September 2022 Mailbag No 2
Our second mailbag for September has a lovely surprise in it as I get to introduce you to a new artist - meet Gloria Fu Keh from Singapore. Gloria is 70 years old and as she told me: I have been painting since childhood. All my art is to support charities in community projects. All monies from sales are donated 100% to charities, usually of the buyers’ choice.
Gloria believes that art must have a purpose and she enjoys making message-art and combining text with visuals.
The work shown below is a mixed media on round canvas creation with a diameter of 16 inches, completed in 2020. The description states:
An abstraction inspired by the many changes in the world; more so today than ever before. These changes range from external climatic changes to changes in the terrain of one’s ‘inner city’. The one thing we can be certain of is change.
And the three images below are from Gloria's ongoing Environmental Series - representing her great concern for our planet.
(L) Warnings & Pleas, Acrylic & ink on canvas, 45 cm x 45 cm, 2022
Notes: the text below the top line Save The Environment is in Korean. It means Save The Environment.
(C) The Fabric of Life, Collage and acrylic on canvas, 60 cm x 60 cm, 2022.
(R) Say NO to Plastics, Collage & Mixed media on canvas, 60 cm x 60 cm, 2022
Notes: the plastic pill box can be opened. Inside are plastic bottle caps.
You can check out Gloria's art works on her website and Facebook Followers can find her at:Gloria Fu Keh Facebook Page.
We will be running a feature post on Gloria's works in the next month or so and will examine her vision of art in more detail.
Many of you would have seen Julie's post on Jobs that no longer exist and I would like to share Rowdy's comments in response to this post.
Julie what a tremendous title and post topic... congratulations!!! This certainly brings back memories of the 40's...50's & 60's... When I talk to my grand children 8 years and 10 years about my Grand Mother's life.... my Parent's life and about my young childhood experiences of growing up with their stories of the world depression, the war years and how they all had to make do.. They think I'm "nuts"... !!
Even during the 50's life was practical and hands on... we all shared clothing... every one knew each other in the local neighbour-hood and supported each other... The "Rabitto" was always fun to watch... when he came down the street.... driving his old Austin A40 Ute... he would skin the rabbit and through the offal to the local dogs following attentively behind him... The "Baker" would often give us kids a fresh roll for our lunch while steering his horse and buggy.... One of our neighbour's Mr Reg Oliver provided a Fruit and Veg home delivery service... from his very old "green" Dodge Truck!!!
Thankyou for a great post... I'm sure post visitors and subscribers will love to comment about their experiences... Interestingly.. we now have Coles and Woolworths doing home delivery of groceries... and Pizza home delivery service's.... Maybe the jobs and business structures of the "old" days were quite entrepreneurial and enterprising!!! Cheers..... Rowdy
And The Keeper also responded to two past posts saying:
I loved Jane's post on the light artwork and also the jobs that no longer exist. My memory is from Mr Armstrong who along with Mrs Armstrong ran the local hardware store called ‘Armstrongs’ - it had the hardwood, very worn floor and everything was in wooden boxes behind what seemed like the biggest counter. Mr Armstrong always had EVERYTHING! The store was within walking distance from our home and closed at 12.00 noon on Saturdays, as everything did back then. Trouble was our Pa used to decide on a Sunday to start a project. Pull out the fire place, take a window out, move the sink, create a big fish pond with a fountain or some other grand plan. Trouble is Jane or I would have to go and knock on Mr Armstrong's door (he lived in our street, lucky for us) on a Sunday arvo and ask if he could open the shop for some urgent part. Mr Armstrong would crankily oblige, mumbling something under his breath...I remember he was so imposing with his leather apron on...but Pa always made good with a ‘case’ of beer to make his interrupted Sunday worthwhile. I thought it was a sad day when these life long family businesses could no longer compete with the corporates and they fell like dominoes...and they had jobs no more... The Keeper
On a sad and tragic note, Gayle from Facebook posted an In Memory of Ukrainian artist Lyubov Panchenko who despite extreme opposition, Lyubov Panchenko dared to celebrate her Ukrainian identity through colorful folk art collages.Tragically, the 84-year-old artist died during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. 1
Lyubov Panchenko (1938-2022) was a revolutionary folk artist who overcame a lifetime of obstacles in pursuit of her work. It began when she enrolled in art school against her family’s wishes and culminated when she died on 30 April 2022, weeks into a hunger strike in protest of Russia’s violent invasion of Ukraine.1
We will be returning soon with a feature post in memory of this remarkable artist.
On a brighter note, our Roving Reporter in Central Victoria sent in this beautiful photo by Klaudio Dadich of a little wattlebird taken in the Dandenong Botanic Gardens at Olinda.
And let us finish the mailbag today with recognition of Jane's remarkable series on Magnificent Mansions which has been enjoyed by so many. From M.B. in Tanzania we learn:
I have visited Schönbrunn, and it was an ecstatic experience. I am naturally anachronistic, and the thought of living in a palace like that filled me with elation. I also enjoyed the fire places in the corners of the rooms, where the servants topped up the fires with wood, from behind the fireplaces, in a narrow internal passageway. The multitudes of small frescoes in some of the rooms, kept my eyes glued to the walls. That should have been my era, my home. . . . was my ultimate conviction! M.B. Tanzania
And Caro in Cape Town added:
As I have visited neither Magnificent mansion in person to experience their splendor, it is difficult to have an informed opinion. Having said that, for me there is little doubt that Versailles takes the cake - if you will pardon the pun on Marie Antoinette and her misquote. However it is very nice to have been introduced to Marie Antoinette's childhood home, so I have enjoyed it from that point of view. Caro
Here are the bookmark links to the two posts being referred to above.
Jane
Jane
Credit
1. dailyartmagazine.com