Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Written for Santa Barbara Museum of Art Newsletter
On April 17th, fifteen members of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art embarked on a two-week journey through the magical country of Morocco, joined by tour lecturer Kenneth Perkins, Princeton Ph.D. and professor emeritus of history at the University of South Carolina. Ken and local guide Hussein Baddouj provided the perfect balance of historical knowledge and local wisdom.
We found ourselves fully engaged in the history of Casablanca, the wonders of Tangier, the capital Rabat, the millennium-old medina in Fez, and the intrigue of Marrakech. Days were spent at mosques, souks, and small village towns, with leisurely lunches of tagines, pastilla, Moroccan salads, and free-flowing mint tea.
A highlight of the trip was the opportunity to meet with local residents. In the home of an Italian fashion designer, we caught a glimpse of the deep social bonds shared by the expatriate community of Tangier. In Marrakech we dined with a Moroccan family in their beautiful home and were invited by their daughter to her art gallery the following day, where two well-known contemporary Moroccan artists were installing an upcoming exhibition. Our most delightful private visit was to the home of Mohammed Abbadi, whose grandfather was legal advisor to King Mohammed V and tutor to the future Hassan II. Mr. Abbadi shared stories of his family and his love for Fez, over a delicious meal cooked by the same woman who was his nanny as a little boy.
Morocco is an open-air, living museum and we found art everywhere: in the decorative zellij tile work, Berber crafts, gardens, Islamic architecture, and emerging contemporary art scene. Enriched by the insights of Dr. Perkins and Hussein, we left with an appreciation for this country, a greater knowledge of it, and a thirst for further understanding.
We found ourselves fully engaged in the history of Casablanca, the wonders of Tangier, the capital Rabat, the millennium-old medina in Fez, and the intrigue of Marrakech. Days were spent at mosques, souks, and small village towns, with leisurely lunches of tagines, pastilla, Moroccan salads, and free-flowing mint tea.
A highlight of the trip was the opportunity to meet with local residents. In the home of an Italian fashion designer, we caught a glimpse of the deep social bonds shared by the expatriate community of Tangier. In Marrakech we dined with a Moroccan family in their beautiful home and were invited by their daughter to her art gallery the following day, where two well-known contemporary Moroccan artists were installing an upcoming exhibition. Our most delightful private visit was to the home of Mohammed Abbadi, whose grandfather was legal advisor to King Mohammed V and tutor to the future Hassan II. Mr. Abbadi shared stories of his family and his love for Fez, over a delicious meal cooked by the same woman who was his nanny as a little boy.
Morocco is an open-air, living museum and we found art everywhere: in the decorative zellij tile work, Berber crafts, gardens, Islamic architecture, and emerging contemporary art scene. Enriched by the insights of Dr. Perkins and Hussein, we left with an appreciation for this country, a greater knowledge of it, and a thirst for further understanding.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Monday, April 5, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
Jade Elisabeth Pellman is born!
My beautiful neice was born seven days after her due date and nine hours before I flew to Ohio for 24 hours. She has perfect timing and I could not be more grateful that I saw her on the day she was born.
Jade's Birthday
Wise little woman
Eyes blink open to process this new world
Her neck needs support
Fingers and toes curled
Marble eyes must see something
Cheeks soft as a rose petal
Lungs must be strong and healthy
Because her cries are loud as a tea kettle
Are you crying because you are confused by this world
Or because you understand it too well
One day you will learn to live in it
For now you are in the best possible care
What could you know to dream about
Will those noises become words so you can one day let us know
Infancy to toddler, childhood then youth
Already your mind and body are starting to grow
7 pounds 8 ounces of cuteness
19 and a half inches in length
A swaddled bundle of precious
At once clumsy and graceful, tiny yet full of strength
Born on the first day of the year of the tiger
And in Hawaii it was valentine's day
But now the date two-fifteen carries new meaning
To us it will always be Jade's birthday
2 minute video of the lil' munchkin
Jade's Birthday
Wise little woman
Eyes blink open to process this new world
Her neck needs support
Fingers and toes curled
Marble eyes must see something
Cheeks soft as a rose petal
Lungs must be strong and healthy
Because her cries are loud as a tea kettle
Are you crying because you are confused by this world
Or because you understand it too well
One day you will learn to live in it
For now you are in the best possible care
What could you know to dream about
Will those noises become words so you can one day let us know
Infancy to toddler, childhood then youth
Already your mind and body are starting to grow
7 pounds 8 ounces of cuteness
19 and a half inches in length
A swaddled bundle of precious
At once clumsy and graceful, tiny yet full of strength
Born on the first day of the year of the tiger
And in Hawaii it was valentine's day
But now the date two-fifteen carries new meaning
To us it will always be Jade's birthday
2 minute video of the lil' munchkin
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