And Now for the Boobs

Posted on by Cassie Thornton

Picasso Woman with a Book

So this is Picasso. “Woman with a Book,” although I doubt that is what the old man was really focused on. People spend lots of time analyzing the work of this artist, the sociological context, the historical importance, the groundbreaking originality, etc. This is one of the more straightforward and less obscene pieces…. It’s just Cubism, you know. It was a Big Deal back in the day. And some of Picasso’s works are pretty significant, if you can get past the misogyny.  The Picasso approach: Take an image of a woman, break it down into a pile of body parts, then scramble and reassemble the figure as you like, to become whatever suits your fancy. Call it “Art.”

#CassieThorntonMysteries; #PicassoWomanWithABook; #Cubism; #CassieTalksArt; #ArtStuff

Hearts of Stone

Posted on by Cassie Thornton

Pyrite hearts

I love these pyrite hearts… At the time I bought them, I felt like there were huge empty holes in my heart, places inside me that were broken. I worked hard to heal them, and I’m better now, but maybe there are still some of those little craggy parts left. I grew up believing that you can’t rely on a man to make your life happy; you have to find your happiness in life through fulfilling work and a full life with friends, family, and connections to a spiritual world. But I’ve reconsidered those rules, and added this thought: it’s great to be in love, to have a relationship with a wonderful man, and to walk around with a smile on your face all day because of him. Now I think of the craggy parts of my heart as if they are bursting with diamonds. Yes, my stone cold heart is busting open with shiny, priceless gems. What a world.

#happyhearts; #pyritehearts; #thoughtsaboutlove

The Devil

Posted on by Cassie Thornton

devil card

I was reading the cards the other day and the Devil Card, which is No. 15 in the Major Arcana, came up as the “Outcome” in the Celtic Cross spread. Now someone getting that card in any location in a reading might get nervous, but particularly in the outcome position, but in reality it’s a pretty benign card. The “Devil” is really all those constraints that society places on the individual – all the “shoulds” that constrain us from fully living our lives and becoming our true selves. So, men should be husbands and fathers and breadwinners; and their partners should be whatever the latest version of superwoman is this year (career-woman, mother, wife, nurturer). The outcome, in this reading, was encouragement to cast off the shackles of societal expectation and be true to the self rather than social expectations in making choices for the future. How many of us want to see that card pop up, and give us permission to cast aside all the responsibilities that weigh down our days? The devil says, “Go for it, before it’s too late!” Just make sure you’re really following your own values and not just running away from bad life choices, because then you’ll end up being the devil in the picture.

 

The Big Boy (so to speak)

Posted on by Cassie Thornton

David by Michelangelo

So I know, we go from the prim and proper Mona Lisa to the naked guy, right? But he’s a classic by Michelangelo, and one of the major dudes in my Art History class, “Boobs and Dicks All Over the Place.” It’s a popular class; even the jocks take it to satisfy their Humanities requirements. I figure, if you can find a way to engage the students, they might end up learning something and there’s actually a slim chance that one or two will be inspired to continue with the study of Art History and maybe more. So why not have fun with it? I know it drives the department heads crazy, but they can’t do much about it because the class is always over-enrolled. My bad!

Wings

Posted on by Cassie Thornton

Wing plaque

These beautiful ceramic plaques are made by Sid Dickens of Vancouver, Canada. I love the wings; they remind me of angels. There are many designs, some with words, letters, other symbols, but this is one of my favorites. Angel wings. Just a reminder that we all have guardian angels around us, spirits who are watching over us and keeping us safe. Honor them, if you choose to believe.

About Me

Posted on by Cassie Thornton

I’m a relative newcomer to the Big City, and while I’m hard at work teaching Art History, I wanted to become part of the larger community of the city that communicates online about their likes, dislikes, and opinions about EVERYTHING!! So, while not endorsing restaurants or stores for any profit or financial interest (really!), I’m just going to write when I find something that I want to share. And I hope you’ll decide to follow me and spread the good word. (Meaning – I’m going to try to only be positive about what I like, not tear down things I don’t care for.) Let’s lift up the small businesses and entrepreneurs who are working hard to make it here in New York.

Be yourself. Everybody else is taken. – Oscar Wilde

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