A Poem: "For Once"

Once again, another beautiful morning has lifted my spirits into an enlightened wakefulness. I cherish the wee hours of the morning when all is still asleep, waiting for the sun to break and spread its warmth, as I am in my most lucid state of mind. Everyday I am up at 4am and, although I could use a bit more sleep, love the quiet tranquility I am able to embrace in a welcomed solitude. It is just before daybreak where my mind is clear of any future intentions and I write in a naked bliss (not literally of course haha) and this morning was no exception.

For Once
By Jenna Reimer

Though many blossoms sway in the morning breeze,
Their roots remain as one.
I breathe this summer wind, transcendent;
Yet, I discern my mind and body beyond this picture.
It is this picture, hesitant and uncertain,
That has never given me a shining reflection
Of a lighted vision of deeper clarity.
Much like the surface of a well’s water,
Whose contents are hidden inside a murky grave,
I whither into my own intentions.
Looking outside the window
Discovering a nectar-like truth,
I begin to sway my own leaves and flowers.

Oh Yah, Jenna Gets Political: North Korean art show stirs controversy in Vienna

Ah, art; it never seems to amaze me how some people’s common sense is so easily jettisoned in exchange for some proverbial self, or political, promotion in order to cast a sheet of delirium to the outside world. I am in no means in any political position in which I am able to intellectually comment on the state of certain countries, however, I am fluent in art’s ability to portray unrealistic, and often misguided, images that delude onlookers. This month an exhibition is being showcased at the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK) in Vienna of North Korean art, offering a rare look into the isolated country’s art scene. Though, enraged critics have called the show a bold example of political propaganda.
Children basking in the sun, well fed and clothed in brilliant colors, beaming farm women feeding geese and ducks, is how North Korean painters have depicted their famine country. The founders of the Communist administration, Kim II-sung and his son Kim Jong-il appear dominating in shades of deep red and royal blue; Stalinian architecture is even displayed throughout the exhibit. Kim II-sung and KimJong-il proudly displayed their own portraits seem to emit an encouraging demeanor to support North Korea’s path to its revolutionary future.
One may believe this exhibit to be a welcomed glimpse into this secretive country, and perhaps better understand North Korea’s isolation, yet, the absence of any background explanation on the totalitarian nature of the country is what caused suspicion to this art exhibits agenda. North Korea is the last dictatorship in this world and I think it is crucial for the world to be reminded of this fact instead of masking its authoritarian regime behind children with flowers in their hair and women joyfully shopping on flourishing streets. I think art, like morality, needs to always have a line that should be cautious of crossing. North Korea is a totalitarian country and their art serves the glorification of the leader and his system. The picture strike me as extremely cynical where children watch tiny kites fly in a dream like trance which, can be seen, as a kinder world that is out of reach.
Art has no borders. Yet, it makes me wonder whether it is capable of changing anything, in this case, the political situation of a country. Yes, you may get a slightly different view or new understand through art but how can one decipher the motives behind the artist especially coming from a country whose regulations and rules regarding the construction and distribution of their art is highly controlled. I suppose all one can do is appreciate the aesthetic beauty of the paintings and to neglect the motives of the paintings construction.

Childhood Memories: Marvelously Miniature

So I have been fascinated with dollhouse miniatures today. While browsing about www.etsy.com, a small thumbnail picture that was in the corner of my computer screen caught my eye; it was the most adorable, hand made, itty bitty chocolate cake that was no larger than a quarter! I had to investigate this uniquely detailed craft and was utterly enthrall by the pieces these hobbyists were creating. The realism and charm of such tiny croissants, donuts, cookies, tarts and cupcakes is remarkable!


These pieces reminded me of the grandeur of childhood. As a little girl, I relished in the joy of arranging and organizing my own dollhouse my grandpa made for me. Although the house had only four rooms, to me it was a piece that was no less real than the house I lived in; each room was wallpapered in a different print, the windows shadowed by laced curtains, the kitchen had tiled floors while the others had hardwood and there was even crown molding around the ceilings. I meticulously would arrange tiny beds, china cabinets, kitchen table and night stands within the dollhouse dreaming of decorating my own house one day. Although its construction was incredibly simplistic, to me, it represented a piece of my adulthood that was incredibly real and complicated; however, it was not complicated enough to frighten only excite me as i drifted into a reverie of my future dreams and aspirations.

A Serene Sunday… Thoughts on Life, Nature and Poetry

It has been a beautiful weekend with magnificent weather, finally! I am feeling particularly strong mental and determined, despite some obstacles I must conquer this in the next few days, to have a wonderful week. A new found perspective on the joy of life is finally overwhelming my soul and I am making a conscious effort to do one thing a week that frightens me (yes, it’s a clique therapy goal but sometimes it ok to follow some psycho-babble bullshit once in a while). My life has been far too structured for far too long and it is time I start living my best life with serious intention and no expectations.

In the wee hours of the morning, sitting on my deck having a cigarette and watching the crimson sky transform into a lucid blue, William Wordsworth’s poetry popped into my head. His appreciation for natural world and ability to capture its imperfections inspires me to understand that beauty. The poem’s lyrical movement exemplifies the idea that poetry is an emotion engulfed in tranquility, where imagination is the key that unlocks the innermost depths of the human spirit; the imagination is best awakened by celebrating the wonders of nature.

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud
By William Wordsworth

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils,
Beside the lake, beneath the trees
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced, but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee: -
A poet could not but be gay
In such a jocund company:
I gazed -and gazed -but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought.

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills
And dances with the daffodils.

An Artist and A Movement: Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Art Nouveau

The Art Nouveau style has always captivated me with its elegant charm and whimsical beauty. The architecture, painting and sculptures in the style always have this sinuous, elongated and curvy lines that appear to imitate the imperfections of nature; the pieces are always uniquely disproportioned and asymmetrical to simulate the flawed beauty of the natural world. Architecture, furniture and jewelry is decorated with stylish flowers, leaves, roots, buds and seedpods are carelessly, yet intentionally, laced throughout the work. Art Nouveau paintings celebrate the female form by presenting them in a pre-Raphaelite pose with long, flowing hair and a curvy, yet delicate, silhouette. Exotic woods, marquetry, iridescent glass, silver and semi-precious stones adorn pieces to create the overly dramatic Art Nouveau style; all so Parisian, obviously, and just lovely in every way.

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was an artist of the late 19th century whose art captured the Parisian nightlife of the period. His work was a true embodiment of Art Nouveau; an international style of decoration characterized by writhing plant forms and an opposition to the historicism which engulfed the early 19th century. His emphasis on artistic unity exemplified this new style of art where the illustrations were formed through eccentric fantasy and mystic themes.

Toulouse-Lautrec had unfortunate circumstances. Born in 1864 in Albi, France to an aristocrat family, Henri grew up amongst luxury. However grandeur the prospect of his future appeared, it was two broken legs by the age of 14 which would change the circumstances of Henri’s life forever; his bones failed to heal properly and by adulthood his legs stopped growing causing him to be abnormally short in stature. Deprived of any kind of normal live Toulouse-Lautrec lived wholly for his art. His works encompassed the heart of the cabaret entertainment and bohemian life in the Montmartre section of Paris.

Pretty Things…

Lockets have been around for centuries. Through the years their purpose has changed, however their unique charm has remained appealing to anyone who wants to add a little Victorian charm to their jewelry box. Used for carrying powder or poison, keepsakes, hair, ashes, good luck charms and pictures, lockets are somewhat mysterious as its contents are only known to its holder.

I have always been fascinated with costume jewelry; pieces incased with seed pearls, gem stones in bright colors, diamonds with old miner’s cuts all cast in antique copper or brass are moments that capture the ornate and showy fashion of its time.
I found a wonderful website (www.etsy.com) where people showcase (and sell) their handmade creations ranging from jewelry, photography, art and vintage finds. Check it out; it’s a wonderfully inspiring site! I thought I’d share some lockets that caught my eye.

If I Had the Money...

I think I would collect antique tea cups! I have always admire the simplistic beauty of Victorian tea cups with their whimsical patterns and delicate form. They represent the splendor of company or lack there of; a lonely cup of tea on a rainy day is, to me, one of life's great pleasures.
Tea cups also remind me of my childhood. My mom use to make me a plate of cheese and crackers and fill my tea cup with tea and loads of sugar and milk. When she could see the taste wasn't yet appealing to me, she'd replace the tea with fruit juice! hehe!

Beautiful Morning…

It’s a gorgeous Sunday morning and I’ve been having a lovely weekend. The weather is finally turning a corner, (for now anyways…) which I believe has contributed to my overly positive attitude these past few days. After several months of unfortunate circumstances and terrible weather I am finally awakening to a brighter and happier demeanor that, I have to admit, has been extremely difficult to achieve. Perhaps its all of the yoga that I have been doing that has assisted with my spiritual and emotional state that has transitioned from one of frustration and confusion to hope and tranquility.

Yesterday I was outside gazing into the clear sun, closing my eyes for a brief moment allowing this vivid light warm my body and soul, and I realized I finally accept the careless state of being in a world of uncertainty; I no longer have expectations of what tomorrow will bring, I am simply living my life through each passing moment without any sort of anticipation. I still struggle with an issue that has bogged my life for several years, and accept it is a lifelong battle, but feel as if I finally want to tread the waters of a calmer sea and free myself from the constraints and loneliness of a wearing existence.

I am not fooling myself however, I am still a very structured and organized person who does like to stick with her daily routine, but living with structure and neglecting the desire to understand the absurdity of life, and recognizing this law with ease and compassion, can coincide together. So have I become an enlightened individual? - Highly unlikely. I do believe I have come to an understanding, one that feels dream-like yet utterly real and I may be unable to explain to anyone so I shall remain silent.

Say Whaaaa Wednesday... The Art of Insanity

The Museum of Modern Art in Paris is not unaccustomed to exhibiting unusual works of art. However trivial, and incomprehensible, some of its exhibits may be I believe it is essential for the public to be exposed to all of the unique and ambiguous pieces that emerge in order for art to maintain its continual evolution.

So how does a screed of words carved into bedroom floorboards by a schizophrenic French farmer sound to you? In 2005 Paris’s MoMA showcased the 24ft by 9ft oak floorboards titled “Plancher de Jeannot” (Jeannot’s Floorboards) and created an unprecedented stir. The carvings consisted of 80 lines of text, in capital letters, no punctuation and referenced Hitler, several Popes and a satanic machine that the farmer (his surname and village where the floorboards were discovered have been kept secret) believed to control humans.

Jeannot, born in 1939, has an unfortunate background; his father committed suicide at a young age and shortly after Jeannot was institutionalized to a mental hospital (it took a team of 30 gendarmes to get him out of his home). His mothered died in 1971 which cause Jeannot to return to his village to assist in the burial. He insisted his mother be buried under the stairs in his mother’s house which was, oddly enough, carried through. It was then Jeannot moved his bed into the dinning room, next to the stairs, and began to furiously carve into the floor:
'Religion has invented machines for commanding the brain of people and animals and with an invention for seeing our vision through the retina uses us to do ill (...) the church after using Hitler to kill the Jews wanted to invent a trial to take power.’ It was only 7 months after his mother died that Jeannot starved to death

So can madness be artistic? The story is incredibly intriguing but I cannot help but wonder whether this type of exhibit is trying to liberate the unfortunate stigmatization associated with mental illness or exploiting it? The piece is strikingly beautiful; its sheer size is enough to make one’s mind wander into its own reverie of psychosis. However, the scripture is anything but romanticly insane in that artistic type of way, yah dig?

Say Whaaaa Wednesday: Painter, Baker, Candy Art Maker!

My wonderful, long time friend is currently interning in New York at The Museum of Modern Art (Much lurrrvvee Jory, you’re helping me climb back into a realm of inspiration!). She let me know of a delectably sweet artist who has an interesting artistic palette: creating paintings, sculptures that portray landscapes of cake, candy, fudge and other delicious confections.

Will Cotton is a New York based painter who not only paints such sugary swamps that occasionally include nude women but also sculpts gumdrop sculptures with slices of ganache cake and other sweets. Beautiful curvaceous women lay atop mountains of scooped ice cream that evaporates into blues and pink clouds. The women’s serene gaze embodies the blissful vision of the Renaissance artists who strived to immortalize a foreboding theme of heaven and gluttony.

I find Cotton’s work to be extremely intriguing and lack any preventative unfettering for the female body that the modern feminist may conjure up; I can imagine they believe he is equating the female body to the seductive and, commonly deemed voracious, allure of candy which I boldly refute (hey, that would be a good essay!). His work does bear the burden of seduction but it is masterfully complex and is delivered in a clean and reverential way that truly portrays his oil painting technique. Cotton’s paintings are remarkable in his ability to capture the Renaissance technique of foreshortening to create a sort of soft depth while revealing a uniquely modern concept.
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A Much Needed Update!! - A Poem

The Barren
By Jenna Reimer

In the end you are weary of this abandoned world.
Among your fetishes in a weak and soulless flame
That fume a sky of clouded doubt and unknown,
Where a fury of scarred electric stars and blazing moons
Exist in a furnace of cobalt and crimson hollows,
You tremble in a league admit a blinded fleet.
Drifting ashes brush the faces of preset men
Wanting to walk home and simply retire.
Yet, you launch into a solemn slumber,
Aloft the drift of deep delirium in an exiled sleep;
Dying in a tamed and watchful sorrow.