Tag: wood blocks

Celebrate Around the World!

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Those of us who celebrate Christ’sMas are but a few of the traditions scattered around the globe. Join me as we whirl around from country to country, peeking into other cultures and celebrations!

 

Diwali (India & Worldwide): The Festival of Lights Observed by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and some Buddhists, Diwali is a five-day festival celebrating the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil.

 

Kwanzaa, which is observed from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1, is a holiday that celebrates African culture and community, culminating in gift-giving and a feast of faith, called Karamu Ya Imani. 

 

The Jewish festival of Hanukkah is a celebration that commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem during the Maccabean Revolt. Hanukkah is observed for eight nights and days. The festival is observed by lighting the candles of a candelabrum with nine branches, commonly called a menorah or hanukkiah. 

 

Lunar New Year, often called the Spring Festival or Chinese New Year, is the most important holiday in China and Chinese communities around the world. It is not only celebrated in China. Vietnam, Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore also celebrate the Lunar New Year holiday. The two-week celebration includes family and friends, feasting and fireworks, parties and parades.

 

Las Posadas, a religious festival celebrated in Mexico and some parts of the United States between December 16 and 24, commemorating the journey that Joseph and Mary made from Nazareth to Bethlehem in search of a safe refuge where Mary could give birth to the baby Jesus.

 

St. Nicholas Day celebrates St. Nicholas, a historical figure who inspired the legend of Santa Claus and is known for secretly giving gifts to the needy, a practice that gave rise to the tradition of hanging up stockings or leaving gifts in shoes.

 

Wiccans and Neo-Pagans celebrate the winter solstice (the darkest day of the year, on Dec. 21) through the festival of Yule. The winter solstice marks the shortest day and longest night of the year; Yule celebrates the re-emergence of the sun and the days beginning to grow longer again.

 

The Giant Lantern Festival, locally called Ligligan Parul, is a vibrant celebration of Filipino artistry, heritage, and togetherness. Held annually in San Fernando City, Pampanga, this event showcases massive lanterns, some towering up to 30 feet, designed with intricate patterns that form stunning displays of light and color.

 

 

Christmas Day is a celebration in Norway of brighter days, or Jol. homes are decorated with superstitious characters called nisser who are believed to provide protection. On the evening of December 24, Danish families place their Christmas tree in the middle of the room and dance around it while singing carols.

Sunday Evening Art Gallery — Martin Wittfooth

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Martin Wittfooth was born in Toronto, Canada in 1981 and currently splits his time between two studios in Savannah, Georgia, and Brockville, Ontario, Canada.Wittfooth earned his MFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York City.He composes surreal images of animals, plants, flowers, and landscapes in a way which references the tradition of painters past but is at the same time relevant, unique, and personal.Wittfooth’s paintings, drawings, installations and sculptural works use allegory and symbolism to explore themes of the intersection and clash of industry and nature, and the human influence on the environment.Many of his works explore the theme of shamanism – rituals and practices as old as our species – through which we have attempted to dialogue with nature: the nature outside of ourselves and the nature within.His creative language uses the combination of allegory and symbolism to convey visual narratives.“I hope with my art to bridge the gap somewhat between the subconscious and the conscious – the “visionary” with the “baseline” states of mind,” Wittfooth shares.“The mainstream is what is most in need of a change of perspective right now, so I’d like for my art to be able to dialogue with it.”More of Martin Wittfooth’s surreal paintings can be found at https://www.martinwittfooth.com/.

Sunday Evening Art Gallery — Tirzah Garwood

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Tirzah Garwood (1908–1951) was a multi-talented artist and designer whose life was tragically cut short when she died of breast cancer aged only 42.

Eileen Lucy “Tirzah” Garwood was a British wood-engraver, painter, paper marbler, author, and a member of the Great Bardfield Artists.

According to Brighton & Hove Museums, Garwood “is one of the most original and distinctive figures of twentieth century British art

Her brilliance as a wood engraver and maker of marbled papers was acknowledged in her lifetime, but her early death meant that few were able to enjoy her captivating, collaged house ‘portraits’ and enigmatic oil paintings.

She prompts us to see the amusing, absurd and uncanny in the detail of everyday life.Garwood’s engravings were imaginatively conceived and precisely executed. They abounded in wry observations and witty juxtapositions.More of Tirzah Garwood’s marvelous wood cuts can be found at https://artuk.org/discover/stories/tirzah-garwood-unveiling-a-forgotten-visionary/