THE ARTIST NO ONE KNEW

The Secret Photographic Art of Vivian Maier 

photographs found in a box by an unknown photographer, the lost talent of Vivian Maierr  

Vivian with her Rolleiflex 

There is many a fascinating hidden story in art history, but this is one of the best I have run across.  An unknown photographer discovered after her death by the discovery of a lost box of negatives. 

A treasure of art was found. Vivian  was  an intensely private individual who did not share her art with anyone. She wandered through her neighborhood with her Rolleiflex taking pictures that captured her attention.  The people seem to be looking directly at her, but the double lens of the handheld camera can make one think it is not really aimed at a person.  So they may never have been aware their picture was being taken. She captures the essence of humanness and a wonderful honesty of life. She took over 100,000 photo's in Chicago and in her travels. Why she did not share her art we may never know, but when she died at 83 she left us a wonderful gift that  could have gone undiscovered, but for the curiosity of a man who found a box and bought it at an auction for $400 not knowing what was inside!   

Vivian Maier 

Vivian Maier was a nanny who took care of other peoples children and had none of her own. She lived alone and kept to herself except for her journeys in her surrounded area and travels with her camera.  Toward the end of her life three of the children she had taken care of in turn pooled together and took care of her, getting her an apartment and helping to support her. They were never aware of her lockers of 100'000 negatives she had amassed over the years.  After her death some of her goods and lockers were sold at auction.  A historian bid on a box that he bought unseen and didn't know what was inside. To his surprise his $400 dollars bought an art collection by an undiscovered unrecognized master of American photography.

Vivian Maier/Street Photographer

The work of Vivian Maier                                                                                             from google for education purposes only

An artist cannot fail; it is a success to be one.

Charles Horton Cooley 

Art is an Integral Part of a Society and Culture

There are some cultures where there is no word for art because it is such an integral part of everyday life.

Cobb Oven 

Local South Carolina Clay and Rock 

 For our ancestors it was certainly that way.  We do not have to look very far back in our past to know this is true.  During the time I have been my Asheville studio this summer I am surrounded by fine crafts everywhere I go.  Asheville is a virtual center of fine craftsmen.  Not only Asheville, but the highland areas of the Blue Ridge and Smokies.  Clay and a variety of hardwoods are readily available here.  It is not difficult to raise sheep and Alpaca for wools to weave and knit clothing with.  Making pottery was an essential function of a village or town in earlier centuries with no factories to mass produce goods.  When I was teaching young children art I would often try to get them to think about why people made what they made and why they used what they used to make it with.  Children understand things that are explained to them in a simple way at a level that make sense to them.  When I explained why the aborigines of Australia used black,white, browns and ochres..they understood, that that was what was available, what was around them. The white aborigines used was naturally occurring chalks in the environment, clay in the ground, and black made from the coals of fire.  Nor was it hard to explain to children why they made dream world pictures or X-ray drawings (something children do naturally).  So here in the Blue Ridge and much of the Eastern United States clay, wood, and wools are easily found. 

Local South Carolina Stone is good for building ovens,
fences and houses

 Pots were made for cooking, wood was turned or bent for bowls and furniture, wools and cottons for clothing, iron worked for hinges and horses shoes.  Since things were not mass produced but made by the individual creativity and skill entered into the picture.  

MAKING YOUR OWN OVEN

Local Clay mixed with sand and straw shaped into a dome shape.
Aaron and Susan with friends took their shoes off and barefoot stomped clay and straw together.
With a little wine and friends all it can actually be more fun than work.

We have been removed from living with our arts closely in the same way as our ancestors, functional arts that is.  There is a resurgence among younger generations to bring back arts that were a functional part of everyday life and to return to a simpler life of growing and harvesting their own food sources.  As our food supply becomes less trustworthy people are turning to other
alternatives. 

Susan sets the table as we get ready to sit down for meal made from their garden cooked in their handmade Cobb oven. Growing your own food and making your yard a productive garden no matter where you live is a growing trend.Living simpler, depending more on your own resources and local sources is another developing practice.It is all healthier for us, better for the community and the planet.

 Recently I spent an evening with my nephew Aaron and his wife, Susan.  I thought you might be interested in an up close look at two young people who are choosing to live closer to the land, depend more on themselves, and looking at how all this brings art back into an integral part of living. Aaron and Susan also write a blog/newsletter about their experiences that is well worth your while to check out and join!  It is Tyrant Farms.(just click for link)

Now a couple of hours later the fire is hot and the oven almost ready

PIZZA WITH GARDEN VEGGIES AND COOKED IN HOMEMADE COBB OVEN

  

FRESH CAUGHT TROUT VIA COBB OVEN

Hard woods burn best 

Starting  about three hours before cooking, building up the fire and heat
can create a really hot fire over 1000 degrees.

A GARDEN IN THE SUBURBS! 

I love this photo because it shows the driveway, car, and neighborhood behind the beans growing in the garden!

edible flowers

Squash peaking out

starting seeds from plant blocks

Pumpkin and pumpkin seeds coming soon!

The Methane Gas that brought artists to the mountains.

EnergyXchange is a non profit organization that uses methane gas from   the land fill it sit on. The gas is piped in from the field below. Following are  photo's of two artist in residency. A three year residency is offered by review of a panel of judges.  Artists from all over the USA apply and then a selection process narrows them down to to the selectees. 

 The idea was born of   several   companies that were ecologically concerned, joining  together to find a way to use methane gas that is a by prouduct  in land fills.  The companies decided they wanted to use this energy in a way that would help sustain a community and bring artists into the areas. It has achieved both and been an active agent of change for the community.

Pottery Artist in Residence

 They formulated a  program that would offer  three year residencies to artist that would work on site and teach classes. The program has been very successful. The two artists below are just finishing up their program.  One is buying a house in the area and does  not want to leave the area.  She says the sense of community is so strong among the artists in the area.                              

Potter's Studio sits along side Glass Studio and Plant Nursery Buildings 

Glass blowing studio uses methane gas for hot shop

Glass Art from glass studio

Potter in residence

Finished work in the Potters Studio

A program of growing native plants to be shared in the community is also part of this program.  There are three hot houses that grow native plants.  Some plants are to help farmers whose business revives around growing Christmas trees.  

ART RIDDLE

WHAT DO A LANDFILL, METHANE GAS AND ART HAVE TO DO WITH EACH OTHER?

Tune in for tomorrow's post to find out!

The Face of Pure Enjoyment

THERE IS A PURE JOY THAT ART BRINGS TO THE SOUL THAT IS HARD TO PUT INTO WORDS.  ONE CAN SEE IT REFLECTED IN THE FACE LIKE A MIRROR TO THE SOUL.

       BEAUTY                           APPRECIATION               
               AMAZEMENT                 JOY   

On the Leicester Open Studio tour Ann listens and watches Rachel Clearfield tell her story of how she came to painting  and the mountains of the Blue Ridge.  You can see the pure joy and love of art in Ann's face.

MUSIC AND ART SHINE AT OUR LAST STOP

We heard about this last stop at lunch. Our tour included a special stop at The Turkey Creek Dinner where we had a wonderful meal and discount coupon included on our tour map!  We had wonderful country meal and heard the buzz about a must see place.  We heard it was a straw and bale house and even had a chandelier in the bathroom.  This road was even more of a challenge than the ones before, it was one lane with high hedges, just like in the English countryside.  

It turns out Rachel Clearfield is 

from England and from a very artistic family.  Both of her parents were artist, and many of her siblings are well known artists in England. Rachel's work is exquisite and magical.  She paints flowers, landscapes and still life.  I would call her work realistic, but it seems magical realism, rather than photographic real.  The house was charming.  She and her husband Ron built the straw and bale house themselves.  They also made mosaic floors, counters, and shower walls themselves.  They found the marble in a landfill and paid $25 a load!!  The house is filled with English Cottage style charm.  It is warm, cozy and delightful. 

Reclaimed Landfilled Marble Mosaic 

Mosaic Behind Wood Burning Stoe 

Breathtaking view on the Kitchen Deck

Rental Lodge living and Dinning Room

Cottage Bedroom

Cottage Shower with Chandelier 

A White Horse Outside Your Cottage Window

Ron is a cello player and has played with the Miami Symphony, Jacksonville and Atlanta Symphonies.  He is now producing and selling his own wonderful cds.  He has one on silence and one on healing that I love and plan to buy soon.  

Open Studio Next Stop, Here we are! Three Artists Showing Together.

JEWELRY MAKER  Amy Brandenburg

 HEALING ARTS and POTTERY 
ANITA WALLING

FIBER ARTS    June Hawkins