ALL SOUTHERN STYLE BY ELEA ORTEGA

ALL SOUTHERN STYLE!!

In the few past classes, we have been really interested into folk art and southern food. It all started at the Kate Skipwith Teaching Museum. We walked there, and discovered a lot of great things, we saw different paintings and art from people who lived here, in Oxford, Mississippi, and from people who did not, too. It was amazing, how the majority of the artists, were not professionals and they did quite amazing jobs. Not only painting, but also art, with other different objects. For example there was a big quail with different tones and patterns of fabrics.

Our first stop was in the Theora Hamblett paintings, which was my favorite. Theora Hamblett that loved so much the countryside in Mississippi, she was really passionate for trees, especially fall trees, she also used to dream about trees and then she would go and paint them. Her paintings are, usually surrounded by trees. Beautiful and huge fall trees, which makes her work completely stunning and colorful.

I remember walking in for the first time to Theora Hamblett exposition, and one painting caught my eye. What I love the most of Theora Hamblett’s work, is the delicate way she used to paint the leaves of the trees, she always would combine red and yellow and make it beautiful.

After the Theora Hamblett room we went to see other types of art from other Mississippians and others that were not from Mississippi. How they would spend their time doing amazing and surprising folk art.

Then we went to see other part of the museum, where was the art of Marie Hall and Andrew Bucci. Andrew was Marie’s student, which then becomes Andrew’s student. Teaching her modernism art. They are both really great artist. My favorite folk art was from Marie Hall and the name is Bright Fields. The reason why I loved Bright Fields is because, is so colorful and it inspires me love and serenity in my heart and soul.

It was a great experience going there. Although I have not been an artistic girl during this visit, it makes me appreciate the hard work of people. It also taught me how to understand what people thought in those past times, which is not that different sometimes from this time. And now, I feel more passionate for art then I used to.

We got to take pictures of landscape and then try to paint those landscapes. I had so much fun doing it. It was the time of my life, like the paramore concert that I went to, the august 18^th. I was trying to paint my tree as the Theora Hamblett’s trees. It was not perfect but almost.

This is my FOLK ART!!!!

We got to read A Rose for Emily, which is a short reading, wrote it by William Faulkner, which is the easiest readings from William Faulkner, because he always use hard words and nobody can totally understand what he is trying to say or explain. This reading I found it really tragic and realistic. In this reading Faulkner tries to explain, how in little towns or village, all the people knows each other, and how the people talks about each other, gossiping. And also shows the status of the people’s name or family.

ANOTHER EXCITING! PART

We got to go to Rowan Oak, also known as William Faulkner’s House. William Faulkner’s House was built in the 1840s. William Faulkner bought the house in the 30s and he did much of the renovations and decorations by himself. I took a lot of pictures and videos too. It was nice time in the William Faulkner’s House even though sometimes it was creepy. It was nice to see the place of this great writer and get to see where magic happened. It was a nice time.

The last thing that we have been doing is reading an article about southern food, and explains why the study of the food is so fascinating. The article talks also about the sense of what is Southern is more than just a Truman Capote or more than just biscuits. After this amazing southern food reading, we were required to read another form the Internet and watch a video about southern food both of them.

The name of the article from the Internet is called Hot Tamales at the Mississippi Delta Better known for its association with cotton and catfish and it talks about the relationship with the tamale, and it says that has been called “the most southern place on earth” according to the article. This article also talks about the beginning of the restaurant and all its history.

Then the video, last thing that we were required to do is about Scott’s Hot Tamales. This video I loved it. Elizabeth Scott’s talks about how they first got the recipe and the process how they step by step add more and more ingredients to it, and make their on recipes to their tamale. Even the girls who make the tamale were part of the video, and they talk about how much love they put on their cooking and making the tamales. Now, I want to taste those tamales so bad. It would be amazing. Those tamales for me are unique, they made those tamales with love and care, and there is nothing better that does something with love and care.

What I learned from the southern culture....

* I did not know, that here in the southern part of the United States, people like tamales that much. I thought it was only in Latin countries.

* I consider, really interesting how the slaves brought from Mexico the corn and then make tamales.

* I consider folk art amazing and how the people from the south, used objects, that you can not even imaging, what wonders you can do with them.

* Southerns are recognized worldwide by their folk art and their amazing literature.