So, this morning I read more
about art as displayed on vases in Ancient Greece. First of all, let me say
that I think vases are very cool, and I wish I could somehow have a vase from
Ancient Greece to display in my home! A few years ago I spent two weeks in
Antigua, Guatemala studying Spanish, and one of my favorite souvenirs from the
trip is a vase I bought in one of the local stores. Vases can be so beautiful,
and are a great way to brighten up a home’s interior.
In Ancient Greece, the Protogeometrical
Period was the first expression of reviving civilization during the Greek Dark
Ages. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pottery_of_ancient_Greece; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protogeometric_art). Decorations on vases from this era were abstract and characterized by
horizontal bands and concentric circles. See an example, below:
Following the Protogeometric Period
was the Geometric Period. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pottery_of_ancient_Greece; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geometric_art). Instead of just the circles of the Protogeometric Period,
Greek pottery from the Geometric Period boasted new designs such as triangles.
During the Geometric Period, figures such as horses, stags, goats, and more
started to appear. Eventually, human figures begin to appear as well. The most
exciting thing to me is that, towards the end of the Geometric Period, representations
of Greek mythology start to appear. I have always been fascinated by Greek
mythology, and seeing it portrayed on Ancient Greek vases is really
interesting. See below for an example of a vase from the Geometric Period.
I also wanted to take a moment
today to discuss how my “coffee bean dreams” project is going, since I’m just
about 2/3 of the way through the first month. This has been both a very
rewarding and very challenging experience. I have had people who I never would
have expected contact me and tell me that they are enjoying my blog and
enjoying reading about my daily art discoveries. I have to admit, that’s pretty
cool. When I started blogging I thought I might just be talking to myself for
the next 365 days, so it’s pretty cool to know that there are some people
enjoying my journey.
How I feel about the project is
an evolving matter, however. Some days, I’m very excited to drink my coffee and
learn more about the art I’m researching at the moment. Other days, I just want
to curl up in a little ball and not think about anything. However, I was inspired
recently when I went to brunch with my friends Lauren and Hilary. We talked a
little bit about mindfulness, and how important it is to, for lack of a better
way of putting it, live life on purpose. Sometimes it is easy to just start going
through the motions and let everything get stale. This blog is a great way to
keep myself accountable to my goal of not letting that happen. I am so
fortunate to have such a wonderful life- I have great friends, a great partner,
a beautiful daughter, a great education, and great career opportunities. I don’t
want to just settle into a routine. I want to take advantage of the life I have
been blessed with and learn and grow. And this blog is my way of doing that.
Some days I wake up super excited about everything. Other days I feel the
drudgery of life’s daily routines weighing on me. But committing to spend my
morning coffee time every morning on learning and growing gives me a feeling of
accomplishment that is so gratifying, and I’m very happy thus far with the project!
Xoxo,
Diana
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