Monday Inspiration: Laura Muntz Lyall

Laura Lyall Muntz, A Young Girl Holding Daffodils, (source)

Laura Muntz Lyall, Untitled, 1887, (source)

Laura Muntz Lyall, Interesting Story, 1898, (source)

I had honestly never heard about this woman before- though Interesting Story does seem familiar- it is just the sort of image that gets thrown around for advertising though- tugging at our heartstrings. It makes me think, of course, of my girls, and how I should be painting them, or doing something art related to capture these early glory years, (the photographs seem to sort of have that covered though right?- any kid whose mom has a blog is probably in the running for most documented childhood ever...). Anyhow, before blogging- the artistic childminders painted the little rugrats- and Laura Muntz Lyall was apparently not immune to the cuteness either.  She studied art in Paris at The Academie Colarossi (other Canadian graduates include Emily Carr and Prudence Heward), and painted extensively up until her sister's death- after which she spent most of her time looking after her sister's children, after which she fit in what painting she could, doing the stay at home/artist gig (if it was 2014 she would have had a blog).

Her paintings have a really lovely quality to them- loose, and natural, and almost Pre-Raphealite to me, with their loose patterns, and recurring flowers, models with flowing hair. The light in Interesting Story is really lovely, and it seems so ahead of it's time- much looser than other similar era paintings. I think though- the most interesting thing to me is that she was essentially a mother, who was educated and painted, and that didn't happen too often back then. Women generally gave up family life to paint- they had to choose one or the other- and Muntz Lyall did that- until her sister's death when she took over the responsibility of motherhood and simultaneously tried to 'have it all' much earlier than most women. She took nine years off from painting then began to work again, presumably the exception to the 'if you leave you'll never go back 'rule. Inspiring stuff.

The "Brothers"

Very randomly today- some photos of N with the cat brothers (which is what Nana calls them- and N finds it hilarious- we were never the type to call our cats our babies- but we did have them before kids, and they will sometimes sit up at the table as though expecting lunch served to them- I think they're just hoping one day I'll get so distracted I actually will serve them up there). I'm finding it hard to post  (or take) photos and I think the weather is really getting me down (though the vile green stuff coming out of Baby A's nose is not really photogenic either... so there's that happening too). Anyhow I plan on a few more garden related posts in the coming weeks- kids garden activities and maybe a herb of the week style post too- plus some pottery work in progress posts- just as soon as I have more work in progress- or less nasal congestion- whichever comes first.

Monday Inspiration: Lilias Torrance Newton

Lilias Torrance Newton, Two Little Sisters, 1920 (source)

Lilias Torrance Newton, Elise Kingman, 1930 (source)

Okay- sorry for the week off- we had a heck of a week here- and now are starting this one off with a big round of winter cold virus, I think the worst of it is over now- but there it is- a couple of nights sleeping sitting upright because the baby can't breath properly lying down, and can't nurse and so that means a lot of rocking- plus the already barnacle like behavior of the 1.5 yr old is amplified by feeling crappy, add in the crazy cold temperature outside, and it's enough to drive you bonkers, or into moving to Hawaii. Anyhow On with today's Artist- Lilias Torrance Newton was one of Canada's Premier Portrait painters- her work is phenomenal- rough but so accurate, painterly but still capturing the essence of the sitter- just plain lovely to boot- who wouldn't love one of these hanging on their wall? 

She was very prolific, another member of the Beaver Hall group, and highly esteemed within her lifetime, she painted the Queen, and she painted soldiers during the second world war (it says in her bio at the national gallery that she was an 'Honourary war artist'- which makes me wonder why the honourary?- also I could not find any images of her war work on line). She was basically a dynamo of Canadian Painting- She painted over 300 portraits during her lifetime and she lived a good long while (she died in 1980). 

I was starting to get a little annoyed that one could go through four years of university education in Canada and not actually have heard of her- but then I realized that during my education-unless it was Aboriginal art- we didn't hear of any Canadian Artists, period, maybe someone briefly mentioned the group of seven, but I do mean in passing, and very briefly. I wonder why- but also it gives the chance to remedy it now- so I think I will consciously try to use Canadian artists for my Monday inspirations this year- try to educate myself a little on what went on in this 'Wilderness'. 

(a little hint- if you click on (source) in any of the image captions it will take you to the original place of the image on line- and usually to a lot more info about the artist)

This Moment

{this moment}

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.- Amanda Blake soule

Joining in with Soulemama

Ways we're enjoying winter...

:: Tiny strawberry feet, on tiptoe, no less.
:: Science experiments for pre-schoolers- (from here and here)
:: Playing outside. Briefly, before the windchill warnings start up again.
:: Feeding the birds, there is something so soothing about just sitting out there watching them flit around.
:: Snuggling on the couch, listening to the new words blossoming "Get down", "Noooo" (said oh so sweetly...), "Birdie", "Ball", "Nose", "Mouth", "Eyes", "Hi", "Bye"(said after someone leaves, or after we hang up the phone, of course)
:: More science experiments- this time bending candy canes (which was an excuse to eat candy canes...)
:: Chocolate Croissants, that were devoured in no time, leaving only sticky faces...
::Sour Cream Brownies, and the (almost) empty sour cream container as a treat, my kids eat Butter and Sour Cream like some kids eat candy, is that odd do you think?

Monday Inspiration: Prudence Heward

Prudence Heward, Young Girls, 1945, (source)

Prudence Heward, At the Theater, 1928, (source)

Prudence Heward, Girl in Yellow Sweater, 1936, (source) 

Prudence Heward was a member of the Beaver Hall Group, a group of modernist Canadian painters ion the 1930's. It was really uncommon for women to be considered professional artists those many (short!) years ago, regardless of their skill, or training, most women who made art (painting, pottery, sculpture) were termed 'hobbyists', while men (also regardless of education or talent) were deemed professional. The Beaver Hall group were one of the first that actually included women. What I mean by that is that women were exhibited in galleries right alongside the men of the group as their peers.

It's not as though women weren't artists back then- they still painted- it just took the exceptional one to be considered a peer of the men- Prudence Heward was exceptional- and was asked to exhibit with the Group of Seven. The thing that is so unfair about this to me is that, seemingly, if you were a man- all you had to do is pick up a brush, you might stink, but no one would call you a hobbyist. It's somewhat hard to fathom that as recent as the 1930's  this was the case, there are still women alive who were born when 'good girls' just didn't do that sort of thing- mind boggling.

Anyhow- back the actual art...I love these images- I love the expression on the women- which is almost always somber, self reflecting. I love the luminous quality of their skin, the way the whole thing just seems to radiate inner light. The way that the edges are clean and sharp- but the painting is still so 'painterly'. I also love how they are like a time capsule of their period, there is no way that those images could be deemed timeless, and I think that's a good thing, they are most certainly 'of their period' (funny that last week I talked about how Brancusi's work was so good- because it was not 'of it's period', and now Heward's work is so good because it is. No accounting for taste right?).

This Moment

{this moment}

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.- Amanda Blake Soule

linking up with Soulemama