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My Greek travel and art. Benaki museum

Artist, ArtTravel, Greece, Uncategorized, Urban sketching

“Greek to me” by Mary Norris

“The Benaki is Museum in Athens, one of the best museums in Greece, the Alexandrian Greek Antonis Benakis, who donated his building and his family’s house to the state…Anyone who loves language loves the alphabet… Instead of apples and bananas and cats, the book’s illustrations are pieces from the collection of the Benaki; alpha is for airplane (αεροπλάνο ), beta is for book (βιβλίο), gamma is for gorgon (γοργόνα).”

I am going to share my first impression from the ancient city Athens with you in this post. It has been in the back drawer for more than a year, but now is the time! Even if you are not going to Greece, read it over coffee – it gives you the feeling that you are walking along the pavements of an ancient city.

The Benaki museum is one of interesting places in Athens Kerameikos neighbourhood, I suggest going for their cafe on the terrace to enjoy the view while sipping the Greek coffee: and enjoy the classical falafel with peppermint as species.

It was so unusual and unexpected that our first thing to do in Athens was the Benaki museum vs. Acropolis or others #1 from the recommended lists for travellers. I have read about Benaki museum in the book “Greek to me” by Mary Norris. And Benaki Museum appears one of my favourite museum of Greek culture.

From the rich collection of Prehistoric, Ancient Green and Roman, one of the museum’s statue that impressed me was Eros and Psyche, and the myth telling about about truly love. The bone plaque with a relief representation that repeats the Hellenistic combination of Eros and Psyche was one of my highlight for that day. The myths of ancient Greece have inspired countless artists over the centuries. From Renaissance artists to modern filmmakers, Psyche and Eros (or “Cupid”) have served as sources of inspiration and have been represented in many great and sometimes lesser works of art in many variations. My art is about metamorphosis of sky and clouds on that sunny day that transformed to Psyche and Eros:)

The Legend of Psyche and Eros is a touching love story gifted to the world by the rich Greek mythology.

Athens has everything I enjoy in my life – top level museums, homemade great food with aroma species, ancient statues and architecture, rich music concerts, some luxury, shopping, a young street life and lovely musical language of Ellada.

Spring in Athens is so beautiful! Especially if you equip yourself with the right guide and know where to watch the sunset, where to drink wine and what museums not to miss and where to go in the area.

” With it rank upon rank of icons and its collections of sculpture, pottery, jewelry, silver – from the archaic to the modern -the Benaki is a world-class museum

“Greek to me” by Mary Norris

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:) Stay healthy.

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.

Links

Benaki museum https://www.benaki.org/index.php?lang=en

cafe in Benaki museum https://www.dipnosofistirion.gr/en/benaki-museum-restaurant-cafe/

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My Toronto. Stay home and Urban sketching. Travel and Art. Part 1

ArtTravel

I am starting a new journey. This time it will be “travelling” in my own city. I am planning to do daily sketches of city of Toronto, showing my preferred places, sometimes bright spots on its streets, sometimes… weird sculptures:)))) , the multicultural megapolis that is in harmony with its people.

Woodpecker Column – Toronto, Ontario at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

https://pixels.com/featured/toronto-pileated-woodpecker-tamara-vitsenkova.html?newartwork=true

Metro Convention Centre’s woodpecker. This bird symbolizes construction, hardworking people of Ontario. It is prophetic bird, symbol of magical power, guardian of kings and trees. Even in mythology, the woodpecker is dedicated to Zeus (Jupiter), Ares (Mars), Sylvanu. In the eternal city of Rome, the woodpecker is said to have guarded Romulus and Remus, according legends.

Monument of culturalism. The statue of a man who uses all his strength to tighten the meridians of globe in this multinational city. On the “meridians” one can notice some birds perched up.

https://pixels.com/featured/toronto-multiculturalism-sculpture-near-union-station-tamara-vitsenkova.html?newartwork=true

This is a place where residents or visitors of Toronto arrive or leave by subway, tram, bus, train, or airport. It is the heart of Toronto with its historical Union station. The statistics say that it has an average of 200,000 passengers passing through it each day. However, during the lockdown, that number was only 10% of its usual stat. In my hope for the best (and healthy) future, I captured the moment when the sky har  the mixture of chocolate and rose hues. To complement it, I added some shades of coffee and vanilla to the sculpture.

https://pixels.com/featured/toronto-bike-share-toronto-near-rodgers-centre-tamara-vitsenkova.html

Bike share Toronto. Who doesn’t know these famous bicycles in the streets of Toronto the colour of green apple? There are stations all over the city, including near the Harbour Centre, CN Tower and Rogers centre. You can rent a bicycle and spend a great time cycling for example near Ontario lake.

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:) Stay healthy.

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.

You can visit my personal website pages here and find out more about the artwork I am offering in oil and watercolor paintings; purchase canvas prints, framed prints, and more artwork.

My favourite art store in Toronto is Deserres @Spadina avenue.

Tools used for my painting Watercolour used Charvin and Van Gogh brands, Derwent watercolour pencils and Faber Castell artist pens. Paper Strathmore Watercolour and Mixed Media albums, 15×20 cm (6×8 in.)

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For all the coffee lovers.Toronto, still life and urban sketching.Coffee and breakfast in megapoles

ArtTravel

Even a regular #MondayMorning could be enjoyable and relaxing—especially when #WorkingFromHome means you can attend Zoom calls in your pajamas. This is the view from my downtown Toronto home office: a dark rye sandwich piled high with salmon (nature’s way of saying “I’m fancy”), a small cup of coffee (the fuel that makes Mondays bearable), and the burning question on every artist’s mind: “What else could an artist possibly need?” Well, possibly some watercolour paint. And maybe a shower. But mostly coffee.

Salmon on rye: because adulting requires at least one fancy breakfast decision.

Paintings with oil pastel: A small cup of coffee for a busy-morning breakfast—because nothing says “healthy nutrition” like caffeinated courage and hope in a ceramic vessel.

Coffee: officially a still life subject AND a survival strategy.
Wild flowers in a vase: fighting back against Toronto grey, one petal at a time.

Paintings with oil pastel. Coffee aromas come in all different flavours: fruity, caramelized, sometimes nutty, and occasionally burnt (which tastes suspiciously like Monday morning mistakes). It always energizes me. I take a few precious moments every morning to savour my coffee while watching the vibrant young Toronto hustle and bustle outside my window—basically, I spy on everyone else’s productivity while I’m still in my pajamas. Living the dream!

A cup of coffee and flowers—what could be better in the morning? Absolutely nothing, unless you count oxygen and consciousness. I add some bright and delicate colours to the grey downtown city landscape of #Toronto to prove that life doesn’t have to be monotone—a wild summer flower bouquet in a vase, basically nature’s rebellion against urban beige.

Bon voyage! Until the next adventure :) Stay healthy, stay caffeinated, and for heaven’s sake, use sunscreen—your future self will thank you.

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission. (Yes, even if you think you can sneak it past the internet. You can’t. We all know about screenshots.)

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Lemons, tea, aromas and Italy. Still life and Urban sketching. Part 5.

ArtTravel

#lemon #art #travel #Italy (aka my holy trinity of happiness)

Yellow, sour, fragrant… and absolutely the diva of the citrus world. In tea with sugar? *Chef’s kiss.* It’s pleasant. Also full of vitamins (or so I tell myself between paintings). And its name is LEMON! Perhaps each of us, both adults and children, knows this bright, yellow citrus fruit—unless you’ve been living under a Mediterranean rock your whole life.

Still life. Still delicious. Still not edible.

It was in Italy (the land of carbs, art, and lemons galore) where my family dragged me around the Italian “boot” from top to toe several years ago. Because nothing says “family vacation” like touring every inch of a country! The painting happened in the south of Italy, in one of those charming little towns where time moves slower and espresso is cheaper than water. Naturally.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, but this lemon was painted in one. (Lies. It took three.)

Our next stop was the north of Italy, literally the “top of the boot” (geography humor—I’m here all week). Lemon trees were EVERYWHERE on the Borromean islands, like someone’s obsessed Pinterest board came to life. The backdrop? Mountains. Swiss mountains. Beautiful, indifferent, Swiss mountains that made the lemons look even more golden and smug.

Lemon trees: nature’s way of saying ‘you’re in Italy now, calm down.’

The lemons were HUGE. Like, absurdly huge. And their aroma? Everywhere. It was less “fresh citrus scent” and more “olfactory assault in the best way possible.” I still remember the weight of those yellow orbs in my hand—fruit so heavy it could double as a gym weight. Nature’s dumbbell.

Shall we have tea with lemon now? Or should we just sit and contemplate the sheer absurdity of how a little yellow fruit has consumed my entire artistic existence?

Tea. Lemon. Existential peace. You know the vibe.

According to legend (and I’m not making this up, mythology nerds), the aromatic fruits the color of the sun were gifted to Hera’s wedding when she married Zeus. Because if Zeus’s new wife wanted to stay young and beautiful forever, obviously you give her lemons. Logic. The ancient Greeks apparently believed: “Its aroma amuses the mind, the peel and grains are good for the heart, the flesh is excellent food, and the juice quenches thirst.” Basically, lemons are fruit’s overachiever. They’re doing cardio, aesthetics therapy, AND hydration all at once.

All paintings belong to the author. Seriously, don’t copy them. I’m watching. (Jk, but also—don’t.)

Tools used for my paintings: Watercolour brands Van Gogh and Cotman (because why choose when you can be indecisive?). Derwent watercolour pencils for when I need surgical precision on my lemon chaos. Paper from Canson Mix Media albums (28×35 cm / 11×14 in.) and Canson Watercolour albums (25×35 cm / 11×15 in.)—basically, I invested in better paper than I invest in my actual life stability.

Bon voyage! Until the next travel adventure (hopefully with fewer lemons and more personal growth, but let’s be realistic). Stay healthy, stay hydrated, and may your tea always have the perfect squeeze of lemon.

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