Bold & Determined— At the West End Gallery
“The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance. The wise grows it under his feet.”
―
One of the benefits of writing this blog is that it often allows me to find out more about people and things that might otherwise have gone unnoticed by me. Granted, a lot of this stuff is just trivial knowledge that doesn’t hold much importance for most folks.
But I like it and figure I can’t hurt anyone by throwing out these little bits of info every so often.
Take for example the aphorism at the top. I came across it and liked what it said and felt that it paired well with the new painting shown here, Bold & Determined. The idea of making the most of what is at hand, of seeing the native richness and beauty in one’s surroundings is a theme that runs through my work. I think this new piece is strong and fits into that vein of thought perfectly.
The author of that short bit of truth was James Oppenheim, a name that was not on my radar. Looking him up, I found that he was an American author/poet who was born in Minnesota in 1882 and died in New York City in 1932. I found it interesting that he had published several novels, founded an influential literary magazine of he early 20th century, The Seven Arts, and was an early follower of Carl Jung.
He also wrote a popular poem, Bread and Roses, whose title echoed a slogan of the women’s and labor rights movements at that time. In 1912, it was attached to the famous Lawrence, Massachusetts textile mill strike and set to music, becoming one of the most enduring songs of the labor movement. I have included a version below from Joan Baez and her sister, Mimi Farina, who recorded a prominent version of the song.
So, a new bit of trivial knowledge enters the system this morning. I am sure there’s more than enough room in there for James Oppenheim. If not, hopefully it will push out some of the crappy songs from the 1970’s that somehow have hung on in there after all this time. Like a fungus.
Hello, James Oppenheim– goodbye, Afternoon Delight. And take Muskrat Love with you, too!
Redtree Times 