The theme of this Squares Challenge is Past Squares. For all of October, you can either choose something you’ve used in a past Squares Challenge, or create an entirely new post that is connected to the theme of “Past.”
Self has been focusing on Option 2: something that has occurred in the past, or something historical/old. She hasbeen on so many walks down memory lane, since the start of this month.
Self has been on several memorable trips to Paris. The ones below are from May 2017.
She took a day trip to Monet’s Garden. And though she took many, many pictures of flowers, the pictures she finds the most memorable were these two pictures of a young visitor and her mother.
For today’s Past Squares challenge, she’s posting a couple of photos from two big exhibits she saw this year: the Frida Kahlo and Judy Chicago exhibits, both in the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park.
Self had tickets to see the Frida Kahlo exhibit last year, but the week she was supposed to go, the whole city abruptly went into pandemic lockdown mode and stayed locked down into 2021. As soon as the de Young re-opened to the public, just this past spring, self rushed over. YAY!
The Frida Kahlo exhibit was followed by the Judy Chicago retrospective (which is still on; everyone within driving distance should go: it is FANTASTIC!)
This is only self’s third round of participation in Life of B’s Squares Challenge, so instead of choosing favorites from her previous rounds, in April and July 2021, she’ll focus on past trips. She used to be quite the traveler! Everything came to a screeching halt in 2020.
May 2019: Self’s niece was going to Prague and asked if she wanted to come along. Self had never been to Prague. Of course she wanted to come along!
Dinner the first night was in the hotel’s rooftop restaurant. All the surrounding buildings were lit. The view was stunning! The next day, at Prague Castle, we stumbled on a wedding photo shoot. Self was able to squeeze off a quick candid photo.
Self is late again! It’s Monday and she’s posting for Travel with Intent’s One Word Sunday Challenge.
The word is OPPOSING.
Think this’ll suit: at the Judy Chicago Retrospective at the De Young, there’s a display of female figures (the show itself is amazing; if you’re anywhere within driving distance, do yourself a favor and see it). Self kept trying to take pictures, but the reflection on the glass was interfering. She finally decided to snap whatever, and after she came home and looked at what she’d taken, she discovered there was a woman on the other side of the glass from self, looking rather quizzically at her. So, here we are, on two opposing sides of the display.
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Love this photo challenge from Nancy Merrill’s A Photo a Week.
tbh, ALL self’s shots are unedited. She takes all her pictures on the fly.
Here are a few shots she took last week at the Legion of Honor. She went to see the exhibit Last Supper at Pompeii. On the way in, her attention was captured by these Wangechi Mutu sculptures, and there was no way to take pictures of those without including the bystanders. Not the ideal, but here they are anyway. The man in the blue jacket has a starring role:
But whatever you post has to be in the shape of a square. Get inspired by the galleries on The Life of B.
Today, a gallery of Calders from the Calder/Picasso exhibit at the de Young Museum, Golden Gate Park. Photo # 3 is Calder’s homage to Josephine Baker. LOOOVE the fish.
’twas a memorable exhibit. Going on at the same time as the Frida Kahlo.
Yesterday was her birthday. Happy, Happy Birthday, Becky!
Self took loads of pictures at the de Young last Tuesday. And she bought the Frida Kahlo exhibit catalogue (a steal at $19.99). The exhibit was supposed to open last year, self had a ticket for March 2020. Finally, finally, over a year later, she saw it!
I have been teaching this course a long time, almost 20 years. It was, and still is, my favorite course to teach. And, because of a lot of pandemic chaotic stuff and fixing my 1939 cottage, I am only teaching it ONCE in 2021. (Promise I’ll be back early 2022)
What happens during the course? YOU happen.
Don’t ask me to explain why I am a better teacher of nonfiction than I am a teacher of fiction. I know, I’m a fiction writer. Maybe I’m too close to the process, I’m not as good as explaining how it happens for me. Nonfiction, though, is a whole other story.
Trust me. I have kept this course as streamlined as possible to allow plenty of time for discussion and interaction with each student.
My hope is to get everyone to the happy place where they see writing as a verdant field of dreams.
There is one text, a classic.
There are my “lectures,” which are much less classic but okay, they’re useful.
There are THE WRITING EXERCISES EACH WEEK which will fill you with so much tension and joy, you can’t even explain it. Because that’s how writing, the act of sitting down and writing, actually feels (If standing on your head writing works for you, hey . . . )
Registration is open NOW. Class begins May 5 and ends June 15.
Since this class is ON-LINE, you can take it from anywhere in the world. I usually have, in one class, students from at least three continents: North America, South America, Asia, and the UK and Europe.
