Part Seventy--Touch of the Master's Hand, pt one

EPIC ADVENTURE 2012-2013

Western Civilization Part III

This is the last of Giselle’s high school years. She had originally asked to study the ancient world and myths, the medieval world, and an art/music year, since she missed those when she was young. This is that art/music year.

RATIONALE

This year our children will explore the timeless question, “What is truth, beauty, and goodness?” and use the lens of these three to judge the world, including the arts. Our focus will be to study one artist, one musician, and one moment in each time period from Renaissance to Contemporary.

Through exposure and study of great works of art and music they will:

1.   Discern between the vulgar and refined, and know to refuse the evil and choose the good.

2.   Understand that when we create we are like our Creator. 

3.   Understand that every person can be an artist: If you create art you are an artist; if you play music you are a musician.

4.   Understand that a purely rational method of education can never fill the soul’s need for truth, beauty and goodness—that spiritual pursuits such as reading a good book or listening to uplifting music is the way to cultivate the whole soul.

5.   Broaden their vision by seeing the arts as a window into the lives of others as well as themselves.

SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE/QUOTES FOR THE RATIONALE

Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philipians 4:8, AF 13

Pageant of the Masters

It took an art school year for me to finally get to the Pageant of the Arts in Laguna Beach. I had heard about it a few years before, though it has been running for almost 80 years. 

The pageant creates tableaux vivants or living pictures, accompanied by a live orchestra and narration, explaining the history of the artist and the piece. The 2012 theme fit with our school year theme.

All of the people in the pieces are volunteers who hold their poses throughout the narration and music for 90 seconds. When their presentation is over, and before the lights go completely out, the audience can see the paintings come apart. It's fascinating.  

We saw Edward Manet's: Music in the Tuileries

The highlights and shading of the face and clothes are actually painted on the actors; then the exact lighting is used, which makes it actually look like the real painting comes to life before your eyes. When we didn't use binoculars it was hard to tell that there were real people in each painting. 

Words cannot explain the beauty of the entire night. It was definitely stunning and mesmerizing. With the cool, ocean summer breeze of the outdoor theater, combined with the stirring music and priceless works of art come to life, it was an unforgettable night. People travel from around the world just to see it, and now I understand why.  

No photos or videos are allowed, which is a blessing otherwise you couldn't enjoy the spectacle. We weren't up close so I'm glad we had binoculars! The pageant's tradition is to close with the recreation of Leonardo Da Vinci’s beautifully rendered Last Supper, which was a fitting end to a spectacular evening. It was truly captivating and inspiring! Definitely something to put on the calendar for next year and the year after that and the year after that.

WRITING CURRICULUM

This summer was the last time I would write a school year curriculum. The focus of the year was to learn about and champion the age-old, yet still relevant ideals of truth, goodness, and beauty through art and music.   

This was the biggest group of women that had ever written an EPIC Adventure. A few years ago I started the tradition of taking photos during writing week, and I'm so glad we got a picture this year. You can see three teenagers in the mirror, like Van Eyck's or Vermeer's supposed camera obscura--they (unknowingly) projected themselves onto the picture by means of an optical device.

Bridey was the head of our key point writing team. She was an art history major, and she shared a brief Art History 101 as an introduction to our year. 

We had a few art lessons--here Sadie is teaching gesture drawing. I know this will bring back memories of our art year, L'Academie des Beaux Arts. It seems like someone was always posing that year.

 We also learned to sing a madrigal by Thomas Morley, Now is The Month of Maying. It was fun to take some breaks and do some artsy things to free our creativity. 

Sadie, Amanda and I wrote the school year song again, as we did last year.  The first day we worked and worked, and laughed and laughed--Amanda is always making me laugh--but we didn't come up with anything but this--which Amanda drew on our white board:  

Revolutionary Etude

We named our song Fortissississimo! or I Am My Own Picasso. It was so fun to write, because of Amanda and Sadie. Later Sadie and I recorded the song at a professional musician's home. We felt like recording artists!   

On the first writing day a few of us put some things up on the wall for inspiration. 

 Amanda brought some masterpieces she had had printed at Costco, and this one on the door inspired our year theme name and mind map: The Touch of the Master's Hand. 

 Brittany designed and made the mind map. (It sounds like this writing week was a Kindrick production, and yes, Ashley was there and contribute too). Every component has two topics. Every topics has three main points of study: an artist, a composer, and a significant point in time.    

Giselle and I are excited for our school year. There are so many women with so many talents they are willing to share with everyone. It will be a blessing for Giselle and me. I'm planning for this to be a  museum-&-concert-attending, drawing, painting, sculpting, piano-playing & singing year. Definitely my dream year!

OPENING NIGHT - LORD GRENVILLE'S MASKED BALL

This school year we are studying art and music from the Renaissance to the 20th century. 

 Here's our tee shirt for the year:

Our new school year began August 25th at Lord Grenville's Masked Ball, where the Scarlet Pimpernel made an appearance. To get ready for our ball Giselle and I made masks, (the men weren't asked to wear masks). We looked online for ideas:

The entire night was elegant and beautiful, including the refreshments--these easeled masterpieces are edible cookies!

 Each cookie was matched to the same masterpiece displayed somewhere in one of the mansion's rooms. The students searched for the large masterpiece that matched their cookie masterpiece. 

 

Musical cake pops! 

  

The ball was was a white tie affair held at the Edwards Mansion in Redlands. Here we are being introduced into the ballroom: 

 

Hal was a good sport--when was the last time he had to wear a bow tie and cummerbund?

Braden and Sadie Heywood were Lord and Lady Percival Blakeney. The Scarlet Pimpernel sent a note to the children to meet him in the ballroom at a certain time, and boy were they excited! They kept asking adults if it was "8:40" yet. The Scarlet Pimpernel invited all the students to join his league in order to champion truth, goodness, and beauty in all areas, but especially in art and music. Braden was a hit! His long, blond 'hair' was tied in the fashion behind his head and he used Percival's language and phrases. Sink me if you don't all look smashing! What?"

 

Our dance instructor from the DIckens' Festival Fezziwig Ball came to this ball and taught simple period dancing, including the Victorian waltz.

I wish I had taken more photos of the ceiling. Giselle pointed it out to me, so I took this photo of the glass ceiling while she and Lorenzo were dancing. I didn't realize it turned out so well until I saw it enlarged:

We used two floors of the mansion--the ballroom and then several rooms upstairs, one of which held this frame for photos:

 





 

Giselle's friend, Lorenzo, played a classical piece for part of the night's entertainment. 
He's really exceptional!

The children heard this year's school song for the first time performed by their mothers,
 and led by a wild and crazy maestro.

 

 

A video of our rendition is here: 

Fortissississimo! or I Am My Own Picasso!

 

Of course the night wouldn't be complete without photos...lots and lots of photos:

We even had the dads pose with the moms--something we've never done before, but they all looked so smashing that I wanted a picture!

This is the largest group of families I've ever worked with. It's a little challenging, but worth the ideas and the opportunities to enjoy exciting events that would only be possible in a large group such as this.

Hal, Giselle, and I enjoyed the night immensely. It was a enchanting, sophisticated kick off to the year, and something the like of which we've never done before!