30-DAY MEME: DAY 20

[jenni_blog]

day 01 → your favourite song
day 02 → your favourite movie
day 03 → your favourite television program
day 04 → your favourite book
day 05 → your favourite quote
day 06 → whatever tickles your fancy
day 07 → a photo that makes you happy
day 08 → a photo that makes you angry/sad
day 09 → a photo you took
day 10 → a photo of you taken over ten years ago
day 11 → a photo of you taken recently
day 12 → whatever tickles your fancy
day 13 → a fictional book
day 14 → a non-fictional book
day 15 → a fanfic
day 16 → a song that makes you cry (or nearly)
day 17 → an art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
day 18 → whatever tickles your fancy
day 19 → a talent of yours
day 20 → a hobby of yours
day 21 → a recipe
day 22 → a website
day 23 → a YouTube video
day 24 → whatever tickles your fancy
day 25 → your day, in great detail
day 26 → your week, in great detail
day 27 → this month, in great detail
day 28 → this year, in great detail
day 29 → hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
day 30 → whatever tickles your fancy



I have several hobbies, so to choose just one is difficult. But something that I do regularly is gardening, and I still have a love of plants and still read my gardening books and I am always keen to find out more on the subject. Another hobby I have is painting, although I have not done much of that in the past several years apart from taking a watercolour painting course a few years back. And, of course I love art history and used to study it. So I find the combination of gardening, painting and art history irresistable.

One painter who used to combine both gardening and painting was the impressionist Claude Monet, one of my favourite artists.

Here are a few pictures of Claude Monet's garden in Giverny, France. And a few of his paintings of his garden. And here are a couple of links to gardening sites:

One is Victory gardens, an idea I find wonderful and fascinating. I used to watch the 'Victory Garden' series on public television here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_garden

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Victory_Garden_%28TV_series%29

Here are photos of Claude Monet's real garden, which is open to the public.







And a few of his paintings of the same:







And a link to the Wiki page on Claude Monet:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Monet

Comments

[hallowchaser.livejournal.com]

not exactly a fan of gardening... (hate it infact), but ART! I love art and I love looking at it and I would study it if I would be any better.

Monet did some AMAZING paintings. I was lucky to see some during the MoMA here in Berlin.

[just-jenni.livejournal.com]

Oh, you are very lucky to have seen Monet's paintings. I have never seen his, although I have been lucky to see other famous painters' work. But never his! Maybe some day...

[hallowchaser.livejournal.com]

this is the one: http://www.twoglasses.com/images/moma/mural.jpg (it's not my picture though...) - it was just really amazing.

[just-jenni.livejournal.com]

OMG! That is an amazing mural! Thanks for the link!

[hallowchaser.livejournal.com]

isn't it his most famous? it's like HUGEEE

[just-jenni.livejournal.com]

It could be his most famous, but there are other smaller paintings I've seen more often, so I don't know! It's huge alright. Must be really something to see in person!

[hallowchaser.livejournal.com]

it really is amazing, so if you ever get the chance. ;)

[aglaiya.livejournal.com]

Don't like gardening.... but gardens can look very beautiful.

I really like the paintings.

[just-jenni.livejournal.com]

LOL @ not liking gardening. I guess a lot of people hate it.

But yeah, the paintings are nice. I've always liked the artist.

[aglaiya.livejournal.com]

I like the style of the paintings.

In a garden are SPIDERS!!!

[just-jenni.livejournal.com]

LOL @ spiders. Yes, there are spiders in gardens and one bit me on the finger when I was pruning once. Another time one ran over my hand while I was digging. I learned to wear gloves. I like the ones we have at work in the doctor's office better than clumsy gardening gloves. :)

[aglaiya.livejournal.com]

Spiders running over your hand? I would die... NO garden! I cannot think about...

[sophiamoon.livejournal.com]

That's very beautiful. As long as I don't have to work in it I can appreciate a beuatiful garden. And I love (some/quite a lot) art.

[just-jenni.livejournal.com]

LOL I guess a lot of people don't like gardening. But thanks, and yes...Monet's paintings are really lovely. The idea of someone creating a garden in order to paint it fascinates me.

[sophiamoon.livejournal.com]

That is fascinating, yes. That's living for your art in a big way.