Elise Matthesen

Back in the day, I used to review a thing or two. Sometimes it was written reviews (various weeklies like Gaze or Lavender, the Millennium Whole Earth Catalog, some zines, and various online venues) and sometimes it was a review in the form of sculpture/art jewelry. Greg van Eekhout has a fossil piece I made when I was given his first book to read; various other authors have reaction pieces I made when inspired by their work, or by their discussions of doing their work. That sort of thing.

I miss doing that. So I'm going to start up again and see what happens.

If you keep a list for where to send review copies, drop me a line at lionesselise at gmail dot com, or leave contact information here for where I should send you a message. Thanks!

So, what with one thing and another, I was really needing the release of singing this week. It's been a hard week, even though I did get the relatively good news that my knee pain is not* because of any break or tear. Pain is hard work and it's stress and I use music to deal with those things. Truth be told, I use music to deal with almost anything, and my other arts fit together with that. Anyhow, when we pulled out a random melody line to use, I wound up singing bits of "Chet Baker's Unsung Swan Song," by David Wilcox. (It's a beautiful but in some ways harrowing and heartbreaking song, dealing with the artist's addiction and tragic death as well as the genius of his music, so please know that, when you're deciding if it's a good time to listen to it. If and when you do want to listen, it's here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEBncfBVmxQ .)

The song means a lot to me, and joins a list of songs about hard subjects, songs that unlock something in me that I need to get to sometimes. Do you have songs like that? Or other art, that unlocks something for you?






*I was worried, because it's been hurting more than some fractures have, but it's IT band tendinitis, which I've had before and know some PT to deal with. The best news, from my standpoint anyway, is that walking on it won't damage it, although I should stay off stairs for a while to give it a chance to settle down some. (Those of you who are familiar with my chronic pain saga know that priority one is "Is there damage, and am I making that damage worse?", and that pain is much further down the priority list for a bunch of good reasons which probably need an essay soon.)

When I commented on a tweet where Terri Windling had mentioned Hammerschoi, saying that Hammershoi and the other artists who studied with or knew the Krøyers were an interesting bunch, she asked me where to learn more about them. After a quick search of my library, I realized I own almost nothing written about them, so I set off to find some links.

I started with Marie Krøyer and Anna Ancher, as those are two artists of the bunch who particularly interested me when I was in Denmark and nearby countries and going to art museums. Well, staying at Skagen and then finding out painters had loved the light there was a huge part of sparking my initial interest, which was strengthened when I found out my sister loves the work of the Krøyers too. And yet, as you'll see, saying "the work of the Krøyers" isn't the straightforward phrase it appears to be, as these people had complicated lives, in work and love and all things. They and their friends and acquaintances left palimpsests of a sort in their work, which fascinate and puzzle and tantalize. Juan and I are still remarking on what the painter of "The Scream" made of the Evening School bunch when he was around them. (Also what commentary on Munch's observations of the social and romantic life of the Skagen artists might be made regarding the painting, which discussion came from seeing a great many of the associated artists' work together, probably at the Hirschsprungske Samling and other Copenhagen museums on our trip there. Sadly, the museum at Skagen was closed when we were there, or I would have found out more about them earlier.)

The Skagen painters were not just painters; sculptors, writers, and composers were part of the flock that gathered in Skagen every summer.

Anyhow, there is so much I don't know about these people, but here, have a tiny start on a list of...

Dramatis Personae:

Marie Triepcke Krøyer Alfvén -- When women wanting to study art were refused entry to the Danish Royal Academy of Fine Arts, she did something about it. And that was just the beginning. There's an overview (part 1 and part 2) at the National Museum of Women in the Arts' website, as well as info on other artists mentioned her.) Husband also painted, and things didn't work out so well between these two.

Anna Brøndum Ancher -- Grew up in Skagen, the only member of the Skagen Painters group to do so, if I recall correctly. Her talent was recognizable from an early age. (Some info at NMWA.) Well known as a great Danish artist. (Here is Girl in the Kitchen 1883-1886.) Husband also painted, which worked out a bit better for Anna than a similar situation had worked out for her friend Marie, above.

I must go have food and then do some work, so I'll leave this here for now and hope to add to it later. Please do recommend sources I might like if you know them! What little I know is from looking at the work in person, and from a book on the pieces in the Hirschsprungske Samling which I cannot find at the moment.

Here's a link to an Facebook group about the work of the Skagen painters, for those who do the Book of Face: https://www.facebook.com/skagenpainters/