ISIS OASIS

Isis depicted with outstretched wings (wall painting, c. 1360 BCE)

I had a very unique experience over the weekend, when I spent the night at the Isis Oasis Retreat Center, in Geyserville, CA.  In their words, the Isis Oasis is an animal sanctuary, non-profit temple, and community center guided by the Divine Feminine, the goddess Isis - around whom the entire operation is based.

Isis is the Egyptian goddess of health, marriage, and wisdom (also associated with nature and magic) and her name means "throne".  She married her brother Osiris and is the mother of Horus, the falcon god associated with kingship.  She was worshiped throughout Egyptian times, up until the present day, and is depicted countless times throughout Art History - commonly in hieroglyphics with her arms outstretched.

Isis is the theme of the retreat center, and there are two temples dedicated to her on site.  I enjoyed exploring the grounds, and using the opportunity to get closer to nature - and experience some solitude outside of the city.

Photos by William Sealy.

HANAMI: Japanese Cherry Blossom

"In the cherry blossom's shade there's no such thing as a stranger." --Kobayashi Issa

Cherry Blossom Viewing by Chikanobu (1838 - 1912)

Boat Ride under the Cherry Blossoms, 1893 by Nobukazu (1874 - 1944)

In Japanese culture, cherry blossoms signify light, airy clouds, and I can't think of a better way to describe the feeling of finally seeing buds on the trees after a long New York winter.

  For an afternoon frolic through the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, I was inspired by Japanese woodblock prints depicting hanami, the ancient practice of repose underneath the blooming cherry blossoms, or sakura.

Sakura are a popular subject for traditional woodblock prints, which originated in Japan in the Eighth Century.  The prints are most closely associated with the ukiyo-e artistic period, but the methods and techniques are still used today.  Click here to see my Hokusai wave dress.

I'm wearing a handmade jacket my grandfather purchased for my grandmother in Japan in the 1960s.  It is one of my most treasured possessions, and her name embroidered on the inside makes it even more special. (See the last time I wore it on the blog, 3 years ago!)

Jacket: 1960s vintage

Silk tank: Diane von Furstenberg

Silk pants: Tallulah

Headscarf: Fendi

Sandals: Botkier

Fan: gift from a friend

Photos by Hannah Kauffman; Woodblock prints from fujiarts.com.

ART TO WEAR: Filigree

Jewelry, especially from ancient times, is just as much artwork as artifact, especially when you consider the craftsmanship behind each piece.  Filigree is a type of metalwork used for jewelry since the 6th century B.C., and is represented in many ancient cultures, including Italian, French, Greek, and Etruscan, and is still popularly used today. Filigree is accomplished by soldering together many tiny filaments to form a piece of metal that resembles lace.

I'm wearing the Filigree Statement Necklace, courtesy of Lydell NYC.

NEFERTITI

One of the most well-known works of ancient Egyptian art is the bust of Nefertiti (ca. 1370-1330 B.C.), wife of pharaoh Akhenaten.

When I spotted this tunic at the local Salvation Army, I immediately recognized the famous features.

Nefertiti and Akhenaten are noted in history for worshiping only one god: Aten, the sun disc.

The bust of Nefertiti that has given historians the most clear idea of her appearance was made by the sculptor Thutmose and now resides in the Neues Museum in Berlin.

A highly esteemed ruler, Nefertiti has become a symbol of ancient Egyptian art, as well as feminine authority. The name Nefertiti means "the beauty has come".

The bust itself is significant art historically because it represents the ancient Egyptians' realistic understanding of facial proportions. In the above relief of 1320-1200 BCE, also depicting Nefertiti, the more common stylized facial structure of ancient Egyptian art is evident.

I'm wearing a thrifted tunic made by "The African Scene" and a vintage necklace.

[Nefertiti images from davalablog.blogspot.com, amoeba.com, and history.com, respectively.]