Monster in the Adriatic Sea

Dear Art-loving friend,

     Last Saturday evening, I was walking along the coast in Umag, Croatia.  This night, I chose to walk beyond the old town (south).  I have not explored much of this area since it is rather cold outside and I have so much work to do.  However, sanity dictates some outdoor time!

     Most people here do not seem to pay much attention to me.  I imagine that it is easy to see that I am a foreigner and alone.  I have not made much of an effort yet either, especially during family holiday time.  So, when I saw a man pass by me, cutting through various buildings, obviously knowing where he was going, I was surprised to notice him later on my walk.  He was half sitting, half leaning against a building near the sea.  I wanted to photograph him there, his dark clothing against light blue walls, but I felt shy and decided against it.

     However, I was a bit curious.  Just before I noticed him there, I saw this container of raw food set by the edge of the sea wall.  It looked fresh, but no one was about.  Why is this here, I wondered.  Did he just leave this here?  Because it was dusk, it was easy for my imagination to take over.  I decided that this may be an offering to some sea monster that crawls out of the Adriatic each evening.  Times were changing and even the beast had to be aware of the economic crisis going on in these parts.  Hopefully, this offering is less work than stealing and eating babies.  I even imagined that the white lights outlining the bell tower of the local duomo (cathedral) signified, not the winter festivals and celebrations, but the time of the feedings.

     Istria is the area which claims to have had the first vampire, Jure Grando, after all.    

[Thank you, Željka for that little tidbit!  Haha]

     This side of the Old Town has a gradual incline of a rocky beach to arrive to shore.  On the north side, the sea walls make sure the water is deep enough for the boats to dock.  Perhaps I was on to something!  However, I sat down on the ramp that led under the water, thinking, waiting, photographing.  When I stood up again, the man was gone and I was alone in the growing darkness. 

     I was also starting to get cold.  When I left Italia, I packed as I usually do:  More art materials, cameras, and computers than clothing and personal items.  On my walks, I have been losing feeling in my feet, so … it was time to start walking again. Still, dusk arrived.  The sea remained peaceful.   

     As I walked along the sea edge around the Old Town, I saw few people.  Mostly one or two working for the few restaurants that were open this time of year.  No one seemed to look in the direction of the offering.  Hmm, well, that does not DISPROVE my theory, does it?

     I turned the corner and saw a nearly full moon rising . . .  

++++

     If you are enjoying this blog, or the wandering imagination of a girl in Croatia who apparently sees trash in an unusual way, feel free to help the adventure continue by sharing these posts with someone who may also enjoy them and/or donating.  You may do so via PayPal (contact me if you prefer another method) on the right hand column on the online version of this blog:  http://artbyborsheim.blogspot.com

Thank you for your interest and enthusiasm,

Kelly 

~ Kelly Borsheim, sculptor, painter, writer, teacher

http://BorsheimArts.com

Happy New Year Buon Anno

Dear Art-loving friend,

Here are some images of my freezing walk out to the Old Town in Umag, Croatia, to ring in my new year.  I wish you a year (and more!) of abundance in energy, interesting thoughts, and working towards your dream while helping others when you can.  Enjoy these images, for I must return to my disegno [Italian word meaning ‘design’ and ‘drawing.’ I like it that they do not distinguish the two concepts].

Can you see the Constellation Orion in the upper left?  Lovely.

New Years Eve Lascivious Sculpture

Dear Art-loving friend,

     In 2009 I began a tradition for this blog.  With the idea of living closer to the Earth, more Natural, as it were, I decided to celebrate the coming of a new year with an NYE blog post featuring naughty art; art forms not unlike some of the art you might see in Pompeii, Italy.  Many consider Pompeii to be full of erotic art, and fair enough.  Those Italians thought of a male erection as a sign of prosperity and fertility, i.e., a wondrous event to celebrate and enjoy the fruits or gifts the gods have given us.  Their homes often featured at the entrance a mosaic of some incredibly endowed human of the male persuasion.  It was not considered obscene.  It was seen as a welcoming wish for prosperity and abundance.

     I suspect that most figurative artists, at least, create some erotic art at some point in their lives.  I can say that safely since eroticism is quite personal and thus, the boundaries blurred for some people.  I suppose anything goes with just the right audience.

     In any event, I feel that I have been slacking off over the last several years in this particular genre. I had hoped to create at least one piece of intentionally erotic each year.  I have a few pieces in the works, but to be honest, I am trying to make my work at bit more … hmm.. subtle is not the word, GRAND?  but you will just have to wait and see for yourself.

     While I was visiting the Carusi Studios of marble carving in Carrara back in November, I saw a marble sculpture outside from an unknown artist.  Many artists use their studio space (the Carusi no doubt know, but I forgot to ask and today is the sharing day…)  I will admit that for all of the putti or just babies in art that I have seen, these two kinda gave me the creeps.  I think of them as the “lascivious babies” because seriously, have you ever seen such a passionate, sexy kiss between young ones?

    

I know that children enjoy mimicking adults, but these two seem far too young for that.  So, what is up?  However, the work is beautifully executed and also, the large belly of the baby girl made me think of how some artworks tell stories in that they show something of the past, present, and future in the same artwork.  Sometimes that means depicting a couple in the foreground (usually representing the present time) and then repeating them in the background (future and/or past, depending on where they are located in the painting, for example).  The big belly here serves to remind us that “one thing leads to another.”  This is not unlike the common placement in the US of the sexy lingerie shops existing RIGHT NEXT to the maternity stores.

     So. . . um, enjoy (?) these kissing babies.  Maybe even creepy romance is still better than war.  And let us work to make 2015 a year of peace and love and tons of fun!

Thank you for your interest and enthusiasm,

Kelly

~ Kelly Borsheim, sculptor, painter, writer, teacher

http://BorsheimArts.com

Umag Croatia

Dear Art-loving friend,

     So, in order to remain legal with the Italian government, I have now relocated to Croatia.  Umag, to be exact, is a city by the sea in a region called Istria.  It is not very far from Trieste, Italy, and in Istria, many people speak Italian.  Some, I am finding out, also speak English.  As of this writing Croatia is a part of the European Union (EU), but not yet a part of Schengen Territories.  It is that latter that concerns me. Croatia expects to become a part of Schengen around mid-2015, so I am lucky that for now, I have Croatia as a solution to my escaping Schengen for 90 days.

     I am thus far enjoying being in a place in which I know so few, and yet feel fortunate that my new landlady and her family have been wonderfully kind to me, especially in inviting me to share Christmas Eve with them.  Umag has a lovely harbor and old town, which I hope to explore more as I get over the cold that I acquired in Florence not so long ago.  I am mostly over it, but I tend to hang onto those sort of things longer when I do not take them seriously and start getting too active when I am still fighting the virus. 

     Anyway, here are some of the images I have shot thus far.. I hope you enjoy the serenity in them.

This is what is left of an old Roman gate; now a "sculpture" gracing the front of City Hall, Umag.

 These that follow I took during the sunset of the Solstice.  I love Nature's holidays:  One of the few sunny days here recently:

My Christmas Eve... with landlady Miranda and her family.. Isn't she adorable?  Hard-working too:

Tons of lanterns were lit before their fires lifted them above the old town (the church is outlined in lights.

     And in case you missed my recent art newsletter about Carrara and BLIND stone carvers, please click here:

http://www.borsheimarts.com/news/2014_12_ArtNews-CarraraBlindStoneCarvers.htm

Thank you.

++++

     If you are enjoying this blog, the writing and/or the images, you may help keep it coming by supporting the blog… make a donation on the blog itself (in euro or dollars, via PayPal links on this blog site.  Or click on my affiliate link to Amazon.com and as you buy for yourself, Amazon will thank me a wee bit.  A third way you may help is to forward this blog to someone you think may appreciate it.  The more readers, the more comments online, and wallah… lovers of art and Italy [and Croatia] unite.

http://artbyborsheim.blogspot.com

Thank you for your interest and enthusiasm,

Kelly 

~ Kelly Borsheim, sculptor, painter, writer, teacher

http://BorsheimArts.com