Moon Falls a Thousand Times (2019) by Iranian artist, Naeemeh Naeemaei (born in 1984).
Acrylic and oil on canvas
There is an old Iranian folk tale about Leopard, who is very proud and wants to look down on all others. One night he sees Moon in the sky and seeks to supersede her, so he goes to the top of a cliff and jumps to catch Moon, but instead falls to his death. It’s a warning about hubris.
There is another folk tale about Leopard based on a 100-year-old true story from the small village of Kandelous, Iran. There was a girl named Mina who befriended Leopard. After some months of friendship, a man courting Mina shot Leopard out of jealousy and Leopard tragically died. The story is about humans encroaching on animal habitats and the destruction that that can cause.
Naeemeh Naeemaei explains that the painting is about both of these stories at once: Mina lovingly carries the body of her friend Leopard and “I poured moons under their feet to respect Leopard’s wish to be above Moon.”
Naeemeh Naeemaei received her BFA from Tehran Art University in 2006, majoring in sculpture.
Regarding her work generally, she says: ”I have worked on several series and they mostly had a theme related to nature. My recent painting series has an obvious environmental theme blended with cultural and social issues.”
Now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual. Yesterday, everybody smoked his last cigar, took his last drink, and swore his last oath. Today, we are a pious and exemplary community. Thirty days from now, we shall have cast our reformation to the winds and gone to cutting our ancient shortcomings considerably shorter than ever. We shall also reflect pleasantly upon how we did the same old thing last year about this time. However, go in, community! New Year's is a harmless annual institution, of no particular use to anybody save as a scapegoat for promiscuous drunks, and friendly calls, and humbug resolutions, and we wish you to enjoy it with a looseness suited to the greatness of the occasion. - Mark Twain
Omg! SO good @MissAdventurous 💯☺️
When I say ‘happy new year’, I’m not for a moment, expecting this to occur, for that is not possible, a year must be all things.
Happiness must come and go, like the tides and the winds, just as sadness, and all the emotions in between.
When I say ‘happy new year’, I’m really wishing you, a baseline of peace, of gratitude.
Because if you can sit with these things, for the most part, happiness will thrive, when it does arrive, and sadness will know its place in the mix.
If you can nourish these things, daily, you will also grow hope, for it flourishes in such soil.
And hope is the key, to this enigmatic state of ‘happiness’ we seek.
When I say ‘happy new year’, I’m really wishing you more happy days, than sad days, more joy than misery, more laughter than tears… and the wisdom to accept, that they all belong.
Happy new year, my friends. Happy new year.
[Art: Kinuko Y. Craft]
May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art ― write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.
~ Neil Gaiman
[Art: June Stratton Studio]
What is a human being, then?' 'A seed.' 'A ... seed?' 'An acorn that is unafraid to destroy itself in growing into a tree.
David Zindell, The Broken God (A Requiem for Homo Sapiens)
When was the first Times Square bash for New Year’s Eve? Early in the 19th-century, New Year’s Eve was particularly rowdy. In 1828, for example, marauders harassed revelers emerging from fancy-dress balls. In 1879 authorities gained control of the celebrations, now held in churches, theaters, and gymnasiums—and away from drunken crowds. In 1904 the New York Times’ Adolph Ochs threw the first Times Square bash in an effort to find a spacious place for the crowds to safely gather. It wasn’t until 1907 that the first New Year’s Eve Ball appeared. The Ball has been lowered every year since, except during wartime “dimout” of lights in New York City during 1942 and 1943.
2024 the year of the dragon, a symbol steeped in ancient mythology, embodying power, strength, and resilience. In many cultures, the dragon represents auspicious energy, vitality, and potent forces of change. As we step into the New Year of 2024, embracing these qualities can be a guiding light for personal growth and collective progress.
Strength: The dragon, with its formidable presence, symbolizes inner strength. In the face of challenges, cultivating mental and emotional fortitude becomes essential. It's about recognizing our inner reserves of resilience, drawing upon them to navigate life's complexities. Strengthening oneself physically, mentally, and emotionally empowers us to face the unknown with grace and determination.
Courage: Dragons are often associated with bravery and courage. They challenge us to step out of our comfort zones, to confront fears, and embrace new opportunities. It's about daring to pursue dreams, make bold choices, and stand up for what we believe in. Whether it's in personal aspirations or societal changes, courage allows us to forge ahead despite uncertainty.
Bravery: The dragon's bravery lies not just in facing external adversaries but also in confronting our own inner doubts and limitations. It's about being brave enough to introspect, acknowledge our vulnerabilities, and work on self-improvement. Embracing bravery means acknowledging our mistakes, learning from them, and using these lessons to grow stronger.
Applying these qualities to the New Year involves introspection and action:
Strength Through Reflection: Take time to reflect on past experiences. Acknowledge the challenges you've overcome and the strength you've exhibited. Use these reflections to fuel your determination for the year ahead.
Courage in Goals: Set ambitious yet achievable goals for yourself. Whether they're career aspirations, personal development milestones, or health objectives, dare to dream big and work towards them with unwavering courage. Bravery in Change: Embrace change with an open mind. Sometimes, the most significant growth comes from stepping into the unknown. Be open to new opportunities, experiences, and perspectives.
For a collective application: Community Strength: Encourage a sense of unity and support within your community. Offer strength to those in need, build connections, and foster an environment where everyone feels empowered.
Courageous Advocacy: Stand up for causes that matter. Whether it's environmental conservation, social justice, or mental health awareness, use your voice and actions to make a positive impact in the world.
Bravery in Innovation: Encourage innovation and creativity in problem-solving. Encourage a culture that values new ideas and approaches, allowing bravery to drive progress in various spheres of life.
The Year of the Dragon beckons us to embody these qualities, not just for personal fulfillment but also for contributing positively to the world around us. It's a year to harness our inner strength, embrace courage in our endeavors, and demonstrate bravery in the face of challenges, fostering growth, and positive change for all.
You know how some movies seem to have a curse on them as far as the cast is concerned? It is hard to top the one that seemed to be on the 1941 version of Blood and Sand, which featured three of the best looking and best loved Hollywood stars, at the height of their fame.
FIRST, star Tyrone Power. He was born Tyrone Edmund Power, Jr. in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1914. His father was the very noted stage actor Tyrone Power Sr, who also made some movies.
Surprisingly Tyrone Jr. was a frail, sickly child, and his parents moved to California in the hopes it would help his health. When he was a small boy his parents divorced, and his mother later moved to Cincinnati, where her family was from, and she was a stage actress, and also as a drama and voice coach.
Tyrone spent the summer of 1931 with his famous father, but his dad died later that year. He tried to follow in his father's footsteps in movies, but found few parts.
He went to New York, where he appeared in a few plays, and in 1936 he was signed to a contract by 20th Century Fox. After a few small parts, he was given the lead in Lloyd's of London (although he was 4th billed!), and that made him a major star.
He became Fox's answer to Warner's Errol Flynn and MGM's Robert Taylor, and he starred in 21 movies (including Jesse James, The Mark of Zorro, where he showed great prowess as a swordsman, and Blood and Sand) between 1937 and 1942, when he joined the Marine Reserves.
He made Crash Dive in 1943 while serving, and then his next movie was The Razor's Edge in 1946. The following year Power tried to change his image with the lead in the gritty film noir, Nightmare Alley, but the film (although excellent) did not do well at the box office, and he returned to action movies.
But Power was tired of playing the same sorts of roles over and over, and in 1950 he went to England and played the lead in Mister Roberts on the stage, and then John Brown's Body on Broadway, and on a national tour, followed by another play, The Dark is Light Enough.
In between he did some movies, but his heart was not in them. In 1957 he made Billy Wilder's Witness for the Prosecution, where he was wonderful as Leonard Vole. It makes one wonder how many other fine performances he might have given had he not been pushed into so many action movies.
The next year Power was back on stage, but he signed to play the lead in Solomon and Sheba, returning him to the swashbuckling type of role he had tried to get away from for so long. Ironically, he died of a heart attack while filming a dueling scene in 1958. He was just 44 years old.
NEXT, second billed Linda Darnell. She was born Monetta Eloyse Darnell in Texas in 1923. Hers surely is one of the most amazing and tragic Hollywood stories ever!
Most remember her as the exotic beauty of the late 1930s and early 1940s. But few know that she had "matured" super early and that her stage mother mom had her working as an adult model at age 11 (telling people she was 16).
Her mom got her a Hollywood screen test at 15, and they wanted to hire her, but told her mom she had to wait until she was 16. The following year, 1939, she had a sexy debut in Hotel For Women (she looked far older with the right make-up).
The same year she had the lead against Tyrone Power Jr. in Day Time Wife (still only 16!), becoming the youngest leading lady ever in Hollywood. She had several major successes over the following years.
In 1947, she appeared in Forever Amber, which included a scene of her surviving being trapped by a fire. But she had a very sad personal life, married and divorced three times, and was an alcoholic through most of her adult life.
In 1965, she was staying at her former secretary's house and was watching one of her earliest hits, "Star Dust", and a fire started and she was burned to death and she was just 41 years of age.
THIRD, Rita Hayworth, who was born in 1918. During the early 1940s she was one of the greatest sex symbols the movies has ever had, most notably in the 1946 movie, Gilda.
But she was born Margarita Cansino, and was originally a child dancer with her father. She later caught the attention of Harry Cohn at Columbia, who cast her as a sexy dancer in some late 1930s movies.
Cohen first billed her as Rita Cansino, and then renamed her to Hayworth (her mother's maiden name). Cohn did all he could to get rid of her Spanish ethnicity, changing her name, having her dye her black hair red, and having her hairline raised!
She made many memorable dance movies (including ones opposite both Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly!), but she is probably best remembered for her five steamy melodramas opposite Glenn Ford.
She had a tumultuous private life, marrying five times, most memorably to Orson Welles and Prince Aly Khan (this was before Grace Kelly married her prince!).
Her most famous quote (explaining why she married so many times) was "Every man I have ever known has fallen in love with Gilda and awakened with me."
She exhibited extremely erratic behavior starting in her early forties, because she suffered from early Alzheimer's, which went undiagnosed for many years.
Rita passed away in 1987 at the age of 68. In those later years, she was cared for by her daughter, Princess Yasmin Khan, who has also been a champion of raising money for Alzheimer's research.
THREE WONDERFUL STARS, THREE GREAT TRAGEDIES. Two died at 41 and 44, and the third developed Alzheimer's at the same age. So very, very sad.
youre beautiful
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