JOIN HOLLY ON HER BLOG for a PANEGYRIC to STEVEN TYLER ft. Portrait by Resa
I just loved drawing him!
Holly chose this Aerosmith classic for the post, but there is a very cool surprise video there as well!
Category: Tribute
Tina Turner
Holly has done another fab bio. This time it is on the late great Tina Turner. It is again an honour to provide the drawing for the article.
Head on over and give it a read!
What an inspirational person!
Joni Mitchell
Joni is the latest entry in Bios by Holly and art by Resa.
Holly’s has written a biolette on the amazing Joni Mitchell. It’s always a joy and an honour to collabrate with House of Heart.
Thank you with all my heart, dear Holly!
Tissot – 2
This is the painting that lured me to the exhibit.
This young woman’s housecoat, patterned yellow pillow and tropical plants were introduced to Europe via colonial conquests in the southern hemisphere.
Juxtaposed to these items that signify the speed of travel, trade and fashion are the middle class woman’s long slow hours of recuperating health.
The Seasons
Tissot drew on the art historical tradition of women and natural cycles; ie. young women and spring.
Ippitsusai Buncho (Japanese, active 1765 – 1792), Kabuki. Segawa Kikunojo in female role of Ohatsu in“Yoni Osaka Nitsuino Myoto”
The elongated form, and stylized blades of grass in the foreground shows the influence of Japanese woodblock prints.
Limiting the number of prints to a plate (which adds value through scarcity) was unusual prior to the second half of the 1800’s.
The simplest way to cancel a run is to rut the metal plate with deep lines.
“He also depicted women in current fashions, presenting them as both timeless and contemporary.”
Despite the racial diversity of Europe at the time, Tissot’s artworks focus on white women.
The Thames
This image of a naval officer cruising the polluted Thames River with 2 women (Must be prostitutes!) was deemed “thoroughly and willfully vulgar”by a critic.
The British saw this as immoral French art, which included Impressionism.
Tissot captured the global flow at bustling ports along the Thames.
This print highlights the artist’s expertise in capturing nautical scenes.
Tissot had an infinitude for portraying women in ambiguous situations.
This emigrant woman leaving a ship with her baby makes one wonder where her journey will lead.
Souvenirs of the Siege of Paris
This collection recounts Tissot’s time as a sharpshooter with The French National Guard during the Franco-Prussian War (1870 – 1871)
Tissot’s images of dead or ailing men depict specific historical events and locations. They were viewed by Victorians as accurate reportage.
La Frileuse
Kathleen Newton (1854 – 1882)
Kathleen Turner was a young Irish divorcée and mother, who lived with Tissot in London until her early death at 28 from tuberculosis. Tissot often used her as a model.
Tissot’s prints were affordable, attracting middle-class and international buyers. His Victorian themes were adored and his prints circulated the globe, amassing the artist a small fortune.
The Women of Paris
Following the death of Kathleen in 1882, Tissot returned to Paris.
Tissot exhibited 15 paintings and a corresponding print series of modern Parisian women from different social classes, each accompanied by a short essay by a prominent French writer.
Critics panned the show as behind the times. They claimed he painted “the same Englishwoman” repeatedly.
“Following the critical failure of his exhibition, Tissot never focused on the theme of modern womanhood again.”
Photos taken © Resa McConaghy – January 7, 2025
Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Canada
Source material – Art Gallery of Ontario
Tissot – I
Tissot, a name I hadn’t heard much. Then the AGO announced an exhibit featuring their collection of 2 oil paintings, 1 watercolour and 30 etchings on paper.
A Most Enchanting Day at the AGO
In the last decades of the nineteenth century, James Tissot portrayed women within the contradictions of the period.
Modernity via the speed of travel, fashion and commodity culture is juxtaposed with the constraint of women’s every day lives.
Flaunting the “Masculine” Realm
A well dressed woman reads a newspaper. The fashionable Japanese-influenced wallpaper lining the wall informs of her engagement with the outside world & knowledge of trends.
Fashion magazines and novels were appropriate for Victorian women.
Newspapers were linked to men, as they symbolized factual knowledge and interest in global politics. Although, the image below depicts another reason a woman would read a newspaper.
The above image portrays a young woman and her mother in a Parisian park. The black clothing suggests they are mourning a male relative, and are without a dowry. The daughter sits in an available position, while the mother searches the newspapers for marriage offers.
More About the Artist
“Best known for his paintings of fashionable figures, Tissot began his career in Paris. While he turned down Edgar Degas’s invitation to exhibit with the impressionists, he shared the groups desire to portray scenes of modern life in an innovative style. He moved to London in 1871 after fighting in the Franco-Prussian War, and became a popular painter of Victorian scenes, particularly those showing young women in typically modern moments, before returning to France in 1882.” – Art Gallery of Ontario
Moral Ambiguity, a Central Theme
A well dressed young woman walks to church holding a bible. Her raised eyebrows and tentative gaze pose the question, does she need to atone for her sins, or is she nervous about being late for service?
Horizontal women’s bodies were lubricous from a voyeuristic perspective.
Slumbering female figures had erotic connotations in the Victorian Era, especially in semi-conscious states like dreaming or sleeping.
Now discredited – The below woman’s twisted hand was indicative of the pathological disorder – hysteria. This “chic” female disease was considered fashionably feminine and modern.
The moral ambiguity of Tissot’s images was integral to their popular appeal.
British critics claimed they were too, risqué, too French.
A Personal Fascination
Other than the title, I know only that the etching below is in the Hippodrome (ℹ︎ Met Museum site). I was mesmerized by it. All that skin makes the costumes seem so modern and the Statue of Liberty crowns were piquing.
I can’t get everything into 1 post, so there will be a Tissot – II. In the meantime, I leave you with a shot of the 1 watercolour with gouache on paper.
The young girl’s bored stare, pale skin, under eye circles with oversized bonnet and gloves (highlighting weight loss) suggest tuberculosis.
“Consumption” was coined a term, as it consumed patients, and ate away bodies.
Is she waiting for someone or something?
Is she waiting to heal or die?
Photos © Resa McConaghy – Taken January 7, 2025
Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Canada
Information Source: The Art gallery of Ontario
Victorian Sonnet
Inspiration came in 2 boxes from Diana – Myths of the Mirror
Linens & laces inherited from great grandmother & grandmother to mother then her, became all mine; an Art Gown to share.
Her beauty holds memories of Victorian times, and the bright light of many tomorrows.
Victorian Sonnet is dedicated to Diana, her great grandmother Emilie, her grandmother Truly (Caroline), and and her mother Tineke (Dutch nickname for Anna Martine).
Sonnets from the Art Gowns
Structure
Iambic pentameter – 5 feet to a line – 4 lines to a verse – 3 verses & a couplet
Rhyme scheme – ABAB, CDCD, EFEF, GG
Third verse volta
I
Dear Diana your lace and your linen
Great grand mother, grandma, mother then you
Woven treasure fair sent passed on to begin
Romance dance a dress white and blue.
Lace held, fabric draped inspiration gold
Creation libation confusion strewn
All threads gay with gathers theirs to unfold
Ancestry, a love light shimmering through!
Yet should something arise break then the spell
To find magic's construct tattered and torn
Ere rendered fore tendered tossed into the swell
Became fragments merely blithely left lorn.
Our memory painted lingers in mind,
Inherited Victoriana's time.
© Resa
The Making Of
When the fabrics arrived, I threw the lot on top of Lilac Fan Dance. There was also a fabulous mosquito net with cotton top.
When the time came to begin, there was so much lace and linens, I needed to spread them all out.
All laces and fabrics were hand washed, and tested for tensile strength.
A bertha collar was formed from a bed jacket’s trim and lined with mosquito net.
An underskirt was cut from the cotton top of the netting.
Mosquito netting was added to the underskirt to make it full length. Lace cut from the lace tablecloth was sewn on top of the netting.
A blue linen jacquard tablecloth was formed into a corset shaped top with straps into a plunging back.
My friend Kat gifted me a new Judy, so I transferred the gown to her. She also sent massive yardage of new, but cut into, winter white synthetic curtain sheer, found for a pittance at the good will.
After washing, the sheer was cut into a 3 tiered overskirt, and trimmed with the lace yardages. The sheer makes a solid backing that fortifies the antique laces.
Two side tails were draped in bias from the sheer, then trimmed with edges cut from the lace tablecloth.
A third centre tail was draped from the mosquito netting on bias. This tail was trimmed with the last of the lace yardages. It was then filled in with geometrically placed doilies, table covers and bits of cut up lace edgings.
A bussel was formed from blue serviettes that matched the bodice’s tablecloth, and eyelet lace trim from the second bed jacket.
Vintage hand covered buttons adorn the bodice.
Voilà! Victorian Sonnet
She’s so beautiful, I went overboard taking pics.
OUTTAKES
Serendipity
November, 2023 – The 2 boxes arrived, from Diana. Lilac Fan Dance was still in the making. I knew Diana was mid book. In May, 2024 Victorian Sonnet was begun. 6+ months later, the gown and Diana’s book – Tale of the Seasons’ Weaver – were finished, more or less at the same time.
Release – January 2, 2025
Available exclusively on AMAZON – Worldwide
How is an art gown like a good book?
You hate it to end!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Gloria Steinem
Holly has done a fabulous bio on Gloria Steinem.
It is my joy to provide the artwork, once again.
There are some lively comments over at Holly’s, so be there or be square.
The new Art Gown is finished! It’s been 7 months, and worth it.
She is made of 100+ year old linens, laces and cottons, gifts from a fellow blogger.
There’s a big mess to clean up & almost NO sun predicted for the rest of the year to take pics. Nonetheless, soon!
Ronnie Spector
Holly has featured my drawing of Ronnie Spector with a fab bio she has written.
THANK YOU HOLLY!
The Ronettes perform “Be My Baby” at the 2007 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
Janis Joplin – A Bio By Holly House of Heart
Once again Holly has honoured me by using my drawing of Janis for her bio series on performers who have brought us something special.
Thank You Holly!
Ashlie in Jade w/ Jimi and Jim
Question: What do you do when your great niece comes for a 2 hour visit, and you haven’t seen her for 6 years?
Answer: Throw an Art Gown on her and start shooting! No time for cleaning up, setting a stage, ironing, lighting or thinking in general!
We decided on Jade, an Art Gown dedicated to Shey, one of the 5 AGMs.
So, how did Jimi and Jim enter the equation?
Their images happen to be on 2 – 55 year old ceramic wine bottles that were on my mantle. N’s mom bought them in Yorkville Village circa 1967-69.
Pretty cool!
They’ve been living with me for over 20 years & it’s nothing short of a miracle that they are still in 1 piece. Glass and ceramics are at high risk here.
Anyway, Sherrie (Ash’s mom) said she’d like to have them, one day. I figured now’s a good a time as any.
The portraits of Jimi Hendrix & Jim Morrison on the bottles aren’t perfect, but painting on a ceramic bottle can’t be easy.
The Bottles Slide Show
Drawing on paper is much easier, and not perfect either.
The Jimi and Jim bottles resting comfortably on a shelf in Winnipeg, Canada.
During photo selection, Google photos suddenly changed! There’s a lot of new creative editing options, as well as the old ones. Here is extreme “white point” & “black point”, together.
Art Gowns 
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