“It would be so nice if something made sense for a change.” Alice…in Wonderland
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Fine Arts Friday: Being a fledgling naturalist
I’ve written previously that nature studies intimidate me. It’s not that nature intimidates me; I enjoy being in nature — even when nature is a cottonmouth snake. Okay, I don’t necessarily enjoy run-ins with snakes, but it’s interesting! No, my intimidation comes from my lack of knowledge about flora and fauna. I grew up in West […]
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Fine Arts Friday: Wrapping up the Hudson River School
We finish up studying the Hudson River School with two works by different painters. From the Ambleside schedule, we’re looking at Jasper Francis Cropsey. I also chose a painting by Robert Duncanson. We didn’t study Thomas Cole, the founder and most famous of the Hudson River painters because we’ve studied his work previously. Jasper Francis Cropsey […]
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Fine Arts Friday: Lifeskills
This past week, we’ve been cleaning, organizing and painting. The boys haven’t helped with the painting, but the rest of the work has been a family affair. One of the things Charlotte Mason advocated that needs translation to modern times was teaching children handicrafts. We tend to think of handicrafts as just “crafts,” the second […]
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Fine Arts Friday: Thanks a lot, Dickens!
This month’s hymn is “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” a still popular though often altered hymn. You’ll find lovely versions by All Sons & Daughters and Fernando Ortega. I chose a version by Chris Rice because it leaves the second verse intact: Here I’ll raise my Ebenezer; Hither by Thy help I’m come; Of course, […]
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Fine Arts Friday: Hello, Spring.
We spent a much needed afternoon at the Dallas Arboretum after a cold wet winter. The warm temperatures probably won’t be uninterrupted, but they’re here. Fragrant, warm, and beautiful under a soft blue sky. God bless Texas. We’ve finally reached the point where the boys will also sit and draw in their nature journals. […]
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Fine Arts Friday: Frederic Edwin Church
Our next artist from the Hudson River School is Frederic Church. A pupil of Thomas Cole, he bucked the prevailing trend and did not go to Europe to study art. Instead, he went to South America and is one of the best-known painters of South American landscapes. He did eventually go to Europe, but only […]
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Fine Arts Friday: February stuff
Time for new songs for a new month. I’ve pretty much abandoned the Ambleside rotation this month and instead have chosen things that fit with our other studies. For our hymn this month, I chose one to go along with a sermon series our church is doing on revival. The key verse of Psalm 85:6 […]
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art, books, Charlotte Mason, composer studies, folk songs, free stuff, homeschool, hymns, libraries, music, picture study
Fine Arts Friday: Free stuff!
The Getty Publications is offering over 250 art volumes as free downloads. A myriad of topics are covered, from Pieter de Hooch to Ancient Gems and Finger Rings. That got me thinking about other fine arts resources available for free. I feel rather strongly that while information may want to be free and whatnot, violating copyright […]
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Fine Arts Friday: With cannons!
The composer this term is Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, he of the wonderful 1812 Overture. When I lived in the DC area (and before I had children), I never missed an Independence Day on the National Mall. Even though it was written to commemorate Russia’s War with Napoleon, it has come to be associated with our […]
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Fine Arts Friday: Behold! Your country!
Sorry, I get a little excited about our next art adventure: the Hudson River school painters. I have loved Thomas Cole’s Voyage of Life series sent I first set eyes on it, and I enjoy the other artists in this school just as well. The Hudson River School of artists depicted the American landscape through […]
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