Old Spanish Church Fresco ruined or retouched?

ictures provided by the Center for Borja Studies show the original version of the painting Ecce Homo, by 19th-century painter Elias Garcia Martinez, from left, the deteriorated version the center recently documented, and the version "restored" by a parishioner.

Church masterpiece 'restored' as Mr. Bean would do it

The efforts of an elderly parishioner to restore a 120-year-old fresco on a column inside a Spanish church have some wondering if a Mr. Bean movie was the inspiration for the effort.

The fresco, titled Ecce Homo (Behold the Man), is a depiction of Jesus Christ with a crown of thorns. It was painted on a wall of the Sanctuary of Mercy at Borja, near Zaragoza, Spain, by artist Elias Garcia Martinez more than a century ago.

Its troubling "restoration" occurred after the local Center for Borja Studies received the donation of a canvas done by Garcia from one his granddaughters who lives nearby, according to the center's blog.

Center staff noted that the only other known work by Garcia in the area was Ecce Homo, went to the church to photograph the fresco, and realized it was in bad shape.

Parishioner Cecilia Giménez said she was asked by the church to fix things up.

“The priest was aware … he knew,” she is quoted as saying in a report on Euronews.com. “Of course I did it because I was told to do it."

In its blog, the center expresses "astonishment" that "an intervention was done" on the painting.

"As unbelievable as it sounds, this is what remains of the work of an artist whose relatives still live in our city," the blog reads.

Giménez said her work was done in the open and nobody tried to stop her, according to Euronews.

"Everybody that came into the church saw me. I never tried to hide,” she is quoted as saying.

"Clearly, she has destroyed the painting," Garcia's granddaughter, Teresa Garcia, is quoted as saying.

The center says it doesn't know if the "restoration" can be fixed.

"We don’t know if this indescribable act has a solution, but there is no doubt that someone should adopt strict measures so that there is not a repetition of acts like this, which despite its intentions, should be strongly condemned," its blog says.

But in reader comments on the blog, some wonder whether the "restoration" is a repetition of a previous act, one from the 1997 Rowan Atkinson film "Bean."

“Something similar happened in the movie Mr. Bean. … It probably inspired whoever did this,” one commenter writes.

In the movie, Mr. Bean accidentally sneezes on the masterpiece "Whistler's Mother" and attempts a crude repair.

(Follow the link below to watch the video)

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/08/23/church-masterpiece-restored-as-mr-bean-would-do-it/

October's Student Artist of the Month: Marissa Sjolander

 Not only is Marissa Sjolander Pitman High School's October Student Artist of the Month, but she is also the current President of the National Art Honor Society. Below the art rooms own "moon child" dishes on art, inspiration and dancing with paint. 

What sorts of themes do you like to explore in your work?

The themes I try to incorporate in my work are realism and surrealism. I like to make people see that your dreams are and that there is simply beauty everywhere and in everyone.

What inspires you ? What artists do you like?

Seeing beautiful things come out of the darkness inspires me , the reconciliation of opposites. That’s why you’ll see things such as: live vs. death, ying and yang, astrological things, nature, and dream aspects, body parts, and most of all  the eye. I incorporate eyes all the time. Eyes are how I relate to people and different aspects of the world. Life and death also inspire me so much. People generally look at death as a bad thing, but it shouldn’t be viewed that way. Death has so much beauty to it. It’s a new rebirth. As for artists there are ton that inspire me. Two of my very favorites are Alex Grey and Charmaine Olivia.

 What Mediums do you prefer to work in?




Oils and charcoal are my favorite mediums. Charcoal gives off such a drastic contrast. It allows me to portray life and death very well this way. And oils? Well that’s a whole different story. When I work with oils it allows me to “think” more and be more of a scientist and experiment with color. When I am doing my brush strokes I sort of “dance” with my paint. My arms just sway back and fourth. I consider my art a person. I’m dancing with them and getting to know them better.




Which piece is your favorite?

Honestly I don’t have just one single piece that’s my favorite. The piece I’m most recently working on is my favorite. It’s a new world with a plethora of opportunities for me to unlock.

Why do you make art?

I create art because I was given the gift of art. I did indeed come out of terrible events in my childhood. Art kept me alive and going. I know there are people just like me…searching for help and I believe that art has the power to ameliorate their pain. I am going to help them. We can’t just help people with a few wise words, some food and vaccines. We need to nurture their souls.  We need to show them the beauty they haven’t seen. We all just need passion.

Yayoi Kusama: Fireflies on water

This is a youtube video of artist Yayoi Kusama's installation piece titled, "fireflies on water."

Kusama works across many mediums, frequently dealing with the theme of the infinite. 

The piece is able to be visited at the Whitney Museum of American art in New York City through September. It is magical. I highly suggest you visit. 

Interview With An Inspiring Artist: Jackie Stack Lagakos

By Marissa Sjolander

      An artist is usually thought of as expresses themselves on canvas; however, Jacqueline Stack Lagakos is a part of a  group of unique, divergent artists.  She creates a world of glass. Jackie is a well known mosaic artist. Her creative inner style allows her to transcend a medium,  allowing her to create beautiful spaces. Jackie has transformed the landscape with a plethora of peaceful garden works and bottle structures. These are one of a kind sanctuaries filled with eternal blessings and a transcending passion of art-joy.

Q-What inspired you to start making mosaics?

A- Seeing the Watts Tower in Los Angeles and Isaiah Zagar’s magic gardens work in Philadelphia.

Q-How and when did you start this passion for art?

A- I started it by making a mosaic bird bath 15 years ago.

Q-You said before you worked with Philadelphia Magic Garden artist, Isaiah Zagar, how did that come about?

A- I took a weekend workshop with him and then assisted him on many of his buildings for the next few years.

Q-What types of move mental things did you learn there?

A- Working with Isaiah was more about enjoying watching him create rather than learning any techniques… once you learn his process.. It is pretty basic.  I have a very different style.

Q-Did you love working there?

A- Yes I loved working with Isaiah…  He is an incredible artist and kind man.

Q-What gave you the drive to start working and teaching students?

A- I teach classes and workshops at Perkins Center for the Arts and Appel Farm Arts and Music Center. They also have artist in residency programs… They asked me to join them.

I love watching others create especially elementary students who are so free of insecurity.

Q-What do your workshops consist of?

A- My workshops are One day workshop teaching the basic techniques of mosaic… Students bring a piece they want to mosaic and I show them how to use the materials to accomplish that.

                           Q-What's your favorite piece of artwork  
                           you have created?

A- I have so many… many of which are on my website. www.bottlestructures.com   My bottle structures are some of my favorites… and the Gary Karr Mosaic bass is another.

Q-What is your favorite project you worked with students?

A-My favorite project that I worked with students is Countryside Elementary School in Mt Laurel.  Every Student in the school Pre K through 4th was involved… they all enthusiastically made all the components for their mural. 

Q-Do you have any special technique or tricks?

A- No. Just trust your intuition.

Q-What feelings do you try to convey through your pieces of art?

A- Joy.

Q-How do you get yourself into that creative mind set?

A- I just think about what I want to create and which materials I want to use and let my intuition take it from there.

Q-Being an artist myself, I love art for the fact I can express my mind without words. What's your reasoning for loving art?

A- I love the materials… and seeing what I create with them… I don’t think much about why I do it… I just once again follow my intuition and enjoy the results.

Q-Who or what has been your impact on mosaicing?

A- Watching people looking at my work and having a sense of joy.

Q-Do you have any new accomplishments for yourself or any upcoming projects/workshops?

A-My last work was a piece (a mosaic lamp) that was commissioned for Ron Carter a Jazz Bassist.

Jazz master Ron Carter is among the most original, prolific and influential acoustic jazz bassists, with more than 2500 albums to his credit. One of my favorite musicians  he played with for many years was Miles Davis.

He sent me and E-mail thanking me for the piece I created for him. And a few days later he sent me a signed copy of his biography.  Sweet!

Week 2

Below are a few pics of the site in progress. Our flowers are installed and artist Jackie Stack Lagakos has been a mosaic machine filling in all of the beautiful blue porcelain tile you see blow.

Porcelain was first made in China
 which explains why porcelain plates (like the ones your grandma
busts out on holidays) are often called China.

"Porcelain?! Isn't that the stuff they use to make those fancy breakable dolls and grandma china?" a student asked me last week.
Yes. It is. But while porcelain has a reputation for being delicate and refined it is actually really tough and perfect for our mosaic.
Porcelain is a high fire clay that is virtually impenetrable to most liquids after leaving the kiln even without a glaze.After being fired many of the materials that go into making porcelain, like kaolin,quartz and silicates form a glass like structure.  While this bond makes it sound fragile it is actually one of the qualities of porcelain that make it most desirable for our project. The tight bond formed by all of these molecules makes porcelain virtually impenetrable to any type of water or moisture. Moisture is a mosaics arc nemesis. If any type of liquid in the form or rainwater, snow or a spilled latte from the cafe inside were to get behind the tiles it could cause our mosaic to expand and contract with fluctuations in ambient temperature. If this were to occur pieces cracks could form or entire pieces of our precious mosaic could pop off.

Students Sandy Glenn-Collins and Jenn Hildebrand
apply glass flowers to the wall. 

A BIG deal: The Bus Stop Music Cafe mosaic is under way!

 It is with great excitement that the Pitman High School Art Department announces its latest project!

Pitman high school students have been working diligently on a collaborative installation with mosaic artist Jackie Stack Lagakos and the Gloucester County Heritage and Cultural Commission.

Select students were chosen to create mosaic pieces that will be part of a large scale art work that will be installed over the next few weeks on the facade of the Bus Stop Music Cafe at 148 South Broadway  Pitman, NJ . Please join us on June 9th at the Pitman Music and Arts Festival for our dedication ceremony. You won't want to miss it!

Stay tuned for updates on our progress and an interview with the artist herself, the Maestra of mosaic, Jackie Stack Lagakos!