More Magnificent Winners --- Day 12/50

Walk: No, cold and tired.  Home puttering instead.

Distance: 0

Winner, Travel Photographer of the Year 2022. Tacande, La Palma, Spain: footage of a ravaged mountainside with a single tree withstanding the lava flow during an eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano
Photographer: Matjaz Krivic / www.tpoty.com

Commended, Deserts to Rainforests. Šardice, Jižní Morava, Czech Republic: Early morning light paints the waves of the so-called Moravian Tuscany in South Moravia.   Photographer: Jaroslav Hora / www.tpoty.com

Winner, Best Single Image in a Deserts to Rainforests Portfolio. Salar de Arizaro, Puna de Argentina, Argentina: "El Cono Arita," a spectacular geological formation where erosion has shaped an almost perfect cone that seems to be lost in a vast desert of the Salar de Arizaro   Photographer: John Seager / www.tpoty.com

So, a friend of Ciwt's and loyal reader 💓 asked her a question Ciwt couldn't answer.  "How in the world does The Atlantic choose a winner?  They are all magnificent."  Here is a link to the rest of the awesome winners

Travel Photo Winner! --- Day 12/49

Walk: Hood

Distance: 4 miles

Najin with friend and caretaker, Nanyuki, Kenya.  photo by Matjaz Krivic

So, The Atlantic has announced the winners of its Travel Photographer of the Year 2022 and Ciwt thinks this Grand Winner is very dear and touching.  It was taken by Matjaz Krivic at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Nanyuki, Kenya.  

According to the magazine's write up, the rhino in the photograph is one of only two Northern White rhinos left in the world. Her name is Najin, she's 33, and resting under a hot afternoon sun with her friend and caretaker Zachary Mutai.  

The Northern White rhino is all but extinct: the last two males died several years ago and the remaining two females are too feeble to bear babies. But their eggs have been artificially fertilized by sperm from the late males and being kept frozen.  The hope is that surrogate rhinos from another subspecies will begin to bring the Northern White back into abundance.

Ciwt has her fingers crossed.

February 14 --- Day 12/48

Walk: Hood

Distance: 3 miles

So, Ciwt kept getting little messages about sweets, flowers, romantic getaways in her inbox and noticing little articles in online papers about same.  Finally she clicked - Today!  Is Valentine's Day. Wishing a happy one to all her appreciated readers.

They Are Coming: the Oscars --- Day 12/47

Walk: LP Nails, AMC Kabuki (Avatar:The Way of Water)

Distance: 3.5

So to honor her Oscar watching tradition as well as support the silvr screen, Ciwt is getting in as many nominated movies as possible.  And today she went to the second one she has left early.  The first was Everything, Everywhere, All at Once (see Day 12/30) and today it was Avatar: the Way of Water.  

She left before seeing a drop of water so you'll have to go yourselves to learn about that.  But she did stay long enough to guess this must be what video games look like: colorful, fantastical, superficial nonstop action, killing, fighting, good guys with animals, bad guys with machines, end of the world, up to good guys to save it. That sort of thing from beginning to end (probably).  If you are a grandparent, your grandchildren will love you if you take them.  Otherwise, drink water (maybe with some scotch in it) at home.

Now, here's one she stayed all the way through.  Belgium's nominee for Best Foreign Feature, Close, is an exquisite study of deep friendship between young boys.  Warning: it will stay with you for a long time after you leave the theater.

They Come to Say Thank You and Goodbye --- Day 12/46

Walk: AMC Metreon

Distance: 5 miles, yoga

Tiit Helimets, San Francisco Ballet Principal Dancer, 2005-2023

So, this season there have been many empty spaces at the Opera House where the San Francisco Ballet performs.  But yesterday afternoon every single one of its 3,146 seats was filled. People had come from many places (the woman next to Ciwt had made the 4 hour drive from Tahoe) to honor, say their very fond farewells and godspeeds to transcendent principal dancer, Tiit Helimets.  

Tiit is one of those very rare talents so superb he has lifted ballet, his art, to another level.  Not just with his dance gifts but with his humility, graciousness, kindness, absolute love of and commitment to his dream of learning and giving all in his power to his beloved dance.  To follow that dream he left his native Estonia - where he made history as the youngest male dancer ever to perform the role of Siegfried in Swan Lake - to join the Birmingham Royal Ballet.  Part of his courage to embark on such an undertaking was a video he'd seen of as a young man of fellow, but much older, Russian, Rudolf Nureyev.  Nureyev's example of defecting in pursuit of more dance freedom sank deeply into young Helimet.

Later in 2005 Tiit followed his dream even further, off the European continent and to San Francisco Ballet which already had the reputation of being courageously cutting edge, of moving ballet into the future.  Once again, he joined as Principal Dancer, the highest rank in ballet, but the European star found he had much to learn.  European ballet is classical - certain movements are done certain ways in perpetuity more or less - so Helimets' muscle memory was in that tradition.  To learn a more personally  and dramatically expressive techniques was a grueling undertaking physically, mentally, emotionally.  And to be doing that under the spotlight as Principal Dancer almost always injured from the demanding new movements is unimaginable to Ciwt.  To do it as a gentleman with elegance, graciousness,  generosity and helpfulness to his company, well....

Tiit naturally a exudes grounded gracefulness that has the audience asking each other "who is that guy?" even in a minor role or crowd scene.  He is also deep into character at all times and  has a dual dedication to character development.  Soon upon arriving in San Francisco he realized just doing the technical work, however perfectly, was not enough for him - or the audience.  He felt the need to create characters that would engage the audience, characters whose story they could understand and feel.  From that realizationcame a legendary number and variety of major and minor roles he created from scratch or bent to his understanding.

 Swan Lake (Prince Siegfried and Von Rothbart)

Even more legendary was his partnering. Not only did Tilt make his partners look good, he made them feel safe and confident to dance at their highest level.  So many of his partners express their deep relief when told they would be dancing with Tiit. The more demanding and precarious the role, the greater their relief.. "I will be safe.  It will be okay.  Yes!"  For the audience it was beautiful to watch - seamless, graceful, one with his partner, but to the ballerinas it was a godsend.  

Sofiane Sylve and Tiit Helimets in Lifar's Suite en Blanc

And just when you think Tiit can't get any dearer, you learn of his loving relationship with his talented 12 year old daughter, Chloe. His newest partner if you will.  Spend a few minutes warming your heart by going to Tiit's instagram page* and watching some his short videos as he carefully, kindly, exactingly teaches and partners Chloe.  Or read his feelings about dancing Don Quixote last year:  “After having danced the beggar boys, seguidilla, toreadors, Espada, and Basilio in Don Quixote, I must admit that the best part of being in this show was to be Don Quixote because I got to be on the stage with my daughter at the same time.” 

San Francisco Ballet principal Tiit Helimets with his daughter Chloe
backstage before a performance of Alexei Ratmansky’s “The Seasons.”

Tiit's future is bright with his daughter, and his wonderful wife, Molly Smollen, whom he met while partnering her in Brimingham!  There are dances and characters to create, young dancers to mentor, guest artist engagements to go to, future awards to accept.  Tiit will keep his dedication to dance - and therefore the art itself - growing, and he will be respected and embraced by all who will meet him.  But, still, it is very sad for Ciwt and the others who got to the Opera House yesterday to wave farewell and let him go into that bright future.

*https://www.instagram.com/p/CRe1yplASsz/

Nice, Likeable (and More) Children --- Day 12/45

Walk: SF Ballet

Distance: 4.4 miles, yoga

John Singer Sargent, Neapolitan Children Bathing, 1874,  11" x 16", oil on canvas

Did you ever summer at the beach as a child?  Or just go occasionally or take your children or grandchildren?  There is something everlastingly relaxed, self-absorbed and innocent about those times.

John Singer Sargent, Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose,  1885-86, 5' x 5.7' oil on canvas 

What about a white dress?  Did your parents dress you in one?  Was it your favorite or did you secretly hate it and, at the same time,  have to worry about getting it dirty?  Did your family have Japanese lanterns in their garden?  Or lilies?  

John Singer Sargent, The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit, 1882, 7.3' x 7.3',  oil on canvas

And then innocence begins to fade, children begin to individuate, each in his or her own way.

No matter who you are, where you are from, the chances are you can relate to these three paintings by John Singer Sargent.

They seem to capture a moment - at a sunny beach, in the fleeting minutes of twilight (and perhaps innocence), at a well appointed home where children are sheltered but disconnected from each other.  They are at once snapshots of a bygone era still actively alive in viewers' memories and emotional connections today. 

Each of these 'moments' was in fact at least a year in John Singer Sargent's artistic life.  They were preceded by many pencil sketches, several preliminary oil studies. The positions of the figures were changed over time. Older girls replaced the younger ones Sargent had in mind because their features were not as changeable and they were able to hold poses.  And Sargent had to request a friend to grow lilies in a pot as he finished one of the paintings because the season for that flower had ended.

And before all that was Sargent's intense study of Velasquez at the Prado, friendship with and admiration of Monet's impressionism, awareness of the way Degas (also a friend) brought intimacy and immediacy to his works.  There were years of practicing and developing a uniquely fluid brushwork, and aquainting himself with the details of costume, furniture, flowers, and, of course, the play of light.

There is true enduring life here, but it is quiet.  And, as Ciwt might say,  it is nice and it is likeable.  

 

Likeable --- Day 12/44

Walk: West Portal

Distance: 3 miles, Yoga

John Singer Sargent, Women at Work, 1912, oil on canvas

If Ciwt earned her keep as a professional art reviewer and described the works of one of history's greatest artists as "nice" and "likeable,"  she would be looking for a new job.  But since she is her own 'employer' and sole writer of CIWT, she will go right ahead and say those things about John Singer Sargent's art.

To explain a bit: You know how "he/she/it's so nice" was the complete kiss of death when someone wanted to introduce you to a blind date?  But then many years later, when you've matured, you really value nice people, maybe wish you'd gone on that date. Niceness and likeableness are qualities with integrity; they endure.  In the face of all life presents it takes character to stay those ways, and they shine through when some of the flashier types don't any more.  

The professional and paid art critics would point out Sargent's loose, bold, innovative brushwork.  They would speak of his works' lifelike passages that pause or sparkle or nearly break the viewer's heart with their delicacy.  Of course they would mention the way Sargent assimilated the techniques of the masters he revered: Goya and Velasquez especially.  Sargent worked at that; he was a registered copiest at the Prado and learned directly from their work - as well as Hals in Belgium and other artists across the continent. They would go on to say that Sargent then went on to innovate, to bring his own skilled, exacting, interested, honest eye and talent to his art.  And the critic would be spot on about these and other descripitons of Sargent's artistic proficiency. So really Ciwt is just adding "likeable" and "nice' to all that has been deservedly said of John Singer Sargent's artistic output - from portraits, to landscapes, to architectural, costume, ornamental and botanical renderings.

In the works of the Legion of Honor's current show, Sargent and Spain, Sargent recorded aspects of that country he held dear. Instead of the often seen toreadors, romanticized bullfights and alluring festival dancing, Sargent painted Spain's architectural details, courtyards, landscape, everyday life.  A virtuoso pianist, banjo and guitar player himself, when he did paint dancing scenes it was the passion of the music, and the perfomer's messmerizingly intricate movements he captured.  

John Singer Sargent, La Carmencita Dancing, 1890, oil on canvas

The Spain he brought to life whether in oil, pen and ink, watercolor, was common in its lovely uncommoness, simple, earthy.  And in all its everydayness, his Spain is likeable and very nice to take in. 

Courtyard, Casa del Chapiz, 1912-13, oil on canvas

 

At 8:15, then 9, then 10:5, then, omg, 11..... --- Day 12/43

Walk: Back and forth between homes and appointments

Distance: 5 miles

Ciwt got a few too many things on her calendar today.  Now she rests....