Hearbreaking New Yorker Cover by Ana Juan. Courtesy New Yorker Magazine and Ana Juan. @anajuan_art and if you would like to see more of her awesome New Yorker covers, click here.
three things we love
Many of the images above and below are clickable and lead to further information…
Tashi and the Monk
In the foothills of the Indian Himalayas, Buddhist Monk Lobsang Phuntsok created a community for abandoned children called Jhamtse Gatsal: The Garden of Love and Compassion. He himself had been abandoned as a child and vowed that he would help children like him feel loved and wanted. To quote him speaking to his kids: "Everybody kind of give up the hope on us. But in this place, you are welcome and you have opportunity to change, and we will be with you, no matter what. This is a community of love and compassion." Tashi and the Monk documents this amazing place and the fantastic work a single man has done to rescue so many unwanted children...
The Song: One Day
Young@Heart Chorus
Chicago Children’s Choir
Hampshire Young People’s Chorus
I am not particularly musical--in fact, I am not really good at carrying a tune, but I do love to sing (mostly in the car) and I recognize that singing is very uplifting to the spirit. I remember once, way back when in Cornwall, Connecticut, there used to be a once monthly get together where someone played the guitar and people would come and just sing along. We don't do that much any more and I wish we did. Just before covid struck, I was even thinking of hosting that kind of evening in my studio. Maybe I will do it in the future...
In the meantime, we can all enjoy this match made in heaven that joins my favorite Young@Heart Chorus out of Northampton, Massachusetts (you have to be over 70 to join) as they join the celebrated Chicago's Children's Choir, along with the Hampshire Young People's Chorus, singing the hopeful song ONE DAY by Matisyahu.
Sanna Marin, Prime Minister of Finland
It is International Women's Month and I can't help but think that if women ruled the world, we might just be much better off... A country that stands out in the gender equality category is Finland. It just so happens that one of my oldest friends (from fourth grade)--Sue Gallo--has been living there in Helsinki for the past six years, along with her partner Alyssa, and they are always singing the praises of Sanna Marin, one of the world's youngest prime ministers. And at 37, she leads an all-female coalition government. CNN did a small feature on her recently. And hear Trevor Noah talk about her and offer a good laugh here.
Charity of the Week:
Jose Andres World Central Kitchen
Feed Ukraine
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Painting of the Week
Pam Smilow mixed media on canvas 50” x 80” approx. $8500 In hopes of summer and better days ahead for the world…
I’ve decided to embrace the gray…
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...