Barbary Artz Pirates

In 1801 the Pasha of Tripoli declared war on the United States. President Jefferson, who was an avid defender of the proclamation to use the United States Navy for defending American shores only, dispatched a squadron of naval vessels to the Mediterranean. What could have provoked such a decision you ask.

 Piracy! Barbary Coast Pirates, Pirates sanctioned by Morocco, Algiers, Tunis and Tripoli and, President Jefferson’s refusal to bend to the demands of them.

The Barbary Pirates would attack merchant ships take the cargo, crew and occasionally the ship. The crew they would hold for ransom. When paid the crew would be returned. Most countries along the Mediterranean would pay an annual tribute and be left unmolested.

While Jefferson was still the United States minister in France he attempted several times to create a coalition of Mediterranean States against the act of Piracy. All of his attempts failed. In 1795 the United States was forced to pay a little over a million dollars in cash, naval stores, and a frigate to negotiate the release of 115 sailors from the Dey of Algiers.  

Against all opposition Jefferson held firm to his belief and as he addressed congress in 1801 he said, "To this state of general peace with which we have been blessed, one only exception exists. Tripoli, the least considerable of the Barbary States, had come forward with demands unfounded either in right or in compact, and had permitted itself to denounce war, on our failure to comply before a given day. The style of the demand admitted but one answer. I sent a small squadron of frigates into the Mediterranean. . . ." The show of determined force by America awed the mighty powers of Algiers and Tunis and they broke off all alliances with Tripoli. The war on Piracy raged on for four years Algiers and Morocco refusing to cease the war on America. Strategic bombing of Tripoli finally forced Morocco out of the war while a more aggressive threat against the Pasha by replacing him with his brother settled that area. Algiers still demanded payment of $60,000 for the release of each of the 115 captured sailors in the proposed treaty. In 1806 with Senatorial consent the ransom was paid. But that was not the end of the Piracy.

In 1815 Algiers again declared war on the United States and again the United States Navy was dispatched. Peace was restored between America and the Barbary Pirates. The other countries along the Barbary Coast who continued their tribute payments were still subjected to Pirates.

In honor of Talk Like a Pirate Day on September 19 the Artz Council presents Barbary Artz Pirates. 

Thunderstorm Artz

I saw storm clouds gathering and thought what a great opportunity to sit on the porch and let an idea for this week’s art focus wrap itself around my creative clouds and there it was; a thunderstorm, in all its rumbling and swirling shades of grey.

How is a thunderstorm created?  It is a recipe consisting of unstable air, moisture and lift. The unstable air should be warm so that it can rise rapidly. You need moisture to form clouds. You need a front, or a breeze off the ocean or a mountain that can provide the lift.

Thunderstorms are most likely to happen in the spring and summer months and during the afternoon and evening hours. An estimated 1,800 thunderstorms occur every day around the world.

The sound, that we call thunder is actually a noise made by air collapsing.  As lighting travels it creates a channel that pushes the air aside. That air returning at a rapid rate and slamming into more air creates the sound wave that we hear.

Thunderstorms happen in every state and every thunderstorm has lightening.

The colors, textures and emotion of a thunderstorm are many. You can have sun showers, rain showers and clear skies all taking place at the same time in the same viewable area of sky.

This week we present Thunderstorm Artz.

Virgo Artz

It is September.

 Virgo reigns from 22 August through 22 September. It is the sixth astrological sign in the zodiac.

Virgo is purity, innocence, maidens and fertility. Her name is Justice or Dike as some know her. She is the daughter of Zeus and Themis. Fair judgment and moral order is her domain; she rules over justice in the human carnal world. She was born a mortal and lived on Earth. Seeing that man was corrupt Zeus moved her up to Mount Olympus.

At her departure she issued this curse…

Behold what manner of race the fathers of the Golden Age left behind them! Far meaner than themselves! But you will breed a viler progeny! Verily wars and cruel bloodshed shall be unto men and grievous woe shall be laid upon them.

—Aratus, Phaenomena 123

                                           Justizia - Luca Giordano 

Dike is Lady Justice, the moral force in judicial systems. Have you not seen her? She is shown holding a scale in her left hand, where she measures the strength of a case’s support and opposition. She carries a double edged sword in her right hand, one sharp side for reason the other for justice and she wields it for or against both sides.

This week we shall share the Virgo Artz.

Artz has 50 Shades of Blue

50 shades of Blue. That is the name of the show we have going on at the Schertz Civic Center. What does blue make you feel?

Blue comes from the Germanic word blao.  The earliest blue dyes were made from woad a plant also known as Asp of Jerusalem or from indigo also a plant. 

                                                 Woad

Blue pigments were made from minerals such as lapis lazuli a semi-precious stone found in Afghanistan. In 2500 BC the Egyptians created the first synthetic blue pigment by heating to 900 degrees a combination of copper, lime, silica and alkali. 

                                             Lapis Lazuli 

In Egypt blue was sky and divinity. The Romans believed blue to be a color of mourning.  They also associated it with Barbarians such as the Celts since they painted their faces and hair blue. Byzantine art depicted Christ and Mary in deep blues.  In the 12^th century blue became associated with humility, holiness and virtue. Saint Louis became the first king of France to dress in blue a color that was once only worn by peasants. 

Blue became the color of liberty and revolution; thanks in part to the War of Independence in America. By the 19^th century blue became the color of government authority was used in the uniforms of the police, being considered a color that was serious and exuded authority without feeling threatening.

The Impressionists favored blue in their paintings not only for the color but to create moods, atmospheres and feelings.

Picasso used blue to create melancholy.  Kuznetsov used blue to create exotic and fantastic atmosphere. Kandinsky used blues to symbolize eternity and spirituality. Matisse once wrote, "A certain blue penetrates your soul."

                                         Matisse

The English language uses blue to describe an emotion.

To be blue in German is to be drunk.

Blue represents boys.

In China the face of the villain is painted blue in the Opera. It is the color for ghosts and death.

Blues is a music genre inspired by the music of Africa.

Bluegrass is a genre of music that comes from deep in the Appalachian Mountains inspired by old Scottish and Irish ballads.

To be true-blue is to be a loyal friend.

Someone with blueblood is a member of the Nobility. Queen Elizabeth wears a blue sash at state functions to symbolize her status.

Cold water taps are usually marked by blue.

This week the Schertz Area Artz Council shows us 50 Shades of Blue.

Artz Augustus

August is named for Imperator Caesar Divi Filius Augustus. He was the adopted son, grandnephew and heir of Julius Caesar. He was the founder of the Roman Empire and its first Emperor.

The month was originally called Sextilis because it was the sixth month. It had 29 days. Augustus chose this month because he had won many important battles, including the conquering of Egypt; which followed the death of Cleopatra, the last pharaoh of Egypt before it became a Roman province.

 Wanting no less days in his namesake month of August than Julius Caesar had for July, 2 more days were added to the month.

Augustus died on August 19 14 A.D.

                                    Cameo of Augustus with Aegis

Today on August 19 let us remember Caesar Augustus, Roman Emperor and the art he inspired.  

Gladiolus Artz

Gladiolus

The birth-month flower of August, it symbolizes strength of character. Gladioli are a member of the Iris family and are considered an herb. They bloom in late July and throughout August. There are 260 species and they are native to sub-Sahara Africa with about 10 of the species native to Eurasia.

The flowers of the wild barely resemble the lush full blossoms of the hybrids we buy in stores. 

The flower spikes can be anywhere from 4 feet tall to about 12 inches. The blooms all grow on one side and the flowers are bi-sexual.  The blossoms on a spike are all the same color.  The color range is amazing and even some grow with stripes.

Parts of the plant can be poisonous and parts can be used for healing medications.  For example the dried and ground stem base when mixed with goat milk produces a tonic for colic.

Gladiolus comes to us from the Latin word gladius which means sword.  It is sometimes called sword Lily thanks to the sword shaped leaves. We also get the word gladiator from this same Latin.  Legends tell of glorious red flowers, that bloom on sword shaped leaves and spikes where blood from a sword has dropped.

This week we present Gladiolus Artz.

August's Artz

In honor of August I thought we would focus on an artist named August. Johan August Malmström to be exact.

He was a professor at the Swedish Academy of Arts from 1867 to 1894, manager of the Academy from 1887 to 1893, as well as an artist.

He was born October 14 1829 in Motala Sweden. His father was a carpenter and sculpted ornamental pieces for the local parish church. His mother had a love for literature she shared with August and influenced his love of history and Norse mythology.

An injury to his right hand when he was younger exempted him from hard work and enabled him to pursue his love of art. Not only did he paint but he drew illustrations for several publications, designed patterns, and furniture and made tableware.

August died October 18 1901 in Stockholm Sweden.