Posts Tagged ‘2020’
Diving into 2021
The turmoil and tumults of the too many tragedies during 2020 will hopefully dissipate during 2021. In Turbulence and Among Fractures, Life Goes On, recently completed, sums up my year, one thankfully tempered by residing in the sublime beauty of Maine. Copyright © 2020 Joanne Tarlin Joanne TarlinJoanne Tarlin paints atmospheric, abstract, and…
Read MoreReverence
I wrote “Reverence” several years ago to commemorate the aftermath of a fire that gutted the First Baptist Church in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. Given our current tragic loss and a longing for what was, the piece has just as much significance for me today. Our lives have been ravaged by a viral fire, one that…
Read MorePainting My Way Out
I’m continuing to paint through my quarantine, hopeful that the vaccine will give me the keys to freedom in the new year. Here’s another sampling of pieces from previous days. Day 180 Conformity is a modern suburban landscape I painted to celebrate my stint of sheltering-in-place. Day 195 Double Dutch. The simple joys of childhood…
Read MoreTensions
Archeologists often assemble ancient stones to tell a story of a civilization past. What will they tell of our empire? Will there be anything left to piece together? I like to think about the rise and fall of ancient societies. What secrets can we learn from the ruins of old cities? In the past, pandemics…
Read MoreAvinu Avinu Avinu #2
I find myself playing familiar music. This putting old wine in newish bottles is expressing something important for me as we weather the turbulence of the transition. Makes me wonder, what is it that remains true while we respond to so much evidence of challenge and division in our society? I rest in the music while…
Read MoreTenacity
This video post began with one of my composite/abstracted images of desert and sky, called Tenacity. Motion designer Luis Socorro help bring the piece it to life, adding a cosmic touch to the composition. We are a tenacious lot. Be well and be safe! Copyright © 2020 Steve Bennett Steve BennettSteve Bennett is…
Read MoreLike No Christmas Eve Past
For years, I’ve taken a walk at dusk on Christmas Eve. This afternoon’s ritual trek through Cambridge and Somerville, MA was a stark reminder of how surreal the world has become. There was no trace of the festive energy that usually marks this time of the year, and few hints that I was passing through…
Read MorePurple and Green
In 2020, my studio became the only place I could escape the stress of the pandemic. I’d paint joy for hours, often beach cottages and sweeping ocean views. I’d forget about the troubled world outside my door. Then came the George Floyd murder in late May. My emotional response drew me back to my studio…
Read MoreThey Never Lose Optimism
Five years ago, I started a project called “The Italians,” which is about street portraits in my home town, Lucca, and in Florence, Pisa, and Livorno. Then the coronavirus came along and the project stalled—people were disappearing from the streets; many have died. Poverty and poor governance have made the situation terrible. These images are…
Read MoreOf Covid-19 and Enchiladas
Imagine yourself, just for a moment, unable to move your head, arms, or legs. Your speech barely audible. You lie on your bed in a sweat and your breathing is labored. You can’t call out for help. Have you ever had such a nightmare? If you have, you are lucky. It was just a dream. For my…
Read More