Rhoda Sherbell

IN A SOCIETY that lavishly and indiscriminately bestows celebrity on the basis of an outlandish haircut, number of arrests, or of having the most children out of wedlock from the widest variety of men, it is indeed refreshing to see someone of genuine genius and accomplishment receiving tribute from her peers. I am speaking of The National Association of Women Artists, Inc.'s (N.A.W.A) latest honoree, Rhoda Sherbell, a painter/sculptor whose life and work I have long admired. N.A.W.A has a long and distinguished career of championing women artists (both emerging and acclaimed) in its 124-yearlong history. From its inception in 1892, N.A.W.A. has been supporting, celebrating and honoring women artists, first as “The Woman’s Art Club” and on through its several manifestations as the “National Association of Women Painters and Sculptors" (1917) and, finally, the "National Association of Women Artists, Inc." (1941). (see essay)

Cornelia Seckel at the Oyster Shucking Competition

When we arrived in Boothbay Harbor, Maine to spend a few days with our friends from Berlin, Germany Jacky & Jörg. I had decided that this would really be a “time off”. Well that didn’t last that long as I became immersed in the festivities of the 40th Annual Fishermen’s Festival which culminated with the Blessing of the Fleet. …The idea is to celebrate the commercial fishermen: to honor and bless them, as they are the center of the community. These festivals are very much community-based, often with only visitors from nearby communities — we were just fortunate to be there.(see essay)

Jessye Norman

Norman sings like she lives varied, dramatic, thoughtful and exuberant.  Besides her impressive stature, musical accomplishments she serves on a half dozen boards such as The New York Public Library, The Elton John Aids Foundation, NYC Meals on Wheels and the Lupus Foundation.  She started a music school in her hometown of Augusta, Georgia where students can study for free. A supporter of same sex marriage, Norman has openly presented her thoughts about religious groups who oppose the concept saying, “It’s an oxymoron since all religion is about love and acceptance.” But the part of her that I find most charming is her paradoxical girlish zeal in her support of the Girl Scouts of America.  A life long member, she sells a couple thousand boxes of cookies each year. (see essay)

There are still those annoying purists around who will tell you that the only way to appreciate a film is to see it as at was originally intended to be seen: you know, in a darkened theater, surrounded by an audience awed by the enormous images projected by a light shining on a screen before them.  Well sir, those fusspots are completely out-of-date. You see, we’ve pretty evolved culturally to the point that we don’t need to see a film in the original.  Original hardly exists any more, all have been digitalized and shrunk to a convenient size that may be played on any small screen in the comfort and seclusion of your own home, or for that matter, while driving along a busy highway. …….(See essay)

ART, LIKE DANCE, music, and the spoken or written word, is a means of human expression, a "way" for one human to transmit a "message" to other human beings. As music (sound), stimulates us through the ear, or language (words written and spoken), stimulates the intellect, art, or image-making, "appeals" to the eye and, like the other means of expression, has its own "vocabulary", its own "grammatical " rules to insure clarity of understanding. And, as each language "grammar" — for example, that of Latin, English, Hungarian, or whatever — differs, so also do the different "schools", "styles", or "-isms" of art vary accordingly. .…… (See essay)

Cornelia Seckel along the River Walk in San Antonio Texas

San Antonio has many offerings for their residents and visitors including: universities & colleges, historic sites, museums including two Smithsonian affiliates and the National Center for Latino arts, parks & recreation areas, restaurants, markets, theaters, Southwest School of Art, performances, music. It is the seventh-largest and third-fastest growing city in the U.S and hosts over 25 million visitors a year and has the largest collection of Spanish colonial architecture in North America, including five 18th century missions and the oldest cathedral sanctuary in the U.S. (see essay)

Essays published in April online

Click here to view the Spring 2013 print issue