HAPPY EASTER, HAPPY SPRING ... Vintage Postcards

 After our long and relatively somber pandemic winter we are enthusiastically welcoming Spring!  Here are my greetings to you for a Happy Easter and a Joyful Spring ... via vintage postcards.  To get a close up view of the images, just click on them.

Embossed and airbrushed

Hand-colored real photo postcard

French, hand-colored real photo postcard

Also French, hand-colored real photo postcard

French, hand-colored real photo postcard, but what does "Roomsaid Ulestousmise Puhl" mean?

Happy Easter "silhouette" postcard by the German artist Georg Plischke

Time to get out into the garden!  Another "silhouette" postcard.

A tea party in the garden.  Real photo postcard

Time for the tulips to bloom!  Advertising postcard by the Henry Field Seed Co., Shenandoah, Iowa

"Glad Pingst"-"Swedish for Happy Pentecost"

Pentecost is a Christian festival celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples of Jesus after his Ascension, held on the seventh Sunday after Easter.  I had to look that up!

Adina Sand is the artist of this postcard.

CELEBRATE!

ENGLISH COUNTRY GARDEN - IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR!

Awhile ago I posted a different version of this video but it's time to get excited about Spring and the coming of our beautiful flowers.

Enjoy!

MACY'S FLOWER SHOW 2015: ART IN BLOOM

We have snow on the ground and it's about 34º outside.  What better day could there be to drive Downtown Minneapolis to take in the beauty of the Macy's flower show?!?

The theme of the flower show is "Art in Bloom" with each installment representing a major movement in art history such as classical art or pop art.   This sculpture of David greets visitors as they enter the show.  Psychedelic colored lights, shining on the statue, created a fascinating introduction to the show.

Notice the changing lights.

Shown below is the Post-Impressionist Garden.

Notice in the very large installment below the flowers beneath the sheer fabric.  A number of paintings from the great Masters were projected onto the fabric.   This was the Renaissance Garden.

The piece below reminds me of the works of Joan Miro.

Below is shown the Abstract Garden.

The floral selection complements this "Piet Mondrian" piece, below, perfectly!  The gardens in the photo above and below are both part of the Modern Garden.

There were a number of installments that were reminiscent of Dale Chihuly's glass works.

Below is the Kinetic Garden.

The amaryllis in this photo appears to be floating.  In fact, there are mirrors which create interesting illusions.

Below is the Art Nouveau Garden.

ENGLISH COUNTRY GARDEN VIDEO

TURN ON YOUR SOUND AND CLICK ON THE VIDEO BELOW, ENLARGE THE VIEW, AND DELETE THE AD.  IT IS SO LOVELY!!

HALLOWEEN PUMPKINS

Ray Villafane sculpts pumpkins.  Perhaps you've seen some of them as they arrive in your email box from friends.   Check out more of his carvings on his Facebook page.

Villafane is an American artist based in Arizona.   According to Wikipedia:  "In 2007 Villafane was contacted by High Noon Entertainment and asked to participate in the Food Network's Challenge Show for a segment called "Outrageous Pumpkins". He competed against three other professional pumpkin sculptors and won all three rounds to receive the grand prize.  The Food Network contacted Villafane again in 2009 to come back to the show and defend his title. He was also the grand prize winner for the "Outrageous Pumpkin Challenge II".  In 2011, he carved the world's biggest pumpkin to resemble zombies.  He also provided pumpkins for Heidi Klum's annual Halloween party in Sin City in 2011."

DALE CHIHULY GARDEN & GLASS EXHIBIT - SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

 My first exposure to Dale Chihuly's artwork was at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts where his very large yellow chandelier hangs in the foyer.  Since then I have seen his pieces in museums and galleries around the world, including the large installation hanging from the ceiling of the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas.  Called "Fiori di Como," the installation represents Chihuly's interpretation of Italian flowers in the Spring.   In planning our recent trip to Seattle, seeing the Chihuly garden was number one on my list of must-do activities.

Here is a little introduction to the artist.  Chihuly first began to work with glass in the 1960’s.  Inspired by what he saw in the natural environment, he focused on allowing molten glass to take on its own organic shape, much like plants do in nature.  Over time, he also became intrigued with glass houses and conservatories which were almost entirely constructed of hand-blown glass; and he began putting together installations in conservatories around the world.  His pieces grew in size and complexity, with some sculptures being comprised of up to one thousand pieces of blown glass.  He found that glass can be very strong and able to withstand harsh weather, and began installing pieces in gardens of all types.  All of this led to Chihuly creating his own glass conservatory and gardens, the Chihuly Garden and Glass Exhibit which opened in 2012, located in the Seattle Center, at the base of the Space Needle.  

These first two photos are of Chihuly's "Persian Ceiling."  A flat glass pane is piled with glass works and lit from above.  This is a large room and stunningly beautiful.

An automobile accident in England in 1976 left Chihuly without sight in his left eye.  In 1979 he turned over the gaffer position (master glassblower) to a team whom he directs.  Drawing is one of his means to communicate his artistic vision for the glass pieces.

This installation filled a large room in the museum.

 The following three photos show the 100' long sculpture suspended from the ceiling of Chihuly's Glass House.  In the second photo, the Seattle Space Needle is visible.

A view of the hanging installation from the garden.

The following photos were taken in the gardens surrounding the Glass House.  Notice how seamlessly the glass installations fit in and compliment the natural gardens.