make a video on TikTok, reaching out to others to share his pain with the world. “Speaking up is the direction to get out,” he says, “It takes a lot of vulnerable confidence to speak up. But once you do, and you find that support, there’s hope and you can get through whatever you’re going through.” Before he knew it, he had people reaching back out to him left and right, offering encouragement and support.
That set off a light bulb in him to literally "pay it forward." Watch this kindness expert in action on instagram, "enacting his "...formula...that vulnerability equals relatability equals empowerment. When we’re vulnerable together we can relate and when we can relate, we can empower others to feel comfortable in their own skin.”
Zachery spends his time going up to complete strangers and asking for a small sum of money or something from them. If they offer him kindness, he in turn rewards their generosity by returning what they had given him and much much more: he gives them a much larger sum of money (usually $500 or $1000) in return. When you see people's reactions, I guarantee you it will make even the most diehard stoics cry and yearning for Dereniowski's self-appointed job.
He has now added another dimension to his work--instead of just giving out money, “I’m in the process of starting a nonprofit,” he says, “The next step is to take these emotional viral videos of people telling their stories and combine it with a transparent charity so people can donate and see where the money is going...”
See his videos @mdmotivator on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
And by the way, why am I not surprised that he is Canadian.
Singer Iam Tongi
For those of you who don't always follow American Idol, I introduce to you a singer named Iam Tongi. He was just crowned the winner of American Idol's 2023 21st Season.
I came across his beautiful rendition of The Sounds of Silence and fell in love with the sweet sound of his voice. (I have always been a big Simon and Garfunkel fan since my dad's lawyer friend's secretary was Garfunkel's mother! and my sister and I got a signed copy of their first album.)
Here are a few more of his beautiful recordings:
Monsters by James Blunt
One of my all time favorites: What a Wonderful World
(When Katy Perry heard him sing this song, she remarked: "It is a wonderful world because you are in it.")
Stuck on You by Lionel Richie
Father and Son by Cat Stevens
I Can't Make You Love Me by Bonnie Raitt
Islands in the Stream by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton
Strawberry Shortcake
Strawberry Shortcake is my favorite dessert. My father used to make a running joke with my mom saying after every dinner, "Edith, bring out the strawberry shortcake!"--I can just hear him saying it--even though we almost never had dessert... I guess food tastes are hereditary...
Here is an easy recipe
for making this dessert classic (courtesy Jane Grigson's Fruit Book, adapted by Nancy Harmon Jenkins) and Memorial Day always reminds me that we are approaching the delicious strawberry season.
INGREDIENTS
Yield: 4 generous servings
2 pints ripe, well-rinsed strawberries
½ cup sugar, or more to taste
4 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
5 teaspoons baking powder
1¼ cups butter
3 cups whipping cream
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Step 1
Pick over and hull strawberries. Cut in half or slice, depending on size. Gently crush about a quarter of the berries with a fork to release their juices. Mix with remaining berries and the ½ cup of sugar, adding more sugar if necessary. Set aside, covered, for about half an hour to develop flavor.
Step 2
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Step 3
Into a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, salt and baking powder. Add ¾ cup of softened butter, and rub into dry ingredients as for pastry. Add 1¼ cups cream, and mix to a soft dough. Knead the dough for one minute on a lightly floured pastry board, then roll it out to about ½-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch biscuit cutter, cut an even number of rounds - 2 rounds per serving.
Step 4
Use a little of the butter to grease a baking sheet. Place half the rounds on it. Melt remaining butter and brush a little on the rounds; place remaining rounds on top. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
Step 5
Remove from the oven, and pull shortcakes apart. Brush the insides with some of the remaining melted butter.
Step 6
Beat remaining cream until it thickens. Add vanilla. Beat again just until thick.
Step 7
Place a bottom half of a shortcake on each plate. Top with a generous spoonful of berries. Cover with a top half, add a few more berries, and top with whipped cream. Serve immediately.
Tip
Extra shortcakes may be frozen, but they should be warmed before using. They are also good toasted for breakfast or tea.
Charity of the Week:
National Dance Institute
Not to be missed if you are in New York Father’s Day Weekend…
Paintings of the Week
Hard to say goodbye to my winter studio for now but I will be back!
Products of the Week
Please visit our artShop to see our line of colorful everyday products including scarves, giclee prints, cutting boards, yoga mats and other gift items--designed to bring joy and color into every day life...
New York, NY 2022
About The Author
New York City based contemporary artist, Pam Smilow, began writing 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.