Sacred Art for the Season

 Last Christmas Eve, Rick and I enjoyed a remarkable art experience when we visited St. John the Evangelist Church in Jackson, Michigan, a small city about 30 miles away from Lansing. It was a temptation to write about it immediately, but the art itself was better fitted to explain during Holy Week, so I held off on this post till now.

 

Christmas Eve was the official "opening" of a magnificent mural at the church's altar. It's enormous -- 32 feet tall and 21 feet wide and was created by local artist Joseph Macklin. Father Chas Canoy told us that it took a year to complete. Jackson is part of Lansing's Archdiocese and its St. John the Evangelist is its oldest church, built in the 1850s and Gothic in style. The mural is a perfect addition, with the style of art and the painting's subject matter fitting the setting.

We Are Exhausted! And It Was Great!

We had a lovely and fun pre-Easter, birthday weekend with the grandboys -- and boy, did they tire us out! To be fair, both of us were running on limited sleep. But it was a fun weekend so no complaints!

 

Our weekend started off watching Michigan State lose to UConn in the Sweet Sixteen. The first half was grim and the boys were in bed by the second. The game ended up much closer than expected from "Act One" and if MSU had played as they did in the second half, they would have made it to at least the Elite Eight. Alas. 

Mural Monday: Old Town (and a tune from Rick!)

A couple of weeks ago, Rick and his musical partner Josh were playing an open mic night in Lansing's Old Town. I wanted to see them perform but after five minutes in an overcrowded room with bad ventilation and practically no one but me in a mask I said, "I'll walk around a bit and try to come back when you think you might be playing" (about an hour later). (You can here it too, at the bottom of this post!)

So, I took a stroll around Old Town, one of my favorite shopping areas. Unfortunately, everything was closed except for one (very lovely) gallery -- the excellent "Absolute Gallery."

Postcards from the Lake: Mural Monday

Whenever I take my walk at the lake, I pass by this cottage. They have quite the mural on their chimney.

Gaylord, MI, where my cottage is located, calls itself the Alpine City. These people went with that motif.

Their last name begins with "P" -- I hope that's not painted on. It would be a shame to lose it if the house ever sold.

They also have a small mural on the side of their garage.

They definitely get into the theme!

The guest house is cute, too, with the lake's bald eagle crowning the door.

The painting is quite nice -- they've really captured this remarkable bird.

Finally, a note -- I took these photos early in the summer. The other day I walked by and saw this.

Looks like it may have been sold to people whose names don't begin with a "P'.

Joining in today with Sami's Mural Monday. Check the link for more fun murals. 

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Monday Mural -- England: Oxford Covered Market

It was our last day in Oxford and we still had a lot to see. One of the spots that had intrigued me was the Oxford Covered Market.

As we walked in we were met with this splash of color.

It was so bright, so cheerful, I felt as though I was falling into it.

And the details were lovely.

It clearly offered a sneak preview of what we would find when we entered! Brightly painted stalls...

...and equally bright fruits, veggies, cakes and blooms.

For more on our visit to Oxford, check it out HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE. Or link using the Paris/England 2018 tab on the menu bar.

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Monday Mural: England's Portobello Road Art Installation

Somehow, during our visit to London's Portobello Road last October, between the thick crowds, we managed to see what I thought was a remarkable mural. Well, maybe not a mural -- more like an art installation that covered a very long wall of the market.

The illustrations were by Fiona Hawthorne and commissioned as public art to celebrate 150 years of the Portobello and Golborne Markets.

Hawthorne captured the feel and energy of the market by sketching her subjects from life in July 2015. Her pen and expressive line-and-wash style captured the traders, vendors, shoppers, market stalls and life of the vibrant marketplace.

Some of the segments are long, black and white panels.

Others reflect the vibrant colors of the market.

I can visualize marketers listening to sidewalk music...

...or pushing their walkers through the crowds.

I have a little more trouble envisioning these two on their bicycle! I love the sketch but if I saw these two coming down Portobello Road on a busy Saturday I'd get out of their way -- assuming they could make it through the thick crowds on a bicycle!

So, while one may or may not call this a mural, I certainly do!

And it's a delightful one at that!

Sharing with: Monday Mural at Sami's Colourful World     

Monday Mural: Greg Oberle's Look at Lansing's Transportation Heritage

Four years ago I wrote THIS POST about a mural our Number One kid, Greg, was doing in Lansing's REO Town, an area that has been in revitalization in recent years. At the time Greg did the original mural, he was 29.

In the intervening years, the building has changed tenants and the new law firm in the space, McClellan and Anderson, wanted some touch-ups and additions to the mural.

Greg was happy to oblige!

The mural covers what was once the side wall of a local grocery store. Its later tenants subdivided the floor space for offices.  Here's a look at it when Greg was starting several years ago. It doesn't show the entire wall but you get the idea. It's big!

Since the earlier tenants were tech-based, the overall theme of the mural included a good deal related to tech.

Greg also focused on one of Michigan's (and Lansing's) key pioneers, R.E. Olds, who invented the Oldsmobile. His other company was REO Motors, which was located in this part of town, a section of Lansing now known as REO Town, which is in the process of revitalization.

 Olds was the first person to use a stationary assembly line in the automotive industry. Henry Ford later used the idea of a moving assembly line to manufacture cars.

So, Olds also played a key part in the mural, as well as the topic of transportation, its past and future.

In the mural, we see a woman in her carriage next to an astronaut, the space traveler.

We note the words of "Back to the Future" character, Doc Brown.

R.E. Olds was also a local philanthropist and a founder of several companies, including one of the area's best-known banks for many years called Michigan National Bank. It was housed in the Olds Tower (1931), still the tallest office building in Lansing (now Boji Tower). Olds was the primary financier of the tower. When completed in 1931 it was, and remains, the tallest office building in Lansing. In Greg's work, an unsightly wall fixture becomes the head of a robot, who is popping out of the top of Boji Tower.

Some detail.

New portions of the mural done this past month include a live look out from the window to capture the new power plant building and towers.

He said he worked "live" for this one, drawing as he looked out the adjacent window.

Over the doorway, Greg added this piece of art done from an original REO advertisement.

The building also has a brick arch that was covered over. Greg added the train roaring through, as though it is a tunnel.

This part was still a bit unfinished when I took the photos. You can see the lines for where the smoke and additional detail is to be added.

Here's a bit of detail, more "head on."

I have to say, that when we take a look at this mural, we're pretty darned proud of this guy!

He's off to L.A. to find life in the art world there. So, if you know anyone who might need a mural (or smaller work!) please pass the word! His portfolio includes several restaurants, CD covers, posters, and more! He's willing to travel to the work, too so don't let location be the issue! You can check out more of Greg's art or follow him on Instagram HERE.

After all, we do want him to be able to eat!

Sharing with:   Sami's Mural Monday    /    Let's Keep In Touch      /   Follow the Yellow Brick Road  /      Best of the Weekend    /     Pink Saturday   

Mural Monday: England: Portobello Road 2

Today for Mural Monday over at Sami's Colourful World we return to Portobello Road Market in London.

I say reach for the stars!

Or for Mona Lisa, at least! Mae, this one is for you!

Sharing today with:  Sami's Colorful World's Mural Monday    

Mural Monday: England -- London's Portobello Road 1

Today I'm joining Sami and all at Colourful World's weekly Mural Monday.

Our visit takes us to London's Portobello Road where this image greeted me from a tall building on the corner of Lancaster and Portobello roads.

As always, I marvel how these are done on such tall buildings and the detail work. Can anyone translate what the characters on her hand mean?

You'll find loads of other mural's over at Sami's Colourful World here so check it out!

Sharing with:  Colourful World's Mural Monday