Hannah Goldrich and Stolpersteine
Stolpersteine (Stumbling Blocks) in Germany
The German artist Gunter Demnig's work has always combined art, performance and provocation in public spaces and his most notable project to date has been the manufacturing and laying of stolpersteine (stumbling blocks--small brass memorial plaques placed in the pavement of Germany and other countries across Europe to commemorate the victims of Nazi persecution). Those honored include Jews, Romani people, LGBTQ+ people, the disabled----all those persecuted for their religious, political and social beliefs under the reign of Hitler's National Socialist Party.
An old and dear family friend Hannah Goldrich and her family recently travelled to Heilbronn, Germany (also my mother's hometown) to lay stolpersteine for her relatives who were such victims. Her hometown newspaper, The Eugene (Oregon) Weekly published an article about her life and her return to Germany to lay the brass commemorative stones. Hannah's parents, Max and Trude Victor were responsible for my family's living in Usonia, the cooperative community where I grew up (they knew my mother back in Germany), and they were a major influence on me. I look to the way they lived their life as a model of how I want to live mine...with their love of art, design and culture. To this day I fashion my life on the old school European cultured way they showed me growing up.
Gunter Demnig, artist and creator of the stolpersteine
Cassidy Hutchinson
Cassidy Hutchinson was Mark Meadow’s top aide.
Enough, tell all book released Monday 9/25/2023
I don't usually get into politics here but if there is a hero amongst us, it is 25-year old Cassidy Hutchinson who is wise and gutsy way beyond her years. Nor am I often in awe of a conservative card carrying republican but she is one with integrity, single-handedly standing up for what she considers right and the truth against very strong powers to be. Hard to believe she is was only 24 years old when she testified before the January 6th committee..
She has a new book out called Enough (if they had asked me, I would have named it GUTS!). I listened to it on tape nonstop since it came out on Monday--couldn't put it down. If you want a true insider guide to what really went on behind closed doors in Trump's White House, this is the book...It's chilling! and Cassidy Hutchinson is a true patriot for coming forward against very serious threats...If our democracy is saved, I attribute a lot of the rescue to her....
Barbara Streisand sings Avinu Malkeinu
Barbra Streisand sings for Simon Peres
You don’t have to be Jewish to bask in the beauty of this song….
Thought this was apropos of the Jewish New Year, especially after Yom Kippur when some among us take stock and atone for our sins...Israel is in the fight for their life as a democracy and what is going on there can just break anyone's heart.. .I'm taking you back to better days of hope with Barbra Streisand's beautiful singing of Avinu Malkeinu for Simon Peres (1923-2016), his favorite song, in 2014. It asks God to have compassion for us and our children and to help bring an end to war and famine and cause all hate and oppression to vanish from this earth.... Hope for peace, justice and democracy--we all need that right now.
Let's not give up on the dream!
Painting of the Week
Midnight Moon, mixed media on canvas, 54” x 84” $8500
Charity of the Week:
Robin Hood Foundation
“Robin Hood is New York City’s largest poverty-fighting organization. We support low-income families by building and fueling the most impactful nonprofits across all five boroughs that are elevating people from poverty.
Over three decades, we’ve invested more than $3B in New York City to ensure low-income families are on pathways needed to realize economic mobility.”
About The Author
New York City based contemporary artist, Pam Smilow, began writing the creative lifestyle blog “things we love” in an effort to foster a sense of community during times of isolation and reflection. To read more about her and her art, visit her website and check out the essay written by the Hammond Museum's Frank Matheis entitled The Sophisticated Innocence of Pam Smilow.