Florida #5

I don't usually go into the flora and fauna of each state but Florida has so many unusual inhabitants it seems worth noting.

Florida is the only continental U.S. state with a coral reef, called the Florida Reef.  It is also home to the American alligator, American crocodile, American flamingo, Florida panther, bottlenose dolphin and manatee.  These can all be found in Everglades National Park.

Florida #4

In 1538 DeSoto landed in Florida thus beginning the profound influence of the Spanish in Florida culture and architecture.  The relationship in Florida to African Americans is a bit different from the other states we have visited. Interesting how many paintings of mestizos and mulattos there are.  It must have been either quite ubiquitous or fascinating curiosity at the time.  Also interesting how mannered the poses are, heads held to the side in a gesture of what?  Just the style of the artist or some sort of comment?

"Some Spanish married or had unions with Pensacola, Creek or African women, both slave and free, and their descendants created a mixed-race population of mestizos and mulattos. The Spanish encouraged slaves from the southern British colonies to come to Florida as a refuge, promising freedom in exchange for conversion to Catholicism. King Charles II of Spain issued a royal proclamation freeing all slaves who fled to Spanish Florida and accepted conversion and baptism. Most went to the area around St. Augustine, but escaped slaves also reached Pensacola. St. Augustine had mustered an all-black militia unit defending Spain as early as 1683.^{[25]"...Wikipedia}

Florida #3

The earliest people in Florida were the Paleoindians who date back to 13,000 to 20,000 years ago.  If you are interested in the slow development of culture before European contact here is a good resource.  When the Spanish arrived in the 1500's they found a variety of indigenous people. This is what happened to them.

"Europeans encountered many groups of indigenous peoples in Florida. Recorded information on various groups ranges from numerous detailed reports to the mere mention of a name. Some of the indigenous peoples were taken into the system of Spanish missions in Florida, others had sporadic contact with the Spanish without being brought into the mission system, but many of the peoples are known only from mention of their names in historical accounts. All of these peoples were essentially extinct in Florida by the end of the 18th century.

Most died from exposure to Eurasian infectious diseases, such as smallpox and measles, to which they had no immunity, and others died from warfare: with both the Spanish and English raiders from the Carolinas and their Indian allies. Others were carried away to slavery by the Spanish (in the 16th century) and by the English and their Indian allies (in the late 17th century and early 18th century). The few survivors migrated out of Florida, mainly to Cuba and New Spain (Mexico) with the Spanish as they ceded Florida to Britain in 1763 following the Seven Years' War, although a few Apalachee reached Louisiana, where their descendants still live."  Wikipedia

Here is some Seminole art from the Reeve's Collection.

Florida #2

The word "Florida" is Spanish for "Land of the Flowers".  It is the one state I think everyone can locate on the map as it sticks prominently into the seas on our East coast.  The Gulf of Mexico is on the West side, the Atlantic Ocean on the East side and the Straits of Florida to the South.  Much of the State is at or near sea level and it has the lowest high point in the Union.

Here is a cheery version of the Florida Song with lots of photos complete with bathing beauties and alligators.

FLORIDA

It's September so we are off to Florida. 

A lot of people retire to Florida.  Our President retires to Florida quite often and we can only hope he makes it a permanent condition in the near future.

I am thinking of changing my painting routine a bit, or perhaps including some real postcards of my design in the mix of work from the states.  I love postcards and I suppose because of email very few people send them anymore.  It might be a good way to combine more than one image from each state.  Here is an old one from Florida.

Another Delaware artist

Graham Dougherty is another artist from Delaware and he is still very much alive.  He doesn't seem to have a web site however.  Here are some examples of his paintings.  I like the way he uses soft blended color with just a hint of geometry.

Artists from Delaware

Ellen Bernard Thompson Pyle (November 11, 1876 – August 1, 1936) was an American illustrator best known for the 40 covers she created for The Saturday Evening Post in the 1920s and 1930s under the guidance of Post editor-in-chief, George Horace Lorimer. She studied with Howard Pyle and later married Pyle’s brother Walter...Wikipedia

Here is some more personal biographical information from the SATURDAY EVENING POST website.  She was widowed young and supported her large family with these illustrations.

Artists from Delaware - Chalfant

Time to look for artists from Delaware.  Here is a fine artist I bet you never heard of (too many good artists nobody ever heard of)

Jefferson David Chalfant 1856-1931, born in Pennsylvania but moved to Delaware as a young man and lived there his whole life.  He was self taught although he did manage to spend 2 years in Paris where he studied art.  He is probably best known for his still lifes although I could not find too many on line.  Chalfont painted himself into the first picture.  He is on the lower right.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jefferson_David_Chalfant#External_links

DELAWARE #6

 Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution on December 7, 1787, five days before any other province or colony.  In 2002, a first grade class requested that the nickname "The First State" be made official....and it was.

DATA OF STATES LAND USE

I think you will be surprised at exactly the way we use the land in the United States.  These graphics are very well done.

https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2018-us-land-use/

Delaware #4

Let's begin looking at art from Delaware by taking a peak at this very old relic of the Lenape.

Even though it was discovered in Pennsylvania, since it was seemingly created by the Lenape I think we should look at it now.  Can it really be a drawing of a Hairy Mammoth from 9,000 to 12,000 years ago?  Here is a lengthy discussion about it.

Here is a more recent piece of art work from the Lenape tribe, an elaborate beaded men's coat.

During the 1600s Delaware was governed by William Penn along with Pennsylvania.  Delaware declared its independence from both Pennsylvania and Britain in 1776.  Delaware became the first state to ratify the Constitution of the United States, and has since been known as "The First State".^[13]

At first indentured servants from England worked alongside slaves and often intermarried but as the traffic in indentured servants became smaller because of better economic conditions in England, cast lines hardened.  However, because of the influence of Methodists and Quakers people were encouraged to set their slaves free and since tobacco was ceasing to be the main crop grown, most of the people voluntarily did just that, so that by 1860 91% of the black population was free.

Delaware did not secede from the Union even though they were still officially a slave state and was the only state who did not have a Confederate army.  They freed their slaves officially after the Civil War but did not ratify the 13th, 14th and 15th amendment until 1901.  So Delaware was deeply divided on their attitude towards the rights of African Americans for a long time.

Delaware #2

The Native Americans who were the first people in Delaware were the Lenni Lenape.  They were located all up and down the Delaware River in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.  We have been looking at the art of Native Americans around the country so far so let's take a look at some of their medical solutions.  Most of them seem to involve roots and bark which makes sense since these were at hand.  Some of these remedies seem to have been proved to have merit in other cultures, and since it is always advisable to do something when someone is in physical distress, the mere application of a poultice may have worked restorative properties or drawn out the poison.  Imagine instead of being in a hospital you were in a tent with this ritual going on.  Might be just the ticket to scare away dis-ease!

While looking to see if there was any music on YOUTUBE associated with Delaware I came across this guy who is traveling around the country for real and posting his videos as he goes.  It is only 5 minutes and I found it rather funny and there are some good shots of Delaware as well.
Here you go NOCANTANT in Delaware.

Delaware #1

Delaware is a funny shaped little State nestled between Maryland and New Jersey with a bit touching Pennsylvania and a large coast on the Delaware Bay and part of the Atlantic Ocean.  Since it is summer, and I am dreaming of the seashore, I probably will look for some action along the Rehobeth Beach shore to paint.  Google maps for some reason actually travels along the boardwalk there where I can almost smell the sea breeze.  Here is a link to a spot to start your own trip to the beach.

one last word about Connecticut

Judith Secco did get back to me about her methods for creating those photos that look like paintings.  She does use photo shop and combines various photos with textures and filters.  Having done some of this kind of work while planning my paintings I can tell you this work requires a great deal of skill and she certainly has it!  Tomorrow it's on to Delaware.

Last Connecticut

Today is the last day we will be visiting Connecticut and I think I found a rather unique artist to help us say goodbye.  Judith Secco is a photographer, and yet as you will see from these examples, her images do not look like photographs.  They appear more like super real paintings.  She does not say how she accomplishes this feat but the images are certainly intriguing and beautiful.  I assume it is some sort of Photoshop legerdemain.  i will write to her and see if she will reveal her secrets and let you know.

CONNECTICUT

This trip across our country has unearthed a lot of information that I didn't know and today I made a wonderful discovery that I am happy to share with you.

In 1933, four years before Disney's ground breaking and beautiful SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS premiered there was another animated version of this story created almost entirely by one man, Richard Crandall from Connecticut.  This is only a 7 minute film, but it took him six months to complete.  Actually that seems like a short time considering that each cell was created by hand and there are hundreds needed.  It is a wonderful piece of early animation with some great music and imaginative ideas galore.

BETTY BOOP IN SNOW WHITE

CONNECTICUT #10

While searching for Connecticut artists I found Irene Reed who made some fabulous art using crochet as her medium.  You have to give it to an artist who dared to use this homey form with such finesse that it was elevated to "Fine Art" because of her imagination and skill.  Here is some more information about her.

Connecticut #9

Alexander Calder, Sol Lewitt, and Jasper Johns were all born in Connecticut.  They all seem to like primary colors.  Something about the light in Connecticut or the era they live in?

Alexander Calder

Sol LeWitt

Jasper Johns