TIME FOR A BREAK

Life dictates that it's time to take a break.  Will be back in about a week.  

CHARTRES STAINED GLASS WINDOWS

The Chartres (chaar-treez) Cathedral in France contains the world's largest surviving collection of medieval stained glass, with more than 150 of them from the 13th-century.  The windows are best known for their vibrant colors, especially their cobalt blue.   

Chartres Cathedral is filled with stories and symbolism. (photo: Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli)

Chartres Cathedral is a Catholic place of worship, and its visual testament can be read almost like a book.  The cathedral's grandeur has led to it being named a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site.  Chartres is one of the best-preserved examples of Gothic art.

The cobalt blue windows are said to symbolize the Divine Light that lights the entire Universe.  One can imagine sitting in a pew, totally mystified by the grace of human accomplishment.  How in the world did they do it?     

Cobalt blue connects one to nature--the sky and the waters--and to the heavenly realm as we can only imagine it.  Stained-glass windows illustrate not only lights and colors that make up our world, but also speak to the beauty and light within every person and situation.  There is a Zen saying that every moment, even the most painful, has some kind of beauty.....even if it's the simple fact that we are connected to all others who are in pain.  Seeing beauty isn't about denying the existence of pain and suffering.  Rather, it's about striving to focus on the good, the positive and the beautiful no matter what.  It's a way for us to change the ordinary into extraordinary.  

The Japanese have a word for finding beauty in imperfections:   wabi-sabi.  Rather than find faults in cracks, tears and other imperfections, the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi encourages us to appreciate that nothing is perfect or permanent.

CATHEDRAL OF BRASILIA

At the beginning of the year, and the last months of 2024, my focus has been on the beauty to be found in our world.  Knowing I won't travel to far-away places anymore, I'm blessed with technology, which flies me from one side of the world to the other in search of enchanting beauty.  

Cathedral of Brasilia

Today's visit takes us to the Cathedral of Brasilia (Brazil).  Its magnificent stained glass ceiling was designed by Oscar Niemeyer and created by artist Marianne Peretti in 1990.  The waves of brown represent the earth, the green represent vegetation and the blue represents water.  Visitors enter the cathedral through a tunnel.  The cathedral holds 4,000 people.    

Sculptures of three angels are suspended by steel cables

Statues of the Four Evangelists outside the Cathedral of Brasilia 

Bell Tower

Stained glass, especially in places of worship, kindles within us an appreciation for sunlight, jewel-like color and spiritual reverence.  For thousands of years, stained glass windows have been fundamental to sacred architecture.  They remind us of the beauty of creation, the accomplishments of man, and they inspire us to hold onto hope in this tumultuous world.  There is extensive research linking our surroundings to our well-being. 

In the Middle Ages, when a great deal of the population was unable to read or write, stained glass windows became a form of 'visual Scripture.'  They depicted scenes from the Bible, the saints and moral lessons, allowing believers to learn the faith without written texts.  Stained glass windows have been called the poor man's Bible.  

"People are like stained-glass windows. 

 They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, 

but when the darkness sets in,

 their true beauty is revealed 

only if there is light from within." 

 ~Elisabeth Kubler-Ross 

STONE OF HARMONY AND BALANCE

Agate

Ancient civilizations valued the Agate for its beauty and positive energy that soothes human minds and bodies.  Agate represents harmony and balance, making it ideal for home decoration.

Agate is formed within lava, mainly found around areas with high volcanic activity.  Agate was named after the Achates River in Sicily, Italy, by Theophrastus, a Greek philosopher and naturalist who discovered the rock along the bank of the Achates in the 3rd century.  That river is now called the Dirillo river.

The agate is more than just a captivating stone.  From its origins in ancient riverbeds to modern-day, the agate inspires those who 'ooh and aah' about the splendor of the natural world.  Seeing the inside of an agate, like the photo above, gives one a glimpse into the absolute wonders of planet Earth.  Note how the agate is made up of layers in various colors, transparency and thickness, making each semi-precious gemstone different.

In 1969, the Minnesota Legislature declared the Lake Superior Agate to be the state's official gemstone.  Lake Superior Agate differs from other agates found around the world in its rich red, orange and yellow coloration.  This banding pattern of color is caused by the oxidation of iron that seeps into the water.   Moose Lake, Minnesota, is known as the Agate Capital of the World and celebrates Agate Days each year in July.

SECRETARY BIRD

Secretary Bird 

Secretary Bird 

Secretary birds are native to the dry uplands south of the Sahara Desert in Africa.  They have long, pinkish legs with thick scales to protect them from snakebite.  They are known for their snake-hunting abilities, having a killer kick to their prey.  The top half of their legs are covered in black feathers. In 2020, they were declared endangered because of habitat degradation, hunting and capture for trade. (The San Diego Zoo has been successful in hatching secretary bird chicks.)

Quill Pen

Why are they called Secretary birds?  Come to find that back in the 1800s, male secretaries wore gray tailcoats and knee-length black pants and carried quill pens behind their ears.  The secretary bird's long gray wing and tail feathers resemble a tailcoat, and its long, dark quills at the back of its head look like quill pens. 

The quill was a pen made from a bird's feather.  It was dipped in ink, then used to write.  Come to find that goose feathers were the principal source of quills.  Expensive swan feathers were preferred, but it was the crow feather that was better than either.  Quill pens have been made from the feathers of the eagle, owl, hawk and turkey. 

Quill pens were used to write medieval manuscripts.  Quill pens were used to write the Magna Carta in 1215 and the Declaration of Independence in 1776.  President Thomas Jefferson bred geese at Monticello to supply his constant need for quills.

Magna Carta - 1215

Declaration of Independence

Trivia:  Charles Dickens used goose quill pens.  He wrote from 9 o'clock each morning until 2 in the afternoon.  

YOU'RE A GEM

Black Opal

Nicknamed by Shakespeare, "The Mother of All Gemstones" the Black Opal is the most valuable form of all opals.  Australia is the biggest supplier of natural black opals worldwide.    

The attraction to opals is the phenomenon known as play-of-color which creates a kaleidoscopic dance of colors within the gem.  The mystique of this optical phenomenon made opals one of the precious gems during the Middle Ages.  

White Opal

Black opal simply refers to the dark body tone of the stone as compared to the milky tone of white opals.  The play-of-color shows much better on a dark background, making black opals more attractive and fashionable. Top quality black opals can be more valuable per carat than diamonds.

The word opal comes from the Sanskrit word upala, which means precious stone.  Sanskrit is one of the oldest languages in the world, dating back 6,000 years.

Aurora Australis

The Aurora Australis, considered the most valuable black opal, was found in Lightning Ridge, Australia in 1938.  It was polished into an oval shape, weighing 180 cts.  It was dug from an old sea-bed.  

Trivia:  Gemologists grade gemstones based on the Four C's that stand for color, clarity, cut and carat (wgt).

89'98 BUTTERFLY

The 89'98 Butterfly is a species of butterfly found in South America (Columbia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Peru).  It was nicknamed 89'98 because of the markings on its wings that resemble the numbers 89 and 98.  

This species, with a wingspan of 1.5 inches, lives in rain forest and cloud forest habitats.  

There's not a lot of information out there about this tiny flutterby, but it is among the top-10 most unique butterflies on Earth.    

 

OP ART

OP ART is short for optical art, a style of visual art that uses optical illusions, giving the impression of movement, hidden images, vibrating patterns, swelling or warping.  Time magazine coined the term OP ART in 1964.

Op art uses geometric shapes, colors and patterns to create images that appear to move or blur.  This style of art can have subtle, disorienting, even disturbing, effects on the viewer.

Optical illusions trick our eyes and confuse our brains.  They can be fun, and they can also be good teachers.  One lesson they teach is how we see something differently from how it really is. 

Peripheral Drift Illusion

Do the above blue dots appear to be floating?  If we keep our eyes on one particular dot, the perceived illusion should stop.  In reality, the dots aren't moving.....it's merely an illusion.  

Kanizsa Square

Do you see a large white square in the center?  Actually, the square is not there, but our brain tricks us by filling in the gaps between the four Pac-man-like shapes.  This illusion exemplifies how our brains fill in gaps when we have incomplete information, or how it creates an image that isn't even there.  

I've always been fascinated by optical illusions, like the Rabbit or Duck.  If I see a duck and you see a rabbit, is it any wonder we disagree on what we each see? I'm not wrong.  You're not wrong.  If we continue to look at the picture, I might see what you're seeing and you might see what I'm seeing.  

Rabbit or Duck?

What influences our perception?  Our heredity does, our needs do, the people we socialize with can influence our thinking, our personal interests, talents and expectations.  

Let's spotlight on the expectations of others.    What happens when we don't fulfill someone's expectations of us based on their wishes or their needs?  It can lead to their disappointment in us when reality does not match up to what they hoped would happen.  Scientists call this "the expectation effect".....the brain's power to create self-fulfilling and unrealistic expectations of others.  Having an expectation of another person rarely takes the other person's feelings into account.  It's selfish and can be harmful to personal relationships.  Expectations of others can kill happiness.  The desire for something to happen, or for someone to do something in a certain way and at a certain time, can destroy a relationship.

Rubin's Vase
The Two Face,
One Vase Illusion

"We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are."  ~Anais Nin

"Though we see the same world, we see it through different eyes."  ~Virginia Woolf

"Each person does see the world in a different way.  There is not a single, unifying, objective truth.  We're all limited by our perspective."  ~Brainy Quote

One large step for mankind would be if could acknowledge that we all interpret the same situation or information in different ways, based on our personal experiences, beliefs and moral values.  "Each of us has our own lens that we see the world through."

WHIMSICAL ART

Whimsical art is a vibrant and playful style, childlike and carefree, commonly associated with children's book illustrations and fairy tales.  

Kevin LePrince is known for painting whimsical animals, cows, turtles, fish and white egrets.

Goldie
 by Kevin LePrince

Kyle Paliotto for his whimsical pigs wearing bow ties and pearl necklaces.

by Kyle Paliotto

David Zinn is a professional sidewalk chalk artist who creates whimsical art.

Most of Zinn's sidewalk art can be found on the sidewalks in Michigan, in California, village squares in Sweden and street corners in Taiwan.  One of his most enduring characters is Sluggo, a bright green monster with protruding stalk eyes.  Another is Nadine, an adventurous mouse. 

Another of Zinn's characters is Philomena, the flying pig... 

Whimsy is a feeling of a playful imagination, characterized by a sense of lightheartedness.  It embraces oddly adorable creatures.  Research shows that exposure to whimsical art can have positive effects on children's mental health.....by reducing stress and anxiety, increasing creativity, the imagination and overall well-being.  None of us are too old to get a kick out of the silly and spontaneous whimsy that magically appears in our lives.  It's a good thing to keep in close touch with our inner-child.    

Recently I had an unusual conversation with a cosmetologist.  Somehow we got on the topic of smiling.  I made the comment, "Have you noticed how some people don't return a smile?"  She was quick to say, "Well, I know women who won't smile because they don't want to get wrinkles around their mouths!"  ......... Yowza.  I'd personally rather have ruts on my face from smiling than have a wrinkle-free face from not smiling.

"The world needs more whimsy,

more magic,

  more playful moments."

FAUVISM (fow-vi-zm)

Derain

Matisse

Fauvism was a 20th century art movement pioneered by French artists like Henri Matisse and Andre Derain.  This art form used bold colors and brushstrokes to project mood and establish structure.  The Fauves ( French for wild beasts) were a group of French painters with the same interests.

Like yesterday's boho art, fauvism valued individual expression.  The artist's personal direct experience of his subjects, his emotional response to nature, and his intuition were all more important than academic theory. 

Born into a family of weavers, Henri Matisse was influenced by the bright colors and patterns of local textiles.  His primal feeling for color, the basis of fauvism, was brought to life when, as a young man he returned home to recover from appendicitis, his mother gave him a box of paints.  He later said, "From the moment I held the box of colors in my hands, I knew this was my life.  I threw myself into it like a beast that plunges toward the thing it loves."    

Woman in a Purple Coat - 1937
Henri Matisse

The Woman in a Purple Coat is a painting that depicts his assistant and late-life companion, Lydia Delectorskaya, in a purple coat.  The thick black outline around the woman makes her the main focal point.  Her serene expression and graceful pose brings out a sense of tranquility and mysterious charm.

Madame Matisse in Kimono - 1905
Andre Derain

Derain painted Madame Matisse in August of 1905, during the famous summer he spent with Matisse in Collioure, France.  Matisse and Derain spent the summer in a painting frenzy that would change the course of modern art. Their use of brilliant and exaggerated colors challenged and even outraged art commentators.  That's how they earned the label "the wild beasts."  

Derain painted Amelie Matisse in the elegant, patterned Japanese kimono which she often wore and in which she was painted by her husband, as well as several of his other artist friends.  Derain presents her wrapped in draping folds of the kimono, with swirling blue lines, resembling vines and leaves, on a background of white.  Amelie holds a red fan and sits with one elbow resting on a table for support.  The background of reds and greens accentuate the presence of Amelie Matisse.

Just had a thought.  Aren't we lucky to have ways we can create our own art with jigsaw puzzles, paint-by-number kits, and the modern adult coloring books that offer intricate and stunning pictures?  If one has a favorite artist, chances are pretty good there's a puzzle that one could put together, frame and hang on the wall. Like all else, there are countless ways for us to be creative and keep our minds focused on the things that give us a sense of accomplishment.  

BOHO ART

Boho Art (Bohemian Art)....is a free-spirited, eclectic style of art that celebrates individuality and nature.  It is characterized by a mix of colors, textures and patterns, often incorporating natural materials and vintage items......like this.....

Do you remember back in the '60s, when the hippies painted the VW buses?  

Hippie VW Bus

The VW bus became a symbol of their counterculture movement, representing freedom, rebellion against mainstream society, and the desire for self-expression.  It was a way for them to visually express their values and lifestyle. The buses were nicknamed Tin Can or Breadloaf cuz they resembled a loaf of bread.   

Because of its shape, the bus became a symbol of defiance against the major auto manufacturers of North America that were shifting into the muscle-car era in the 50s and 60s.

The gypsy in me loves the unconventional style, especially the painted vintage furniture.  I've seen ordinary wooden vintage chairs that were painted boho style, and all I could think was.....man, I'd love to go home and try painting a chair like that! 

I must whisper that I really like the Boho peasant skirts and loose-fitting blouses.  I won't risk my marriage by wearing a long hippie-like dress.  Wouldn't be worth it....but I'd sure like to!  It feels kinda mischievous to chamber secret silly wishes like this for the heck of it.

 

The opposite of Bo-Ho would be the classic style which is more structured, traditional and adheres to established design principles.  Even though I was raised to conform and embrace all rules, great and small,  I'd rather take the Bohemian path.  

I recently watched a movie where a lady was talking about the set of paints she got for Christmas when she was a kid.  She loved them so much she even painted the cat.

PICTURES OF INFINITE BEAUTY

Halfmoon Betta

A Halfmoon Betta fish has a distinctive half-moon shaped tail that can spread out to a full 180 degrees, looking like a perfect semicircle, or D, when flared.  Known also as Dumbo Hafmoon Bettas, they come in a variety of colors and patterns.  They are quite aggressively territorial.   The golden rule of keeping bettas:  Don't put two bettas in the same fish tank unless you're ready for a fish fight!

Halfmoon Bettas are native to Southeast Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam), where they live in shallow, freshwater ditches, rice paddies, canals and floodplains.  All Betta fish have what's called a labyrinth organ (located above the gills)...a unique organ that allows them to breathe air from above the water's surface.  That's how they can survive in these low-oxygen waters. 

Since last year when I began writing about art and artists and the importance of color, I find myself noticing all the colors around me wherever I happen to be.  Mother Nature is the most famous artist, and Her work is majestic, angelic and cannot be replicated.  Let's take time to stop and think about flowers, how fragile their petals are, and how colorful and fragrant.  Then there's the world of butterflies, which are affectionately known as flying flowers.  We humans are created in different colors.  The sky is a canvas of its own, if we take the time to lift our heads and look up in the sky.  Just imagine how many rainbows, sunrises and sunsets and puffy white clouds we never see because we are slaves to our cell phones.  

There are countless distractions in today's world.  Sometimes I'd like to shake people and say, "for goodness sake, look around and see the beauty.....forget the drama, the media, the division, the hatred.  We're in this mess together, despite our color and global location.  The term 'life is short' is so overused that it's not taken seriously.  However, time passes one day at a time until the day comes when we realize where we are on life's 10-inch ruler.  Each inch represents a decade.  That's when life really gets short, scary and all sorts of fears and angst come along.  If we don't have something to focus on besides the worst of the worst, well, then the remaining couple of inches will be a nose-dive.  Maybe it's the feisty in me that will fight to see the beauty in this spectacular basket of insanity.  It's there, but it takes inner strength to choose the positive over the negative.  And, that my friends, is why I've been walking down the path of art and color, and sharing it.  

None of us knows what's around the corner, but I'm gonna try my best to keep my eyes on the masterpieces around me, keep lifting my head to the clouds in the sky, and my eyes to the ground so I don't step on a lonely little violet or dandelion growing in the grass.   

SEA CIRCUS

Today's spotlight shines on the Clown Trigger fish that's found on reefs throughout the Indo-Pacific, from East Africa's tropical coast in the Indian Ocean to the shores of Samoa in the Central Pacific.

A popular aquarium fish because of their vibrant and unique exterior. On the bottom half of the body are somewhat circular large white polka dots.  The lips are bright yellow with a white line circling the small mouth behind the lips.  Notice the white stripe right below the hidden eyes and the one on the tail.  And the leopard-like patch of yellow with small black dots around the dorsal fin.  Why is this fish called a clown trigger?  Cuz it looks like how a clown paints his face and the way a clown might dress.

Clown Trigger Fish

Their teeth never stop growing.  They have teeth in the front of the mouth with another set of teeth behind them, along with grinding teeth in the throat.  All of these teeth, along with a strong jaw, allow the Clown Trigger Fish to consume hard-shelled foods.

The deep sea is the largest museum on earth. 

 It contains more history than all the museums on land combined,

 and yet we're only now penetrating it.

  ~Robert Ballard

FISH THAT LOOKS LIKE SEAWEED

Leafy Sea Dragons, known as leafies, are the official State fish of South Australia. These colorful cousins of seahorses, are incredibly unique.  Their leafy appendages change color to match their seaweed and seagrass habitats.  They appear to move through the water like a piece of floating seaweed, and they can't fight off predators.  They rely on camouflage to survive.  

The Seadragon is a slowmover, having no actual tail fin like most other fish.  It has a strong sense of direction that helps it find its way back home.  They're shy little creatures and lack any way to cause harm to anything too big to fit into their snouts that function like a straw.  By quickly sucking in water, they create a suction force that draws their prey into their mouths.  Sea dragons don't have teeth. 

Leafy Sea dragons are in trouble because of habitat destruction due to humans development and pollution   

Leafies are a symbol of good luck among divers.  Some divers wait their whole lives to see one. 

JUST KEEP SWIMMING

Blue Tang

The Blue Tang lives in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.  Despite its outward beauty, its flesh is poisonous.  

Dory

Tang Fish were made famous worldwide thanks to the movies Finding Nemo and Finding Dory.  Dory is a Blue Tang.  She teaches us persistence, perseverance, the power of family and friends and purpose.  Her goal was to find her parents, and she was passionate about it.  Despite many setbacks, she was persistent, which made her stronger and more able to face her challenges.  When Nemo and his father are in a jam, they ask themselves, 'what would Dory do?'  They know she'd tell them to just keep swimming.

The Blue Tang was chosen to be Dory cuz the vibrant blue color makes her visually striking.  Blue Tang are a popular aquarium fish, which made Dory recognizable to her audiences.  Their juveniles are bright yellow and turn blue as they mature.  The adult fish average 12 inches in length.

These colorful fish play an important role in the coral reef food web.  The adults feed primarily on algae and also plankton.  They keep algae levels on coral down to a manageable level.  Each living thing, from the smallest bacteria to the largest whale, contributes to the overall balance and survival of life on Earth.  Guess it doesn't matter if we're a perch, a pig, a parrot, a plant or a person.....we're all part of the mess, the struggles and the phenomenal beauty of life.

MASTERS OF DISGUISE

What is one of the most venomous fish in the world? 

Reef Stone Fish

The Reef Stone Fish is typically found motionless on the seafloor, appearing to be a stone or piece of coral.  Their 13 dorsal fin spines can inject an extremely poisonous venom.  It is found throughout tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific.  In Australia, it has been recorded found from the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, to far Northern New South Wales.

The Reef Stone Fish is among the most venomous fish in the world.  The venom causes intense pain and has killed many Pacific and Indian Ocean Islanders.  An antivenom was developed in 1959 and has reduced the likelihood of death after a sting.  

Their name comes from their ability to blend in with rocky sea floors and among the coral.  This is what makes them so dangerous.  They're easily stepped on by people.  They're masters of disguise.

Stone Fish are ambush predators.  They sink themselves into the sand and patiently wait for their prey (little fish and shrimp) to swim by. 

The Australian Aboriginal people use dance and song to preserve their legends and stories.  Their dances involve rhythmic movements and chanting, lots of times around a fire.  One of their dances warns their children of the dangers of the Stone Fish stings and features a man replicating the pain after being stung by one. 

According to a newly published study analyzing humanity's modern day predatory interactions and the environmental consequences, Earth's fiercest predators are....us.  Yuppers, homo sapiens are the most profound and wide-ranging predators of our time.  I throw this out there to amplify and magnify the noticeable and scary shift in human interaction.  

A FISH THAT LOOKS LIKE A CANDY CANE

The Peppermint Angel Fish is one expensive little fish.  Why?  Cuz it takes a specially trained diver to go down some 400 feet into the ocean to collect them.  Once divers reach the required depth, time is limited and presents a challenge.  They live around many locations throughout the central South Pacific Ocean region.  The price of just one fish could easily be thousands of dollars.  That's a lot of cabbage for a fish that's less than 3" long.  

Peppermint Angel Fish

Its most prominent characteristic is the five alternating vertical bright reddish orange and white stripes along its entire body that resemble a peppermint candy, for which it was named.  The Peppermint likes to hide from its predators around caves, coral reefs and ledges on steep reef slopes.  They have a habit of nipping at each other's tails.  Their side fins and tail are completely translucent.  

Often known as The Holy Grail
of marine angel fish

Ralph Waldo Emerson said it best.........Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful, for beauty is God's handwriting.