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Meditations on
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Blog by Bob Catholic Dads Get Religion Looking Closer Journal Church of the Masses The Roving Medievalist |
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| Who am I |
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James (Jim) Janknegt 55 year old, husband of Lissa, father of Emma (almost 11), visual artist, Catholic), building manager at UT Harry Ransom Center, native Austinite, current elginite, and chainsawwielder. everything on this web site copyrighted by
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January
2003
Web Pages
referring to this page
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Feast Day of Blessed Fra Angelico
Today, February 18 is the feast day of Blessed Fra Angelico. He is my patron Saint and a good one I might add. Above is his painting of the Coronation of the Virgin. If you are interested in his biography go here. There are also many other examples of his work on this site. On of my life goals is to go to Florence and visit San Marco, the monastary in which he lived and painted.
God of eternal beauty, You inspired Fra Angelico as an artist at the service of Your truth. May we delight in the beauty of his work and rejoice in the glory of Your creation. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
God of eternal beauty, by Your ineffable grace, Fra Angelico studied and taught the mystery of Your Word. With the help of his prayers, may we be led at last to contemplate the radiance of Your majesty face to face. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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Painting update
My wife didn't like Jesus wearing pants so I gave him a more traditional robe and I have to say I like it much better. Lissa is always right and I always do what she tells me.... at least when it comes to painting. It is great to have someone who you know will be totally honest with you and someone who is knowledgable about art, and not just saying I like this or don't like that. And has your best interest at heart. I am very greatful for her.
I also worked on the people walking up the stairs to get their white robes. They are coming along. I hope no one minds the nudity. I am following a long line of tradition when it comes to portraying the saints waiting to get there robes as nude.
In the Garden
We spent some time in the garden this weekend. Asparagus has starting sending up it's tasty, tender shoots. It takes several years to get the plants establishe dbut once they start producing they yield up quit a bit of veggies for at lest 5 or 6 weeks.
The first shoots of Asparagus
The onions are looking good (
except for where someone has been digging in the garden). One of the
challanges of gardening is keeping thigs seperated that don't belong
together. Like goats and rose bushes, and chickens and peacocks out of
the garden. Fences definitely help but the peacocks pretty much go
wherever they want.
onions and some swiss chard
It is potato planting time. I
almost made one pass with the tiller when it gave up the ghost so I dug
the rest by hand. I don't mind, it's good exercise. I got one and a
half beds dug 5' x 30' raked it smooth and spread a layer of compst
over the bed. Lissa came behind me and planted the potatoes, both red
and white. We are trying the biointensive method, planting them in
diagonals 9" apart. We planted 10 lbs of spuds.
We are making 5' wide beds
seperated by paths. I found a good use for feed bags-We lay them down
to make the path then pile pine needles on top of them. Amazingly, the
pine needles stay put and we don't have to send the feed bags to the
land fill. Plus once the greenery of the plants is in full force it
will make a nice contrasting color with the pine needle paths.
feed bag path with pine needles
I am making progress on my painting of the Last Judgement. Below are the latest, but I'm still not done.
I totaly repainted St. Michael as you can see if you look at one of my early posts below. I like this one so much more.
I just found out that I have been accepted into the Diocesan Fine Arts Council's Celebrating Sacred Art 2009 - Expressions of Family. The show will be Saturday, April 18, 2009, from 9 am until 5 pm in the Mabee Ballroom in the Ragsdale Center on the St. Edwards University campus. Mark your calendar. I am planning on exhibiting this painting for the first time at this exhibit.
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Seedlings are looking great
All of the seedling I started back in January are doing fine in the green house. Besides the tomatoes, eggplant, peppers and lettuce I have added artichokes. We still have another month to go before setting these out in the garden so if everything goes well we should have some great starts to set out. I have had to tent them several time with a clip on light when the temperature dips into the twenties but so far so good. I can already taste those home grown tomatoes.
January 2009
Baby Goats: Update
All four of our does have kidded and we ended up with four boys and four girls for a total of eight baby goats. So we have a total of 13 goats. Anybody want a goat? We are definitely going to be getting rid of the boys. We disbudded them on Saturday, which means they won't grow horns (we hope). Disbudding is a little tricky. We use a disbudding iron. It is a bit like a big woodburning tool except it is in the shape of a circle. You have to hold it on the skull over the spot where the horn bud is until it makes a coppery ring. This kills the horn cells and they won't grow horns. So far we have only had marginal success using this tool. It is tricky knowing if the copper ring is good or not. If you heat up their head too much you can cause brain damage. We have always erred on the side of too little and as a result have had some horns but so far no brain damage. We hope we did better this time. Emma and Peggy shaved the goats heads over the horn buds. I held the goat and Lissa wielded the disbudding iron. We did all eight goats at the same time. They bawl a bit but don't really seem to mind much. They immediately go find mama and nurse and all is well.
I planted a bed of lettuce with seedlings I had started. I am trying out the Ecology Action biointensive method of planting for the first time. If it works it will be great. The idea is to grow more in a smaller space with an emphasis on good soil preperation. As we have a super supply of goat manure we should have no problem preparing the soil.
I am also trying out the Berkeley method of composting and it seems to be working. I turned the pile yesterday and it was so hot I couldn't stick my hand in it. This is the first time I have tried to make compost in a hurry. Most of the time I just make a big pile and leave it. With the Berkeley Method finished compost is supposed to be created in two weeks. Stay tuned.
Baby Goats
We had come home from mass yesterday and my allergies were killing me. I felt like I had the flu so I declared I was going to take a nap. I was just beginning to enjoy the horizontal feeling when my wife came charging in yelling "All hands on deck. We have kids!" So I jumped up and headed down to the goat pen where we found two beautiful baby goats, a boy and a girl, which we later named Mich (short for Michelangelo) and Sable. The mom, Wynne, is doing great as are the kids. Baby goats are really cute and soft. I cleaned out the pen real good and laid down a new layer of hay for the newborns.
I transported the manure pile up to the potato garden, added a bunch of leaves I raked up and started a new mulch pile. I am trying the fast way of making compost by covering it with plastic and turning it frequently.
Monday, I trimmed fruit trees and shrubs and generally cleaned up around the garden. I also installed another new, water saving toilet which I really like. They are the Home Depot brand and are inexpensive compared to many other toilets. I actually installed both toilets without having to go to the hardware store once. This is an egregious violation of plumbing rules, I realize, but I am not complaining. The installation was straitforward in spite of a couple of goofs in the directions. The toilets are low water usage but still manage a powerful flush.
I also transplanted basil and carrot seeds from my ziplock bags. All of my seedlings are doing very well.
I also got the very beginning of a big project started. I set the layout for a screened in porch that will go on the north side of the front of our house. It is going to be about 9'x21'. This will also give me the opportunity to refashion the entry to our house through the screened in porch.
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Thoughts on the Last Judgement
The Last Judgement by Hans Memling
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New Painting: Update
An update on my new painting, The Last Judgement.
Epiphany 2009
I got pinched, at the last
minute, to be Melchoir in the Regina Mater Epiphany celebration. That's
me on the left with my pals Balthasar and Caspar. We had a lovely
celebration as usual. I like the kind of garb the kings get to wear.
Very colorful and nice fabrics. Too bad I'm just a peasant in my normal
life and only get to wear jeans and t-shirts. IT'S GOOD TO BE KING!
Happy Epiphany
20C + M + B09
Remembering 2008 in books
Below is the list of books I read in 2008 not necessarily in the order I read them. Most of them I finished but not all. A couple of them I am still working on. I'll make some comments in red.
The Seville Communion by Arturo Perez-Reverte I won this at the book group Christmas party and enjoyed it. A mixture of art, faith and politics wrapped up in a mystery. I will try some others by this author.
The Spirit of Mediaeval Philosophy Etienne Gilson After reading this book I think I have a begining grasp on a bit of Aquinas.
Swan Peak: A Dave Robicheaux Novel James Lee Burke One of my guilty pleasures along with Robert Parker and Michael Conneley. I read every book they publish.
Acedia & Me: A Marriage, Monks, and a Writer's Life Kathleen Norris I liked this book a lot with some reservations. I especially am happy to learn about Evagrius but the undercurrent of universalism kind of spoiled this book for me.
Did Darwin Get It Right?: Catholics and the Theory of Evolution George S. Johnston I highly recommend this book. Uncovers the already atheistic materialist roots of Darwinism and provides a satisfying alternative to both Darwinism and fundamentalist creationism.
Meditations on the life of Christ, Bonaventure B. Herder book Co (1934), For anyone interested in tradional Christian iconography this book is a must read. Much of what became tradition was derived from these medieval meditations.
Religious Art in France: The Late Middle Ages : A Study of Medieval Iconography and Its Sources (Bollingen Series) Emile Male This is the book in which I learned about the above book. Awesome book for artist wanting to deepen their understanding of traditional Christion symbolism. I can't recommend it highly enough!
The Old Way of Seeing: How Architecture Lost Its Magic - And How to Get It Back Jonathan Hale A fun book about architecture and the use of intuition, the golden meas and pattern.
Heaven's Calling: A Memoir of One Soul's Steep Ascent Leanne Payne A good autobiography with some insights into the charismatic movement. I admire Ms. Payne.
The Beauty of Holiness and the Holiness of Beauty: Art, Sanctity, and the Truth of Catholicism John Saward I was disappointed in this book. Seemed a bit unfocused or maybe it was just over my head.
Odd Hours Dean Koontz I have read all the Odd Thomas books. What a great character, a fry cook who can see dead people and fights the forces of evil. Koontzz is a Catholic and his faith infuses his books. Great!
THREE CHEERS FOR THE PARACLETE. Thomas: Keneally A slice of life around the time of Vatican two with priest of various attitudes responding to the current events.
Moonheart Charles de Lint Started it buth couldn't finish it. Dreadful!
Theology of the Body Explained: A Commentary on John Paul II's Man and Woman He Created Them Christopher West West actually does explain Theology of the Body which I tried to read but couldn't get past JPII's circuitous use of language. A great addition to Catholic theology and the best tool to refute the current heresy of modern anthropology. I am still working thourgh this book.
Cold Eye Giles Blunt A gruesome update on the Faustian theme with an artist as the protagonist. Chilling!
So Brave, Young and Handsome: A Novel Leif Enger A delightful novel set in the time the old west is dying. A series of adventures that ends up in mutual redemptions but at a cost. Recommend.
The Last King of Texas Rick Riordan After reading Riordan's books for children I discovered he is an accomplished crime fiction author. An added advantage is the are set in central Texas. Really good mysteries, good characters and great local color. He gets central Texas right. Highly recommend and add to my list of guilty pleasure crime fiction authors.
Mission Road Rick Riordan
Fra Angelico: Dissemblance and Figuration Georges Didi-Huberman Goes deep into the work of Fra Angelico, my patron Saint. My estimation for Fra Angelico continues to grow.
Exiles: A Novel Ron Hansen I want to like Ron Hansen, I really do but his work just doesn't resonate with me. I have only managed to finish one of his books and this wasn't it.
The Devil Went Down to Austin Rick Riordan
Cold Springs Rick Riordan
Southtown Rick Riordan
The Burning of the Vanities: Savonarola and the Borgia Pope Desmond Seward Opinions of Savanarola are all over the place. This author has a pretty favorable opinion of the mad monk which I am inclined to agree with. The Florentines at the time were a pretty desolute bunch and Savanarola brought some real change into the morals of the city. If the Germans hadn't bailed on him Italy would look different for sure.
Night Soldiers: A Novel Alan Furst I wanted to like this novel more than I actually did. If I ever read another Furst novel I will definitely keep a list of characters as they come and go and are generally difficult to keep track of.
Green Journey Jon Hassler I discovered Jon Hassler this year and enjoyed reading these novels set in the midwest. I look forward to reading more of him this year.
Grand Opening Jon Hassler
Staggerford: A Novel Jon Hassler
The Boys' Crusade: The American Infantry in Northwestern Europe, 1944-1945 (Modern Library Chronicles) Paul Fussell A sad look at the cannon fodder of WW2. Very poignant especially when they troops discover the camps and it becomes clear what they have been fighting for.
Sister of Wisdom: St. Hildegard's Theology of the Feminine Barbara Newman Not a feminist screed as the title might suggest but a good introduction to Hildegard, her times and her work.
Tree and Leaf J.R.R. Tolkien I had never gotten around to reading this and it is great as it is to be expected. Every artist should read Leaf by Niggle once a year to keep their life and work in perspective.
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life (P.S.) by Barbara Kingsolver As someone who enjoys gardening this book was very inspirational.
Requiem Graham Joyce I discovered Graham Joyce this year and enjoyed a couple of his novels although his heretical theology grates in places, it wasn't bothersome enough to stop reading.
Road From Coorain Jill Kathryn Conway Another good autobiography set in the outback of Australia.
Stranger in Paradise (Jesse Stone Novels)
Now and Then Robert B. Parker
The Facts of Life: A Novel Graham Joyce
Notes Towards a Definition of Culture T.S. Eliot A good book about art and culture.
Out of the Silent Planet C.S. Lewis Reread this and enjoyed it again.
Saturday Ian McEwan Atheist evangelism packaged as good fiction. Probably more effective than Dawkins and the lot. I don't buy it though.
Literary Converts: Spiritual Inspiration in an Age of Unbelief Joseph Pearce An excellent book. Looks at the literary circles in England during the age of Auden, Waugh, Greene, Elliot etc. and shows how the spiritual and intellectual currents drew so many intellectuals into the Catholic Church. Highly recommend.
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America Erik Larson Creepy but you can't look away. The flights of hubris of technological man and his counterpart the serial killer set in Chicago during the world fair.
Cezanne Francoise Cachin Another of my art heroes. Cezanne is the bridge that connects the past and the future of art.
Bridge of Sighs Richard Russo I really enjoyed this novel about the struggles of an artist and his childhood friend to come to grips with their past. Excellent!
Auralia's Colors (The Auralia Thread Series #1) Jeffrey Overstreet I bought this for my daughter but read it and enjoyed it myself. A well realized fantasy world and resonating reflection on art and culture.
Conversations with Cézanne (Documents of Twentieth-Century Art) Michael Doran After reading his letters Cezanne doesn't seem quite as anti-social as he is usually made out to be. He also seems to have had a genuine return to the Catholic faith in his later years, lead by his sister who took care of him.
A Deadly Thing, They Say Leslie Winfield Williams Another pretty good mystery set in Austin. I was hoping she might write some more.
Daily Life in Palestine at the Time of Christ Henri Daniel-Rops I dipped into this. Daniel Rops is always excellent.
Me, Myself, and Bob: A True Story About God, Dreams, and Talking Vegetables Phil Vischer A tragic tale of a genius that never found his true partner to keep his feet on the ground.
Neverwhere: A Novel Neil Gaiman The first book I read by Gaiman. I liked it but for the gratouitious sex it would have been a book a teen could read.
The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 4) Rick Riordan Percy Jackson is great. Can't wait for the next one!
The Life You Save May Be Your Own: An American Pilgrimage Paul Elie I started this several years ago but finally finished it this year. An excellent biography of four writers and spiritual guides: Flannery O'Conner, Walker Percy, Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton. Highly recommend.
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Happy New Year!
I had a nice two week holiday break from working at UT. The family took turns being sick so it was a strange vacation. We pretty much just stayed home and didn't do any visiting except Lissa and I got to be with my sister and her family for her birthday and Lissa and Emma got to see her brothers family in San Antonio after the new year. No Christmas day with the family or New Year's Eve parties. Oh, well... the new year will get better I hope.
I did spend quite a bit of time working on a new painting. For the first time in a while I am working on a large painting: 8'X5'. The theme is the last judgement. The above painting is a detail, still in progress. Below is a picture of the whole painting, still in progress.
The painting is
pretty traditional in it's use of symbols but updated with modern
elements. In an age where tolerance is seen as the utmost virtue,
judgement is not a popular subject but one cannot read the scriptures
or look at art history without seeing what a huge part the
theme of
judgment plays. As I am particularly aware of the role consumerism
plays in our lack of virtue, consumerism is played up as an overiding
vice with the resultant increase in abortions. I am hoping to have this
painting, as well as some others, finished in time for the Diocese of
Austin's Fine Arts Council exhibit in April of this year. Stay tuned
for updates.
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