#iconic ophelia pose

[tearlunars]

mourning what you could have been.

[uwmspeccoll]

It’s Fine Press Friday! 

Today we’re leaning into the drama with a 1910 edition of Poems from notorious bohemian and (unofficial) Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood (PRB) member Christina Rossetti (1830-1894). This vellum covered, gilt stamped, 369-page tome was printed on Unbleached Arnold paper by the Villafield Press in Glasgow and published in limited run of 350 copies in London by Blackie & Son under the art direction of Talwin Morris. It features a praiseful yet cutting introduction from fellow poet, critic, and suffragist Alice Meynell (1847-1922) along with a wealth of illustrations (70 plates) by Florence Harrison (1877–1955) , an Australian illustrator of poetry and children’s books who worked extensively with Blackie & Son. Harrison’s style was inspired by the Romantic Era and the nature-worshipping, hedonistic values of the Art Nouveau and Pre-Raphaelite movements of the time. Fittingly, she also illustrated the works of fellow PRB poets William Morris (1834-1896) and Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892).   

While many of the poems included are overtly devotional and express themes of purity, motifs of romantic love, limerence, melancholy, and death permeate the mood of the text as a whole. The Rossetti family, particularly Christina’s brother Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828-1882) (poet, illustrator, painter, translator, and co-founder of the PRB) and Elizabeth Siddal (1829-1862) (artist, iconic art model, poet, and Dante’s longtime partner, muse, and eventual wife), are known for their exploits, excesses, creative legacy and influence on the culture of the era. Christina published her first poem at only 16, and Siddal posed for Millais's Ophelia at 19. The radical, passionate nature of the philosophies and lifestyle they embodied was as much a product of the intensity and privilege of their youth as of the Renaissance ideals and Victorian mores they rebelled against.   

For a deeper dive on the Rossettis and their generation, check out this recent exhibition at the Tate Modern.  

View another Christina Rossetti post

View another Dante Gabriel Rossetti post

View another Pre-Raphaelite post

View more Art Nouveau posts

--Ana, Special Collections Graduate Intern

[vxmpyrate]

intro post to vxmp-irate’s blog !!

my name is aster :3

18, bigender + queer, he/she pronouns

i like to post fanart and oc art, also i love to write so occasionally i’ll post something that has to do with my writing

i use procreate for my art, and i often use mellon_soup as a reference for poses, but all art is my own

socials -

instagram: vxmpyrate (art)

tiktok: vxmpyrate (edits and art)

twt: vxmpyrate (random - sometimes art)

pinterest: astirial (some art and boards)

ao3: vxmpirate (a few fics)

fandoms i’m in

VLD

gravity falls

hermitcraft/life series

OFMD

deltarune/undertale

the hunger games

a bunch of random animanga

also mxtx

if you’re in these fandoms pls interact !

about my characters…

i have a handful of ocs, and i love them all so dearly so here’s a bit about them:

z - he/him pronouns, bisexual, my persona, and a huge asshole but he’s the oc i draw the most so i love him heart, always bleeding out of his mouth cuz hes dumb and gets in fights, also self proclaimed midwestern emo

axel - z’s boyfriend, he/they pronouns, gay, huge space nerd and obsessed with the past (he strictly listens to pre-2010 music)

phoebe - she/they pronouns, bisexual, blonde, also kinda a persona (but in a “omg shes so me” way, not in a “i designed her to be me” way), she’s super into early 2000s culture, a bit of a y2k baddie

vix - they/she/he pronouns, lesbian, phoebe’s dumbass girlfriend, punk and goth, he is a musician!

jesse - they/he pronouns, unlabeled icon, designed them as a character for a school assignment and ran with it, they cover their fucked-upness with humor, originally designed as a phoenix shapeshifter, but the idea was scrapped

juniper - he/she pronouns, also unlabeled lol, jesse’s partner, my final of the persona ocs, i use juniper whenever i am making a self insert oc for something, and she started off as a kitsune shapeshifter (idea was scrapped)

and lastly, i have a story about characters who are given special powers through their birthstones. i’ve had the story for a while, but the characters are really really important to me and my art, so i draw them a lot. here’s just a small description of all of them:

noé, garnet, they/them

zoey, amethyst, she/they

jade, aquamarine, she/her

damien, diamond, he/him

emery, emerald, they/them

garret, pearl, he/they

lucy, ruby, she/he

liam, peridot, he/him

erik, sapphire, he/him

ophelia, opal, he/she/they

cecile, citrine, she/her

sophia, topaz, she/her

- i tend to refer to them as the names of their birthstones (ex. i call lucy ‘ruby’ way more than i call her lucy) but their birth names are all still used in the canon story i have set for them

closing thoughts

if you like my art, and are interested in any of the fandoms im in, or in any of my characters, feel free to follow me ^_^ i’ll be posting way more than i have in the past (which is.. never) and i’m so excited to be sharing my art with all of you

i do art as a hobby, but it really really helps me express my thoughts and joys and its a great way for me to share my interests, so i’m really looking forward to this blog

ok bye!

[deathpoke1qa]

The Specter Household

Who is buried in Olive Specter’s garden? Will the mysterious, aging outcast leave her fortune to her niece Ophelia, or, as rumored, to an unnamed heir?

My favorite household in my favorite neighborhood from my favorite sims game. I don’t think I can express how fun it was to try and re-create these iconic sims. After Strangerville was released, I really wanted to recreate the Sims 2 family into the Sims 4, but I’m also a major procrastinator. Now, with it being the spooky season, I figured it’d be a great time to make the family!

I made my versions of Olive Specter and Ophelia Nigmos plus a bonus Johnny Smith and Nervous Subject (because I can’t help myself). I wanted to give them my own twist, but still have them maintain their original designs. And I think I balanced those two ideas pretty well. Also, just so we’re clear, I won’t be continuing this for the rest of the Strangetown townies, just this one.

One small change was that I made Nervous a teen. I don’t really have an explanation other than I’ve just always kind of seen him more as a teen than an adult since Olive had him after she was an elder. Adding onto that, I’ve also always thought he was cross-eyed, but I don’t think his Sims 2 self actually was. Still, I used a custom slider by @obscurus-sims to make him cross-eyed anyway.

As for the other sims, I really liked how they turned out! If anyone wants these sims, let me know and I can try to put them up for download or something. Though, I can’t put them on the Gallery since EA doesn’t like the last name “Nigmos.”

If you want to see more of the house build, you can see it here.

You can download the lot and family here.

Custom content by: @pralinesims, @nolan-sims, @simandy, @s4simomo, @kumikya, @pyxiidis, @pinealexple, @saurussims, @aharris00britney, @ayoshi-deactivated20190705, @trillyke, @jennisims, and @leeleesims1

Poses by: @atashi77, @cmescapade and @simmerberlin

[shakespearenews]

It was Ophelia, also by Millais, that shot the model to new stardom in 1851-52. Today, historians believe they’ve actually found the precise location at Hogsmill River where he painted en plein air – a tangle of luscious greenery and symbolic flowers.

That was the easy part. Allegedly, when Siddal was posing for Millais in a billowing antique wedding dress, she nearly froze to death. You would, too, if you had to submerge yourself in icy bathwater, heated only by a few flickering candles underneath the clawfoot tub. Millais was so engrossed in his painting – and Siddal was so afraid to complain – that he didn’t notice the candles had gone out until it was nearly too late. 

[agarthanguide]

i'm obsessed with klimt!jester and byzantine!molly, my gosh. what wonderful ideas you had for all of them! how long did it take you to settle on each inspiration, and what other ideas did you almost go with?

This is a fun question.  Here’s how it went (behind the cut because this got so very long)-

Caleb happened first, and without any intention of doing a whole set. I wanted to try to do Van Gogh’s coloring thing, and Caleb seemed like a really good target.  It was deeply fun.

Beau- Hey, I like this Caleb piece!  What if I do art stuff for all of the M9? I wanna try those long inky LIchtenstein lines!  And what could go wrong?  Surely this won’t extend to two months of extensive research and work!

Molly- As soon as I decided to draw Beau, I knew I wanted Molly to be some highly iconographic thing with glorioles and gold leaf and things.  I have a longstanding fascination with Catholic and Orthodox iconography and gosh do I love messing with gold leaf.  Early concepts included some Fra Angelico action (he does this thing where you texture the gold leaf to create patterns in the frame, which i find absolutely stunning.  This is also a Big Look in 17th Century Spanish polychrome sculpture, which I obviously couldn’t pastiche directly, but wanted to reference, if the opportunity came up)-

I also considered going a bit Russian.  Russian iconography has probably the most opportunities for adding layers of symbolism (it just occurred to me that I probably would have needed to find someone who understood cyrillic to make it work)-

In the end, I was paging through a book of decorative motifs and was reminded of the Byzantine mosaics in Ravenna, which are probably the most iconic of the form outside of the Hagia Sophia. I decided that I’d probably have lots of other opportunities to paint, and I wanted to try my hand at a realistic tile look.

Caduceus- I thought of Mucha straight away, but I really didn’t want to do it, because I had already seen it done several times, and I thought those other artists had done really well, and that the concept was a closed book.  The other big concept was Picasso’s Old Guitarist-

It’s got the lankiness and the stylization and I love the pose, but in the end I just really thought that Caduceus was more Art Nouveau than expressionist.  Also my brother was really voting against any pose that included a profile, because I had never drawn Cad in anything other than profile.  So that cinched it.

Jester- I never considered anything else but Klimt. I tried hard to think of something else, because my last two brain cells have just enough self awareness to know that Klimt is way, way above me in terms of pattern and texture and motif, and I was pretty sure it was gonna be too difficult for me.  It was, by the way.  I stopped long before I wanted to and didn’t include a lot of what I had dreamed of adding.

Matt- Following my fascination with iconography, I still wanted to do the heavily painted, loaded with symbolism and rich color portrait that Molly wasn’t.  I looked at artists like Ghirlandaio, Castagno, and Jan van Eyck (I never considered Da Vinci, his sensitivity is way outside my orbit), but in the end I kept coming back to Holbein, who really raises the bar on color choice and symbolism. I love that all his portraits seem to be set in plain or dark spaces, but are somehow glowing and mysterious. I didn’t have the guts to put in a deep, perspective-y background, but omg I wish- 

I mean I’m not a fucking wizard.  But holy shit look at that.  The notes and crap hanging off the wall all look like clues.  Like Sherlock Holmes would be able to write the whole life story of this guy.  It’s almost trompe l’oeil.

Yasha- First concept for Yasha was a Minoan fresco from Knossos-

If I was designing Yasha’s tribe, I think I’d go for a melange of Mongolian and Minoan, throwing in some Tibetan textile patterns.  I just think this looks so much like her, and also some other Minoan frescoes include insane levels of ritualized badassery, like Bull Leaping and young girls offering saffron to incarnate goddesses.  I just love it. In the end, I was worried that the relative clean-ness and simplicity of the lines in the Minoan style would make it look like I was giving Yasha short shrift.  This feels a little ridiculous to me now, but I had just come off three in a row that took more than ten hours. My next thought was the Book of Hours of Joanna of Castile.  The thought here was that some of the pages actually look like Yasha’s book of pressed flowers-

This felt like a totally winning direction to me.  As I researched illuminated books more, though, my concept started to broaden and get more stylized, and I just went with it.  I think it turned out okay.

Fjord- Fjord is handsome and iconic, so the ideas flowed easily for him.  The first and most obvious was a Fabio-era (read- 80s to early 90s) romance novel cover-

I didn’t go with it because the Tusk Love thing meant that a lot of other artists had tried it already, and many of them had done a damn fine job, and I didn’t think that I had anything to add. The next concept was David’s Napoleon-

Very solid concept, but two issues- 1. Most portraits of Napoleon are pretty standard, in the mold of, say, Holbein, which I had already done.  2. The horse portrait is awesome, but I think Fjord had only been on horses circumstantially.  I couldn’t picture him on a horse. He’s not iconically horsey, he’s iconically sailor-y.  I can’t confirm whether or not he had a moorbounde when I painted this, but I know I hadn’t seen any of those episodes, yet.  So. All of this dithering kept going until the DAY I STARTED PAINTING.  And suddenly pulp cover fell out. I love pulp art.  This is the second fandom I’ve done pulp art covers for.

Nott- Full credit to @essayofthoughts, who came up with the playing card thing right at the get go.  I wasn’t sold, though, and floated two other concepts. First was a Mughal Miniature-

The thing about these is that they are very often like little comics.  On one side of the painting, you can have the main character at a lake, picking daisies or being drowned or whatever, and then on the other side that same character can be picking pockets in a crowded bar.  There’s loads of opportunity for detail and symbols and fun stuff like that.  On the other hand- I’m not a goddam genius.  I could not have taken in the style and substance of Mughal storytelling and then just spit it out in a few short weeks and done it any justice. Nope, that concept was just too difficult and too far above me.My other concept was Millais’ Ophelia-

This one might have been amazing, but the second half of the 19th century was getting very crowded indeed, with Caleb, Caduceus, and Jester all having concepts from that era.  That and I wanted something more graphic artsy than painty to round out the series.  Beau was starting to feel like an outlier and I wanted to loop her in closer to the bunch, if you know what I mean.

Okay that was a lot, but I apparently had a lot to share.  I hope you found the unused concepts interesting, at least.  What would you have done, were you me? I would love to hear outtakes from alternative universes.

[austerlitzborodinoleipzig]

Favorite programs 2018/2019 season

6 - Mishina/Galiamov - Party Like A Russian

That program is bonkers and I love it. When they’re on (not always, during big comps they were really tensed during the short), your eyes just get irresistibly drawn to Nastya. Such charisma and presence on the ice. 

5 - Sui/Han - No One Like You

It really says a lot about Sui/Han’s skating that this program ended up on this list. It’s not their best SP. At first I hated music. Far too emotional. I’ve always disliked pop/operatic mashups. It came as corny, and like they can do emotional stuff without using cheap music as a back-up. I mean they have the range, so why do that. 

Also does not help that everytime I heard the music I was reminded of that great eurovision performance (please check-out the link. It’s actually great).

But the way they skated it... I mean at this point they are in a league of their own, and they performance at Worlds blew me away and actually made me like the music... That step sequence and the final pose is everything.

Also correct me if I’m wrong but apparently the music was Han’s idea, while Sui hated it, so come next season, the free program stayed, but that short just had to go. Well Sui has good taste :)

4 - Zabiiako/Enbert - Alexandre Nevsky

Everything about that SP is just trolling at a high level and pure genius and I’m so here for that! So bear with me as I explain how brilliant this program actually is. 

First of all I love that when making this new program they just went: okay. Pair skating. We have to people on the ice. What’s an interesting we can do with two people? and instead of going down the overdone road of love/passion/sexy times/break-up, they actually said: Let’s have them FIGHT!!!

Secondly the music choice for that SP is the soundtrack to Eisenstein’s film Alexandre Nevsky. Just so you know, it was made by Prokofiev, and the whole score is dope. Putting aside the film for a moment, Alexandre Nevsky is an emblematic historical figure in Russia. To make it short, he’s a Prince of the Kievian Rus (i.e. medieval Russia), and is mostly known for defeating Teutonic Knights, from Baltic lands, and stopping their invasion of Rus (basically, Old Russia). He defeated them at the so-called Battle of the Ice... See where all of this is going? The Battle of the ice was fought on a frozen lake. Full armoured Knights were too heavy and the ice broke under them. That’s how Nevsky defeated them.  So second genius choice: if we’re going to have them fight, let’s reenact the fucking Battle of the Ice!

Lastly, Natalia Zabiiako is estonian. So she’s doing the Teutonic knight. Alexander Enbert is the Russian soldier. 

So, yeah, you can always say that the execution of that SP is not that great, the choreo is not the most inventive, and Z/E lack the fire and intensity to bring it too life, tho I think they did a good job and tried hard. But at the end of the day, you have a SP where the concept is pure genius, and we should recognize that. We really need more programs like this, and I’m so glad this one exists. 

Also prior to that season, I never thought Z/E would ever make my favourite programs list. 

3 - Efimova/Korovin - Humans

E/K were the most artistic Russian pair and I’m gutted they broke up. Sure they had weak tech content, but they were always, at least enjoyable to watch, and when they were on (and they had good programs), they could create a moment on the ice. 

So Humans, is definitely one of the best SP of the season. They worked with a modern dancer for the choreography and it shows. It’s fresh. It feels modern. It’s elegant. The music choice is good. A+++ Sometimes you don’t have to do a program with a deep meaning. Sometimes you can just be two people dancing on the ice. That’s what they do, and remarquably so.

Link to their Skate America SP. I can’t find vids from their performance at RusNats which is a shame because that was definitely their best one. They were on fire, and Alysa landed that SBS jump. Here there was a step-out and also they botched the spins, but still a good enough performance. 

2 - Scimeca-Knierim/Knierim - Castle

The Knierims were never my cup of tea. I just tend to find them a bit vanilla and bland, tho they have some very good elements. Perhaps I loved this SP so much, because that’s really not their usual style. 

It’s a striking program with a gorgeous cyberpunk vibe to it. The opening pose is iconic. The music is unusual and interesting. I like the step sequence that’s here to really showcase edges and flow. 

Again I can’t find a vid other than this one, from Skate America 2018, and it’s definitely not their best performance. 

1 - Peng/Jin - Ophelia

That SP is everything. It’s bright. It’s flirty. It’s quirky. It’s light. It’s just 2:30 minutes of pure joy. Really the best program of the season, and one of my all times favorite program. I don’t know what I like best. How happy and free and utterly at ease Peng feels on the ice? The tune that is ridiculously catchy? That beautiful throw with Peng lowing at kiss at judges. The exit steps out of the twist. The move they make at “Honey I love you”. How they stand SBS, then turn their head, perfectly in sync on the beat? It’s just endless...

0 - Yu/Zhang - Leave A Light Out

Is it cheating to put a program that has been only once performed, and in a domestic competition?? Not to mention that Yu/Zhang did not really took part in the Chinese 2019 Nats. They just skated their SP, like Sui/Han did. 

But... That SP is so beautiful that it deserves a mention on this list. And Aljona Savchenko agrees with me since she called it the best short of the 2018/2019 season, so there.

But really, despite the crappy quality of the video, it’s such a raw, heartfelt program. Full of interesting moves but that are not there for the sake of being there. Those arm and leg movements, where the limbs seem to have a life of their own, and are so fluid really contribute to the mood of the program. Support. Letting go because you can be safe with your friends. The final pose is beautiful... The transitions are beautiful... 

I really hoped to see that SP this season. Now we never will...

Honorable mentions - Cain/LeDuc (Belle Belle), Kostiukovich/Ialin (I’m A Survivor), Della Monica/Guarise (Never Tear Us Apart), Tarasova/Morozov (Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto n°2)

[woodwind-sensei]

Top 10 Figure Skating Programs: 2018-19 season

It’s been about a month and a half since the normal figure skating competition season came to a close, bringing us one step closer towards the next Olympic Games. With the advent of the new IJS, the programs we saw this year was nothing like we have seen before, and some of them rank among the best programs in figure skating history (that’s right, I’m going there, kids). Without further delay, here are my personal Top 10 figure skating programs from this season.

10. Mariah Bell (USA) “To Love You More” short program, choreographed by Adam Rippon

Mariah Bell missed an Olympic berth last season, mostly due to inconsistency and packaging issues. With a majority of the major U.S. ladies out of the picture this season, it was high time for Mariah to step up to the plate. I absolutely loved the upgraded packaging and content. The short program was so positive in spirit, and it was a pleasant surprise to see Adam Rippon’s competitive choreographic debut (to my knowledge) to be a job well done. I hope we see a lot more Celine Dion power ballad programs in the future.

9. Shoma Uno (JPN) “Stairway to Heaven” short program, choreographed by Mihoko Higuchi

Figure skating’s resident smol boi/silver princess Shoma Uno hit it big with this short program. Sexy, daring, and smoldering with intensity, Shoma showed his capability of the dramatic with this program. Though his inconsistency with the jumps made it hard to enjoy sometimes, he just has an x-factor on the ice that draws you in. That spread eagle after the triple axel gets me every time. It’s such a small moment, but it gets me so excited because I’m completely hooked by how statuesque he becomes in such an instant.

8. Peng Cheng/ Jin Yang (CHN) “Ophelia” short program, choreographed by Lori Nichol

Peng and Jin had been the pair that was ever the bridesmaid. When Peng was with veteran pair skater Zhang Hao and Jin with up-and-coming star Yu Xiaoyu, the federation decided to switch these two partnerships up. Yu/Zhang always got the political push, and that somewhat left Peng/Jin in the shadows. That all changed this season, and a lot of it had to do with this short program. They really found a style all their own: simple, uncluttered, yet packed with stunning elements and a cute and charming spirit. We’re going to be seeing them for a while, and I promise you, they will be a force to be reckoned with.

7. Wakaba Higuchi (JPN) “Energia” short program, choreographed by Shae-Lynn Bourne

Wakaba Higuchi might have had a spotty season this year, but this short program showed us why we fell in love with her in the first place. Shae-Lynn effortlessly displayed her power in this program, emphasizing Wakaba’s capability of flow and control while balancing fun and working the crowd. Japanese Nationals was the peak of this program’s life, and I certainly hope Wakaba uses this as an exhibition piece in the future. Shae-Lynn was also responsible for her legendary James Bond free skate, and will choreograph Wakaba’s short program next year to “Bird Set Free” by Sia.

6. Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) “The Piano” free skate, choreographed by Benoit Richaud

So, as all three of my online figure skating fan friends know, I am a Kaori stan. I love and appreciate children of pure sunshine with fantastic skating skills, and Kaori is just that. Though this program isn’t the best program she’s had, what I think works is that the program is built on momentum. It builds continually, reaching a climax with the choreographic sequence moving straight into that stellar triple loop. It also shows how Benoit choreography is supposed to look. Benoit Richaud uses a lot of angular movements but tries to combine it with the natural flow a skater must have over the ice. It works better on Kaori than opposed to his other big ladies’ client Bradie Tennell (USA). Bradie’s movements and angles are so sharp and harsh it seems forced and almost unwatchable, while Kaori’s smoothness over her blades is more pleasing and interesting to digest.

5. Sui Wenjing/ Han Cong (CHN) “Rain, in your Black Eyes” Free Skate, choreographed by Lori Nichol 

Sui and Han made a surprising comeback after withdrawing from the Grand Prix series due to an injury and surgery to Wenjing. This program was iconic. From the very opening poses, it absolutely melted me. I don’t think it’s as good as their Blues for Klook short from a few years ago, but this free skate was overall amazing.

4. Evgenia Medvedeva (RUS) “Orange Colored Sky” short program, choreographed by David Wilson and Sandra Bezic

Evgenia’s move to Brian Orser created so much buzz, and everyone was waiting to see what she would do with choreography not from Ilia Averbukh or Daniil Gleikhengauz. I have to say, they really hit the nail on the head with this one. I thought the rebranding to the ingenue was so great, and the little touches from Sandra really brought the program to life. Those opening poses were my favorite part. It’s unfortunate that this program was eventually shelved, because I definitely liked this program more in comparison to the Tosca program, but I understand how important it is to make sure Evgenia has authority over her own skating career. 

3. Gabriella Papadakis/ Guillaume Cizeron (FRA) Free Dance to Rachel Yamagata songs, choreographed by Marie-France Dubreuil

Papadakis and Cizeron continue to evolve their unique style with this amazing free dance. I was personally very curious to see how they would have topped their timeless Moonlight Sonata FD from the Olympic year, and this program is right up there with the best programs of all time. The way they look at each other throughout just draws me in. Even the softest touch with a finger puts them in total sync. My favorite moment is the twizzle sequence that really comes out of nowhere. It’s so smooth. And then that low, flat curve lift is out of this world. No one can touch this team.

2. Lim Eun-soo (KOR) “Somewhere in Time” short program, choreographed by Jeffrey Buttle

Eun-soo’s rise to the senior ranks was one of the big buzzes of the season. With a recent move to Rafael Artunyan, it looked like she was ready to take her competitive career to the next level. And this short program was BEYOND almost every program that everyone else had. Every element was beautifully woven into the choreography. She just looked stunning on the ice almost every time. The only criticism I have is that the sleeves on her costume were a bit distracting, but that’s such a minute detail on an otherwise ethereal program. 

1. Satoko Miyahara (JPN) “Song for the Little Sparrow” short program, choreographed by Lori Nichol.

This was the clear standout program of the season for me. Out of all the skaters from the previous Olympic cycle, I thought it would be hardest for Satoko to keep up with the pack. But I was proved wrong, with this short program proving that artistry is still what brings the audience into a skater’s performance. Everything is so perfectly placed: every hand had a purpose, every stroke had a meaning, and it all melded together to create a masterpiece. This is what skating should be.

So many of the programs were good this year, but these 10 are the ones I want to watch over and over again. They set the bar for the Olympic cycle so high, and it’ll be interesting to see if these programs will be surpassed. We’ve already had some interesting announcements in terms of next season. I’m particularly intrigued to see Benoit Richaud work with Satoko Miyahara. The premiere of that program at Fantasy on Ice wasn’t stellar, but I’m interested to see how the program will evolve as Benoit and Satoko continue to work together. Figure skating continues to bring it with amazing programs, so next season should be an interesting ride.

[iinmortales]

I’m going to try to screenshot and icon Ophelia tonight/tomorrow. Is anyone interested in me posing the base 100x100 icons?

[oophclie-blog]

talk about what went into your fc decisions for Ophelia !!

The Mun’s Studio ll Accepting

     I’ve always been a fan of the Pre-Raphaelite art movement as well as Art Noveau and Ophelia was an extremely popular subject for the artists of that time-one of my favorite Ophelia depictions is John William Waterhouse’s and the image of a long, dark haired, wide eyed Ophelia just stuck-

   I’m also a huge silent film fan so my original faceclaim was actress Marie Doro-she did a photo series where she posed with flowers and tree branches and it screamed Ophelia to me (and she reminded me of the Art Noveau Ophelia illustrations as well.) However, I was only able to make a limited amount of icons because, unfortunately most of Doro’s films had been destroyed.

   However, I came across Vivien Leigh as Ophelia and I absolutely knew I had to use it-there is just such an emotional vulnerability in Vivien Leigh’s acting that reminded me so much of Ophelia. And she does remind me quite a bit of classic paintings and depictions of her, as well. 

   I chose Isabelle Adjani  my modern/older faceclaim after finding out that she did a photoshoot entitled ‘Ophelie’. Isabelle also looks as if she just stepped out of a Pre-Raphaelite painting and her hair and eye color just match my Ophelia headcanon perfectly.

[thefugitivesaint]

Sarah Bernhardt (1844-1923), 'Ophelia', 1880 “Celebrated as one of the greatest actresses of all time, Sarah Bernhardt was also recognised for her talent in the medium of sculpture, a passion which complemented her success as a stage artist. The present marble relief of Ophelia is a rare surviving work signed by Bernhardt, and among her most important to appear at auction in recent memory.  Deeply sensuous in form and conception, Ophelia testifies to the iconic actor’s considerable skill as a sculptor, while epitomising Bernhardt’s fascination with the morbid eroticism that surrounds Shakespeare’s heroine.” .... “Bernhardt’s high relief represents Ophelia in bust-form, her head turned, her eyes closed, wearing a garland of flowers, and enveloped by water which merges with her tresses. The subtlety of Bernhardt’s modelling is showcased in the beautifully detailed flowers, as well as the delicate waves of the ‘glassy stream’, whose texture contrasts with the smooth and bulging form of Ophelia’s exposed right breast. Though seemingly depicted in the moment of her death, the woman’s sensuous open-mouthed expression, overt nudity, and languid pose exude an undeniable eroticism. Unaware of her suffering, the heroine appears to embrace her death as an ecstatic consummation. Bernhardt thus offers an original interpretation of the references to female sexuality and deflowering made by Shakespeare throughout the scene of Ophelia’s madness and Queen Gertrude’s speech describing her death, which makes use of sexualised imagery such as ‘long purples / That liberal shepherds give a grosser name’.” Source: http://www.sothebys.com/content/sothebys/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2017/erotic-passion-desire-l17322/lot.1.html

[americanahighways]

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  photos by Glenn Cook

Lilly Hiatt wears her heart on her sleeve. But at Pearl Street Warehouse in Washington, D.C., it was the sleeve that seemed a little heavy, not the heart.  Hiatt came onstage with a Rainbow t-shirt that was cut across the top and draped over her left arm like a blouse. Perhaps the weight of the cloth hanging over her left hand caused her to frequently lean back. In repose Hiatt frequently arched her back and struck a pose that made me think of Jimmy Page.

Hiatt is a rock and roll apostle in a day and age when the genre seems like it belongs on an endangered species list. With her long black curls dangling down to her eyes and enveloping her face, it wasn’t a hard stretch to imagine Hiatt showing up for an audition for the Ramones.

Perhaps that’s why someone couldn’t resist calling out “Records,” one of the many seminal moments on her autobiographical Trinity Lane. Hiatt urged everyone to be patient but by set’s end she cried out to the rock gods with her declaration “Mr. Young your work is never done” before lead guitarist John Condit unleashed a furious solo to underscore the point.

Hiatt let Condit do most of the heavy lifting. While strumming her iconic black Richenbacher, he slashed through the pivotal moments of “Trinity Lene” and “The Night David Bowie Died” and a new song that made Hiatt’s four-piece band sound like Crazy Horse re-incarnated.

The two opened up the show with a Prince-like guitar collage of the atmospheric chords that paid tribute to Prince and marked the year of Purple Rain, the year of her birth she describes in “So Much You Don’t Know About Me”

With cherry blossoms in full bloom, the singer related that several trees were threatened to be cut down in East Nashville, the locale she’s resided in for the past six years and that provided Inspiration for “Trinity Lane” and the universality of what you call home. “There’s a Trinity Lane everywhere,” she mused.

The singer noted this was the third or fourth time she’s been in the area recalling shows with Margo Price and Justin Earle. On a recent visit to the capital, she came across a street musician playing “Amazing Grace” on saxophone. Whether or not it had a direct influence, Hiatt introduced a new song called Move.”  “Musicians,” she reflected. “We’re good at that.” Another new song “Candy Lunch” was an infectious, pop gem and song of empowerment in its Dylan-esque groove. (Note to New West Records: we can’t wait for the single.)

It’s been two years since she released Trinity Lane, her breakout album. Without mentioning the name of her dad, Hiatt strapped on her acoustic guitar and payed homage to the man she said gave her advice whether she liked it or not. Hiatt stopped herself from going on perhaps sub-consciously realizing she’d laid out what seemed like her entire life history in one song.

Hiatt was a great host with a friendliness that made her feel like an old friend. “Did you all have a good weekend?” Her soft spoken demeanor can be self-deprecating, admitting she’s failed trying to deliver a profound monologue before “Everything I Had.” Hiatt later called herself out for having too many California references in her song but no one was complaining when she sang the emotional tour de force “Sucker” and early career signature song “Somebody’s Daughter.”

Hiatt and band (which also included the just right understated rhythm section Kate Haldrup on drums and Robert Hudson on bass) exuded small-ensemble confidence on “Off Track” and the suspenseful guitar interplay of “Rotterdam.” When Hiatt delved back into “People Don’t Change,” it was a song she noted she wrote in her mid-twenties. Maybe it seemed like a lifetime ago, a prequel of sorts to present day. But when Hiatt’s eyes closed, she had a wide smile as she sang against the Stonesy-“Dead Flowers” groove, perhaps the satisfaction of all the hard work and realization of how far she’s come as a songwriter and bandleader.

https://www.lillyhiatt.com/

Karen Jonas who opened the show straddles genres that like Lilly Hiatt make it hard to pigeonhole. Jonas told the story about how she was once interviewed and asked how long she had liked country music. “You gotta get your heart broken a few times to understand country music,” he said trying to be insightful. Jonas, who admitted she wasn’t a proponent of the genre, wrote “Country Songs” in response. She also took inspiration for “Butter” from an offhand line one of her four children said in the family kitchen Jonas also pondered the fate of Ophelia, the Shakespearean character. “Maybe she could have talked to another guy,” she mused.

Relatively subdued through the night, Jonas and her four-piece seemed like another band when they went into a thunderous out of nowhere cover of Bob Dylan’s “Meet Me In The Morning.” With guitarist Tim Bray leading the charge, Jonas just cut loose spouting off one Line after another. “I feel like that old hound dog,” she exclaimed and we felt it too.

http://www.karenjonasmusic.com/

  Lilly Hiatt Slays With Words and Guitars at Pearl Street Warehouse In Washington, D.C. @LillyHiatt1 @karenjonasmusic @pearlstreetlive @stevewosahla @ourrealityshow #americanamusic photos by Glenn Cook Lilly Hiatt wears her heart on her sleeve. But at Pearl Street Warehouse in Washington, D.C., it was the sleeve that seemed a little heavy, not the heart.  

[theroyalsims]

REAL ROYALS AND “REEL ROYALS” COLLIDE - HER MAJESTY ATTENDS STAR-STUDDED MOVIE PREMIERE

It’s not everyday that we see the Queen all dressed up to walk down the red carpet! Today, however, we were in for a treat as Her Majesty attended the star-studded premiere of the much-anticipated movie “Ophelia, The People’s Queen.”

Wearing a vibrant pink gown for her red carpet debut, Her Majest, accompanied by Prince Jacques, were the last to arrive. Although the royal couple walked down the red carpet, they did not stop for photos because as one royal aide explained: “Her Majesty does not pose for photos. Her Majesty is Queen, not a common celebrity.” Fair enough! 

(Above: King Leopold with his consort, Queen Ophelia)

The movie focuses on the life of Queen Ophelia, Her Majesty’s mum. The late Queen was the daughter of a movie star and a novelist. She herself dabbled in acting after finishing her university degree. The then Miss Ophelia Bradford met then-Crown Prince Leopold. The two married after a long courtship, and when the Crown Prince took the throne after his father’s death, the young former actress became Brindleton’s Queen.

The movie features award-winning actress Coleen Olivier as Queen Ophelia, as well as Grantham Hughes as King Leopold (who, by the way, nailed the King Poldy hairdo). It also features telly star turned movie star Carmelia Kiel as Crown Princess Emilia.

(Above: Coleen Olivier and Grantham Hughes pose in costume as Queen Ophelia and King Leopold; below: Olivier, Hughes, and Kiel play members of Brindleton Royal Family)

After the movie, Her Majesty and His Royal Highness met the cast and crew backstage. The cast was said to be ecstatic that Her Majesty would be gracing their premiere night.

Miss Kiel (who had to dye her hair blonde for the role) shared to the press that she was “terrified” upon meeting The Queen. “I was shaking. I was trying to curtsey, looking at the ground, and all I could think of was ‘what if she didn’t like how I played her? Would she be cross at me?’ But she was very lovely. She talked to us for quite a bit. I was so nervous to meet someone I was portraying, and that someone is actually The Queen, which made it all the more nerve-racking. But she was really very nice and kind.”

Olivier, who started her career as a stage actress was nearly moved to tears recalling what Her Majesty told her: “The Queen shook my hand and she said, ‘my mum would’ve loved your performance.’ I remember just weeping. That was the biggest compliment for me. Queen Ophelia was a remarkable person, a great woman, and being able to play her is an honour in itself, but having that confirmation from her daughter, The Queen, is something I could only dream about. Her Majesty is incredibly sweet. She made my year, no, my decade.”

(Above: Olivier, Hughes and Kiel in costume as Queen Ophelia, King Leopold, and Crown Princess Emilia)

The critically acclaimed movie is already generating awards buzz, which is not really a surprise. Aside from the incredible casting, the production reportedly left no stone unturned to make it as accurate as possible, from set design, location, as well as costumes. The movie features incredible replicas of tiaras and royal jewels, as well as reproductions of some of the most iconic gowns and dresses that Queen Ophelia has worn. 

The movie comes out in theatres next week, so keep an eye out for it! We’ll be ready with our popcorn!