Delivered the two paintings to Soheir Osman at the Faculty of Applied Arts at Helwan University. Their International Festival is Monday, Dec. 21st, the Winter Solstice. She liked these paintings a lot. Met another artist,Dr. Mostafa Kamal. Will visit his new art school in 6 October city soon.
Yesterday, the 17th of December was noteworthy for being the Roman Saturnalia and the sunset start of the Islamic New Year. As far as the New Year here in Cairo, I was told by Ali (the IT guy at Fulbright) - he had come to work on my wireless - he said people eat meat. What? OK at iftar (the breaking of the fast at each Ramadan day or else the Eid - people eat meat especially the common people. Rich people eat meat a lot and Copts each pork. My sister Liz, does turkey AND ham on Christmas day and a rib roast on Christmas Eve if she can afford. I'll say, rib roast and beef tenderloin cost a lot. I'll be missing Peggy's awesome beef tenderloin with reduced port sauce and the scalloped potatoes with mushrooms.
"The Islamic New Year is a cultural event which Muslims observe on the first day of Muharram, the first month in the Islamic calendar. Many Muslims use the day to remember the significance of this month, and the Hijra, or migration, Islamic prophet Muhammad made it to the city now known as Medina. Recently, in many areas of Muslim population, people have begun exchanging cards and gifts on this day, though this is not commonly done. For Shia Muslims, Muharram is the month grief and sorrow because they mourn the death of Imam Hussain and his companions on the day of Ashura.
Ras as-Sana (Arabic: رأس السنة ) is the Islamic celebration of the new Hijri year. The term is similarly used in the Arabic language to mark the start of the new Gregorian year. The word literally means "Head of the year," and is cognate to the Hebrew term Rosh Hashanah. Since the Islamic lunar calendar year is 11 to 12 days shorter than the solar year, Muharram migrates throughout the seasons."
I made brownies today from a Betty Crocker mix -it was easier than homemade though we do have the ingredients to make Christmas cookies with brown suger, flour, eggs, spices, chocolate chips both milk and semi sweet and walnuts. I even found a molasses brown sugar so Dominique can try to make gingebreak cookies.
Today, I stayed at home and made some necklaces - well, as far as I could get without the necessary technique to finish them off. I spent all afternoon at the Khan el Khalili armed with my business cards for the Bedouin Shop to see Ahmed. I bought the most magnificent vintage Mosque lamp with colored glassw inserted so when the light shines through, it is gorgeous. I bought some beads and some more Bedouin stuff from Nasser brothers - he has a picture of himself with the Queen of Spain on the back wall. Tiny store. Had tea at the Pancake House and waited for traffice to die down around 7 pm.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
New Abstract paintings completed
Picked up my two paintings, framed and adhered to the foam core board today from Mr. Helmy, aka, the Framer, on Yehia Ibrahim Street in Zamalek. I had to put the four freshly painted portraits on the one and add some calligraphy and color to it as well. Just tweaked the first one and got rid of the black line beneath the Bedouin portraits at the bottom of the painting. I'm posting the photos of the paintings as well as the el Nafeza paper paintings of the Bedouin woman and children. I figured since the paintings are based on a rusty door that I saw in Al Arish in north Sinai, that Bedouin women and children were appropriate portraits to add. Also, I did a little Arabic calligraphy. Thought I was spelling Bedouin door and Mother and children but also blurred those lines with paint. The door was rusty with layers of black, white, blue and yellow paint. I'm pretty happy with it and hope that my audience likes it as well. It's for an International Group Show at the Opera House probably Al Bab Gallery next to the Modern Art Museum again.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Cocktails on Jamie's Houseboat
Sunday, yesterday, Karl, Joelle and I were invited to Jamie's houseboat in Kit Kat, Imbaba, Cairo. Just past the Zamalek bridge, is Jamie's rental - it is very rare for anyone to get one of these as they belong to families who might come to visit a few months out of the year like the Sudanese family who own his and live in the U.S. Jamie's apartment is the upper floor of a two apartment houseboat. His is enviable - he has a very large covered patio space with a two bedroom, two bath, living room, dining area, kitchen and a wrap around porch. Everything, one desires in houseboat living. True, it does get cold in the winter and there is no air conditioning but he does have a TV - it came furnished too and has internet access. His beds look as if they can sleep three people each, he says five but the Brits get cozier than Americans. Our king sized beds are only for two.
I took lots of pictures and will be there again, as he invited us for a New Year's Eve party with about 30 people. I was hoping for a good invitation - I'll bring Carla as she will be with me from that time. Jamie has worked for Oxfam for the last 17 years and is just about ready to turn over his directorship - he officially stopped working for them but wants to pass on the baton so that his replacement is properly trained.
After plied with many glasses of beer, we staggered off to get to our party in Zamalek at the Lohof's. I was worried about my inebriation but apparently, others were feeling as happy as I was. We had to say au revoir to Karl last night as he was leaving early this morning to get back to Alexandria by train. He was such a good house guest - loved our conversations. I would love to find someone as nice but he is taken. We both have to leave Cairo on the 17th of January so he will probably spend his last day or two back at our place.
Will add more soon
I took lots of pictures and will be there again, as he invited us for a New Year's Eve party with about 30 people. I was hoping for a good invitation - I'll bring Carla as she will be with me from that time. Jamie has worked for Oxfam for the last 17 years and is just about ready to turn over his directorship - he officially stopped working for them but wants to pass on the baton so that his replacement is properly trained.
After plied with many glasses of beer, we staggered off to get to our party in Zamalek at the Lohof's. I was worried about my inebriation but apparently, others were feeling as happy as I was. We had to say au revoir to Karl last night as he was leaving early this morning to get back to Alexandria by train. He was such a good house guest - loved our conversations. I would love to find someone as nice but he is taken. We both have to leave Cairo on the 17th of January so he will probably spend his last day or two back at our place.
Will add more soon
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Bedouin trinkets at Atef Wassef
Without too much trouble, I managed to get to the silversmith's store - Atef Wassef. Mona, the owner and pharmacist of Nefertari Cosmetics had told me about this store. Her jewelry is so gorgeous that I am going to try to copy the coral and silver necklace she was wearing when I met her. Atef Wassef is located downtown at 54, Kaleq Sarwat Street perpendicular to the Corniche and near the Nasser Metro stop. The store is colorfully painted on its exterior, pink, blue and white in arabesques. The store is huge, two life sized bronze horses in the front part of the store.
Mona, a new Egyptian friend I met in the White Desert and owner/entrepeneur of Neferari Cosmetics told me about Atef Wassef, whose store is downtown. He had two big baskets full of all kinds of Bedouin belts, necklaces, bits and pieces. As I and two assistants pawed through the piles, my hands turned black with tarnish. Bedouin pieces are usually 60% silver (which makes them cheaper per gram to buy around 3.5 LE). Right now I am wearing a wonderful ring with an intaglio horse carved carnelian stone with tiny turquoise stones on the sides. It could be from Turkestan (Afghanistan). For a heavy sack of things, it came to 1765 LE around $300. I have enough to make about 10-12 necklaces as I concentrated on buying pendants though I did purchase some earrings too. They are generally called zar pendants - meant to protect the wearer and attached not to the earlobe, but to a Bedouin woman, attached to her head scarf near her ears.
Mona, a new Egyptian friend I met in the White Desert and owner/entrepeneur of Neferari Cosmetics told me about Atef Wassef, whose store is downtown. He had two big baskets full of all kinds of Bedouin belts, necklaces, bits and pieces. As I and two assistants pawed through the piles, my hands turned black with tarnish. Bedouin pieces are usually 60% silver (which makes them cheaper per gram to buy around 3.5 LE). Right now I am wearing a wonderful ring with an intaglio horse carved carnelian stone with tiny turquoise stones on the sides. It could be from Turkestan (Afghanistan). For a heavy sack of things, it came to 1765 LE around $300. I have enough to make about 10-12 necklaces as I concentrated on buying pendants though I did purchase some earrings too. They are generally called zar pendants - meant to protect the wearer and attached not to the earlobe, but to a Bedouin woman, attached to her head scarf near her ears.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Another NGO in Mokkatam
Today I went downtown after the W.A.'s Christmas party. They had someone making Irish coffee with real Irish whiskey. The woman who fixed it for me (20 LE) was generous with the whiskey and there was plenty of fresh whipped cream. I bought a loaf of banana bread for 20 LE (omg, fabulously moist, redolent of bananas, no nuts but didn't miss them) and a date cake for 50 LE. Everything to benefit the W.A.'s coffers - they have charitable projects. Met a women there selling these bags made by a group of women at the Garbage Collectors Village but at St. Simon the Tanner's church there.She is Dutch (Fenneke) and has been working with the women here since May 2008. The Center there had a small training center for making clothes but they had no work and they asked her if she had work for them. After a few days, she found the cloth made in Egypt called Khayameya - it's made 100% in Egypt, 100% Egyptian cotton, colorful and very sturdy. She thought they would make good aprons and then brought the six yards of material she had purchased to the Center along with her apron as a pattern.
In August of 2008, she had the women making bags - one of which I bought for 60 LE. In one year, the women had made 2500 aprons and 4200 bags. With that, they can earn a fair trade salary, the Center was able to purchase several sewing machines and an industrial ironing board. Any profits benefit the Amalna Home which is an orphanage for 8 girls. A nursery for Sudanese refugee children in Nasr City with monthly salaries for 5 people, rent and electricity paid for as well as contributing toward Operation Smile Egypt which offers free surgeries for children born with cleft palate. I found some information by googling Amalna Home and Fenneke has given my information to Laila, a woman who now runs the organization at St. Simon's. Fenneke was going back to Nairobi and wanted to start some other NGOs but with the help of a few others as it is so much work to do it alone, she told me.
In August of 2008, she had the women making bags - one of which I bought for 60 LE. In one year, the women had made 2500 aprons and 4200 bags. With that, they can earn a fair trade salary, the Center was able to purchase several sewing machines and an industrial ironing board. Any profits benefit the Amalna Home which is an orphanage for 8 girls. A nursery for Sudanese refugee children in Nasr City with monthly salaries for 5 people, rent and electricity paid for as well as contributing toward Operation Smile Egypt which offers free surgeries for children born with cleft palate. I found some information by googling Amalna Home and Fenneke has given my information to Laila, a woman who now runs the organization at St. Simon's. Fenneke was going back to Nairobi and wanted to start some other NGOs but with the help of a few others as it is so much work to do it alone, she told me.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Nomad Store and a new phone
I thought today was the Christmas coffee party at the Women's Association in Zamalek and I got there around 11:20 but there was no one there. The party is tomorrow which is Wednesday. I just thought it was Wednesday because Dominique had school on Sunday as a make up class. Then I looked at my email and found that I had a package - it was the one mailed from Maadi - silver prayer beads that I want to use for my jewelry. I was hoping it was a package or two from Istanbul, also ebay but not. I went to the Nomad store, the big one and bought a gorgeous necklace and some earrings. I am going to redo the necklace and get two out of one once I switch the beads around. It turns out that Nomad gets different beads and amulets from Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Yemen, and makes a version of the vintage pieces. Hmmm, same thing I am doing. They served me tea today as the owner was in. It was real mint tea not the usual Lipton stuff I usually get served. Mostafa, or is it Mohamed? is going to make me some neck clasps because they do that too in a shop/workroom nearby. I love shopping.
More pics tomorrow and a story
More pics tomorrow and a story
Monday, December 7, 2009
Monday, it rained in Cairo
Yes, it's true. I was walking along 26 July Street on an infrequent walk, looked up at the sky which had puffy white clouds and above them a black series of clouds that looked like the black mist in Lost. You know, the one that swallowed Echo. The rain lasted only about 10 minutes but the sky tossed down about 1/10 of an inch. So that's my weather report!
I did a survey of the sidewalks in my neighborhood and the heavily trafficked 26 July Street the other day on my way to Alpha Market. In the light of day, one can watch for mishaps waiting to happen. In the dark, forget it! Pipes sticking up randomly (at least to me though they must have some purpose other than maiming visitors and residents), square holes about 12" x 12" usually partially filled with sand and/or trash like plastic bottles and paper and missing chunks of the 6 sided cement tiles and other random holes and protuberances. Then there are the high sidewalks with depressed driveways that you have to step down into and out of to continue on your way. No wonder Cairenes walk on the blacktop streets. But then, you have to make sure a taxi or other car's driver doesn't run over your foot. And believe me, it happens. I've gotten pretty good at crossing the street but downtown, it is treacherous. I did a little photo shoot of my walk - in real life, it looks worse, the photos make it seem not so bad but that's up to you to decide.
I find foam core at the art store on Ibrahim Mohamed Street near the art school. Lots of girls carrying their black portfolios and other art supplies, more than male students. So I wondered if the young women found that art was a safe major to pursue since most will get married and have families. I had one of those days where I would see a couple - Egyptian guy dressed in western wear with his wife all covered up, head to toe, only eyes showing and got annoyed. Some days it makes me really irritable and I want to yell at the men. The argument always is that a married woman is "protected" from the eyes of other men. Yes, I can see that but why are the men who might be ogling her so 1950s construction worker like in their patriarchal male chauvinist attitudes. Oh, the argument goes, they are frustrated. So what, do what men do, no not cheat on their wives or jump on foreign women, respect your Egyptian sisters. Really!
Anyway, it made me really happy to find the foam board rather than the heavy masonite backing that Mr. Helmy used in my last framed work. I am nearly finished with the backgrounds of two large 60 x 80 cm. acrylic paintings (background of rusty door with blue, white, yellow and some black paint that I photographed in Al Arish last Thursday. Then, I'm going to do a semi Ida Applebroog thing of having three 5" x 5" portraits of Bedouin women and children using the transfer technique on the bottom. I finally got the yellow paint with substantial drips the way I wanted. I've been working on this for three days now. It will take the last treatment a day or two to fully dry before the transfer. I have to have them ready by December 15th for a December 27th International Exhibition that Helwan University is sponsoring curated by Dr. Soheir Osman.
Sunday I went to the Khan Khalili to see if I could find some old beads. Note to self: never trust anyone who takes you to a shop. Prices are inflated because they get a cut of what you buy. They are all flattery and niceness until you find that the old beads you happily chose are 40 LE a gram, Even silver isn't more than 5 LE a gram though what's his name said it was 8 LE. I ended up culling my lovely collection of coral, turquoise, lapis and amber to four small pieces which I am embarrassed to admit, were very costly. If I had bought my small pile, they were going to charge me 6700 LE. Are they insane? No they thought I was. Beads do not cost that much. So I am back to ebay buying what I want at very reasonable prices. In case you don't know, 6700 LE is over $1000. I could nearly buy an ounce of gold for that! Anyway, lesson learned.
I'll post pics of the beads, my painting and the sidewalk horrors.
I did a survey of the sidewalks in my neighborhood and the heavily trafficked 26 July Street the other day on my way to Alpha Market. In the light of day, one can watch for mishaps waiting to happen. In the dark, forget it! Pipes sticking up randomly (at least to me though they must have some purpose other than maiming visitors and residents), square holes about 12" x 12" usually partially filled with sand and/or trash like plastic bottles and paper and missing chunks of the 6 sided cement tiles and other random holes and protuberances. Then there are the high sidewalks with depressed driveways that you have to step down into and out of to continue on your way. No wonder Cairenes walk on the blacktop streets. But then, you have to make sure a taxi or other car's driver doesn't run over your foot. And believe me, it happens. I've gotten pretty good at crossing the street but downtown, it is treacherous. I did a little photo shoot of my walk - in real life, it looks worse, the photos make it seem not so bad but that's up to you to decide.
I find foam core at the art store on Ibrahim Mohamed Street near the art school. Lots of girls carrying their black portfolios and other art supplies, more than male students. So I wondered if the young women found that art was a safe major to pursue since most will get married and have families. I had one of those days where I would see a couple - Egyptian guy dressed in western wear with his wife all covered up, head to toe, only eyes showing and got annoyed. Some days it makes me really irritable and I want to yell at the men. The argument always is that a married woman is "protected" from the eyes of other men. Yes, I can see that but why are the men who might be ogling her so 1950s construction worker like in their patriarchal male chauvinist attitudes. Oh, the argument goes, they are frustrated. So what, do what men do, no not cheat on their wives or jump on foreign women, respect your Egyptian sisters. Really!
Anyway, it made me really happy to find the foam board rather than the heavy masonite backing that Mr. Helmy used in my last framed work. I am nearly finished with the backgrounds of two large 60 x 80 cm. acrylic paintings (background of rusty door with blue, white, yellow and some black paint that I photographed in Al Arish last Thursday. Then, I'm going to do a semi Ida Applebroog thing of having three 5" x 5" portraits of Bedouin women and children using the transfer technique on the bottom. I finally got the yellow paint with substantial drips the way I wanted. I've been working on this for three days now. It will take the last treatment a day or two to fully dry before the transfer. I have to have them ready by December 15th for a December 27th International Exhibition that Helwan University is sponsoring curated by Dr. Soheir Osman.
Sunday I went to the Khan Khalili to see if I could find some old beads. Note to self: never trust anyone who takes you to a shop. Prices are inflated because they get a cut of what you buy. They are all flattery and niceness until you find that the old beads you happily chose are 40 LE a gram, Even silver isn't more than 5 LE a gram though what's his name said it was 8 LE. I ended up culling my lovely collection of coral, turquoise, lapis and amber to four small pieces which I am embarrassed to admit, were very costly. If I had bought my small pile, they were going to charge me 6700 LE. Are they insane? No they thought I was. Beads do not cost that much. So I am back to ebay buying what I want at very reasonable prices. In case you don't know, 6700 LE is over $1000. I could nearly buy an ounce of gold for that! Anyway, lesson learned.
I'll post pics of the beads, my painting and the sidewalk horrors.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Remembering Jeanette
My sister-in-law Jeanette, wife to my brother Joe in Colorado Springs, died Sunday night and I wanted to express my sadness of her death. She was diagnosed in the summer with a bilateral brain tumor which she didn't know she had until she took a nap and didn't wake up for over three weeks after her surgery. I met Jeanette when I was around 19 years old. We worked at a nursing home and she taught me how to take care of patients. Then my brother started working there, her pursued her despite objections from her mother, they married and were together for 37. They have two children, Gina (Regina) a working mother of two sons, and Ricky (Richard) who is in his second year of law school in New Mexico.
My brother Joe was such a good husband and provider. He took care of Jeanette himself with a little help from some friends and hospice at the end. A man like him is hard to find these days. Aside from her hospital stays after her two surgeries, she was at home.
Jeanette was a veteran shopper, she loved all sorts of things and kind of reminded me of myself alittle. My sister Loretta and I went to visit Joe and Jeanette this past August and helped Joe clean up a bit - all those clothes with tags still on etc. I hadn't seen my brother for many years. I got to meet my niece and nephew for the first time - they are both amazing. Joe is really close to his grandsons which will really help in the sad months to follow. Her funeral will be December 11th and she will be buried in the cathedral in the Queen of Angels side of the columbarium. Joe said she would have liked that.
Dis Manibus Jeanette, Rest in Peace.
My brother Joe was such a good husband and provider. He took care of Jeanette himself with a little help from some friends and hospice at the end. A man like him is hard to find these days. Aside from her hospital stays after her two surgeries, she was at home.
Jeanette was a veteran shopper, she loved all sorts of things and kind of reminded me of myself alittle. My sister Loretta and I went to visit Joe and Jeanette this past August and helped Joe clean up a bit - all those clothes with tags still on etc. I hadn't seen my brother for many years. I got to meet my niece and nephew for the first time - they are both amazing. Joe is really close to his grandsons which will really help in the sad months to follow. Her funeral will be December 11th and she will be buried in the cathedral in the Queen of Angels side of the columbarium. Joe said she would have liked that.
Dis Manibus Jeanette, Rest in Peace.
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