Excursia de 8 Martie (2)

Dupa Brasov ne-am indreptat spre Fagaras. Aici am vizitat Cetatea Fagarasului, despre care se spune ca este cetatea care nu a fost cucerita niciodata. Ea reprezinta cel mai impunator monument istoric al zonei. Constructia ei a debutat la sfarsitul secolului XIV-lea, fiind precedata de o fortificatie din lemn, inconjurata de un sant cu apa si val de pamant, datata din secolele XII-XIII. Cetatea a cunoscut mai multe transformari arhitecturale ulterioare devenind o curte princiara, resedinta pentru principii Transilvaniei si sotiile acestora. Aici a locuit si Mihai Viteazul cu sotia sa, doamna Stanca.
Azi, cetatea este o adevarata bijuterie arhitectonica care contine mai multe sali expozitionale. Ea a beneficiat de o refacere importanta facuta cu fonduri europene.

After Brasov, we went to Fagaras. Here we visited Fagaras Fortress, which is said to be the fortress which was never conquered. It is the most imposing monument of the area, whose construction began in the late fourteenth century and was preceded by a wooden fortress surrounded by a ditch and wall of earth, dating from the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. Fortress had several architectural changes, later became a princely court, a residence for princes of Transylvania and their wives. Michael the Brave lived here with his wife, Mrs. Stanca.

Today, Fagaras Fortress is an architectural jewel that contains several exhibition halls. It received a significant restoration of EU funds.

Cetatea Fagarasului - vedere generala

Intrarea in Cetatea Fagarasului

Curtea interioara

Sala tronului

Dormitorul Doamnei Stanca

Cateva din exponatele aflate in salile muzeului...
Some of the exhibits in the museum's halls...

Catedrala din Fagaras

Excursia de 8 Martie (1)

Doua zile, 7 si 8 martie, le-am petrecut intr-o frumoasa excursie pe ruta Brasov, Fagaras, Sambata de sus, Rm. Valcea, Ocnele Mari. Sambata 7 martie s-a anuntat o zi ploioasa, dar dupa ce am ajuns in Brasov a iesit soarele.

La Brasov am vizitat un loc memorabil, prima scoala romaneasca din Scheii Brasovului, zidita in anul 1495 si recladita in 1760. Aceasta scoala a fost in decursul timpului un focar de cultura. Aici, poate fi vazuta prima sala de clasa "Anton Pann", sala "Diaconul Coresi", "Carturarii brasoveni", un complex muzeal care organizeaza diferite expozitii tematice. 

In scoala din Schei, intre 1556-1588, au fost tiparite primele carti in limba romana de catre diaconul Coresi si colaboratorii sai, la o tiparnita care poate fi vazuta si astazi. Cele aproximativ 40 de titluri de carte, tiparite in sute de exemplare, s-au raspandit in toate tinuturile romanesti, consfiintind unitatea spirituala a romanilor. Ghidul nostru in aceasta vizita a fost prof. Vasile Oltean care se ingrijeste de acest monument istoric. Domnia sa este o sursa inepuizabila de informatii despre Scoala din Schei, este cel care a adunat cu grija materialul de mare valoare istorica si artistica de aici si a scris nenumarate carti despre toate aceste valori istorice.

Two days 7 and 8 March, I was in a beautiful trip on the route Brasov, Fagaras, Sambata de sus, Rm. Valcea, Ocnele Mari. Saturday March 7 was announced a rainy day, but after I arrived in Brasov sun came out.In Brasov we visited the memorable first Romanian school of Schei, built in 1495 and rebuilt in 1760. This school was a hotbed of culture over time. Here can be seen the first classroom "Anton Pann", room "Deacon Coresi" and  "Scholars from Brasov", a museum complex which organizes various exhibitions.In the  school of Schei, between 1556-1588, were printed the first books in Romanian, by Coresi deacon and his collaborators at a printing press which can be seen today. The approximately 40 books, printed in hundred copies were spread in all Romanian lands, sealed the spiritual unity of the Romans. Our guide on this visit was prof. Vasile Oltean that takes care of this monument. He is an inexhaustible source of information about the School of Schei, who carefully collected the material of historical and artistic value and wrote many books about all these historical values.

Prof. V. Oltean si tiparnita lui Coresi.   Prof. V. Oltean and Coresi printing press.

Brasov-Piata Sfatului

Brasov-Piata Sfatului

1 Martie, martisor...

Ma bucur cand vine 1 Martie. Este un moment cand stim ca vom scapa de iarna. Timpul e foarte frumos, sunt temperaturi pozitive, se anunta 14 grade...
Dupa ce a trecut Valentin's day si Dragobetele, acum ne pregatim de Martisor si 8 Martie...care au mai multa semificatie pentru romani.
Dupa ce am tot amanat sa ma ocup de martisoare, azi am avut un mare entuziasm si am realizat cateva martizoare care vor merge la niste prietene. Probabil ca a fost necesar sa aman momentul, pentru ca nu am avut inspiratie, sau am asteptat ca sa se "coaca" ideile.
Anul acesta am facut altceva decat in anii trecuti.
Martisoarele mele nu seamana deloc cu martisoarele traditionale.... asa le vreau eu !

I'm glad when it comes March 1. It is a time when I know that we will rid of winter. Time is very nice, the temperatures are positive, it announces 14 degrees ...
After passing Valentine's day and Dragobetele, now we are preparing for March 1-Martzisor and March 8 ... which have more significance here in Romania.
After I delayed to deal with Martzisor, today I had a great enthusiasm and I made some Martzisors, as gifts for some friends. Perhaps it was necessary to delay the time, because I had no inspiration and I expected to "ripen" ideas.
This year I had other ideas as in previous years.
My March amulets nothing like traditional martisoare ....

 Lucrul incepe cu o mare "dezordine" creativa...
The work starts with a great creative "disorder" ...

Apoi lucrurile se sistematizeaza, se clarifica tehnologia si trec la treaba pana termin totul...
Am folosit bucatele de voal pictate, ca suport, care au fost lipite pe carton. In colaje am pus bucatele de textil, fire angelina, staniol, tyvek, tulle, margele...si bineinteles, martisoare.

Then it systematizes the things, I clarify the technology and get to work, to finish everything ...
I used pieces of painted gauze as support, which were pasted on cardboard. In collage I put pieces of fabric, angelina threads, metallic foil, Tyvek, tulle, beads... and of course, martzisoare.
Martzisor is made of two twisted silk threads, white and red, which ends tassels.

Iata ce a iesit!
Here's what came out!

                               Sa aveti o primavara minunata!
                                  Have a wonderful spring!

Tyvek

Zilele trecute, am primit un pachet cu plicuri de tyvek de la Beth, o prietena din SUA cu care impartasesc aceleasi pasiuni artistice. 
Multumesc, Beth!

A few days ago, I received a package with Tyvek envelopes from Beth, a friend from the US who share the same artistic passions with me. 
Thank you, Beth!


Tyvek este denumirea unui material izolant, descoperit in 1955 si introdus in circuitul comercial din SUA in 1967. Este un material hidroizolant (impermeabil pentru apa dar permeabil pentru vaporii de apa) si are o rezistenta mare la rupere, dar poate fi taiat. Dupa aspect, Tyvek seamana cu hartia (de exemplu se poate scrie pe tyvek sau se poate imprima) dar nu este hartie. Este un material netesut, facut din filamente foarte subtiri de polietilena (0.5-10 microni), distribuite dezordonat, de aceea este mai flexibil si mai rezistent decat hartia. Datorita proprietatilor lui, tyvek-ul este folosit in constructii, in industria materialelor de protectie, pentru ambalaje (plicuri, ambalarea materialelor medicale), etc.

La fel ca si pungile de polietilena, el este greu reciclabil. O forma de reciclare ar fi reutilizarea lui "artistica" si din fericire exista multe posibilitati artistice de "reutilizare" care merita incercate.

Tyvek is the name of an insulating material, discovered in 1955 and placed in commercial distribution in the US in 1967. Tyvek is a waterproof material (impermeable to water but permeable to water vapor) and has a high resistance to breakage, but it can be cut. After the appearance, Tyvek looks like paper (eg. can write on Tyvek or you can print) but is not paper. It is a nonwoven material, made from very thin filaments of polyethylene (0.5-10 microns) disordered distributed, so it is more flexible and durable than paper. Because of its properties, Tyvek is used in construction, in protection materials industry, for packaging (envelopes, packaging, medical supplies), etc. 

Like polyethylene bags, it is hard recyclable. One form of recycling is by artistic reuse it and fortunately there are many artistic possibilities of "reuse"... worth trying.

Si am trecut la folosirea tyvek-lui. Este adevarat, nu e pentru prima...
Am aplicat, mai intai, un strat subtire de colorant acrilic.
 
And I went to use Tyvek. It is true, not for the first time ...
At first I applied a thin layer of acrylic dye.

Apoi am asezat o bucata de tyvek intre doua foi de hartie de copt si am calcat fara aburi...tyvek-ul se "increteste" la calcat, din cauza plasticului. Daca temperatura este foarte inalta, efectul se obtine foarte rapid si este incontrolabil. Rezultatele sunt total imprevizibile.

Then I placed a piece of Tyvek between two sheets of baking paper and ironing...tyvek has "wrinkled", because the plastic. If the temperature is very high, the effect is obtained very quickly and is uncontrollable. Here are the results...

Si cateva detalii...
Some details...

Sunt foarte incantata de aceste bucatele si abia astept sa le folosesc...
I am very excited about these pieces and I only expect to use them ...

Alte incercari...

Am reincercat metoda descrisa intr-un articol anterior, dar cu alte tipuri de hartie.
Aici este o pagina luata dintr-o revista de fizica, se vad formule, grafice...este o hartie cam subtire, fara prea mare consistenta, dar acrilicul a prins frumos.

I retried the method described in a previous article, but other types of paper.
Here is a page taken from a physics journal, can be seen formulas, graphs ... is a little thin paper, without much consistency, but acrylic caught nice.

Aici sunt niste detalii. Am mai adaugat putine "corecturi cromatice" cu un creion pastel.
Here are some details. I added little "color correction" with a pastel pencil.

Aici am folosit o hartie "aurita" in care este ambalata cafeua. Acrilicul a prins mai putin bine, dar sunt efecte interesante pe fondul auriu. Am pus ca masca o frunza uscata care s-a lipit de hartie.

Here I used a "golden" paper in which coffee is packaged. Acrylic caught less well, but interesting effects occur on the golden background. I put as mask dry leaves that stuck to the paper.

Aici am pictat o hartie de ambalaj, usor cerata, pe care am pus si doua frunze, ca masti.
Here I painted a wrapping paper, slightly waxed, I put two leaves as masks.

Mai jos este ultimul experiment pe azi, facut pe hartia de acuarela. Aceasta absoarbe repede apa si vopseaua acrilica se usuca, asa ca e necesar sa se lucreze repede.
Below is the last experiment today, on watercolor paper. It quickly absorbs water and acrylic paint dries, so it's necessary to work quickly.

Toate acestea le voi folosi ca background-uri in alte lucrari....
I will use them as backgrounds in other works ....

Astazi, mixed media...

Azi m-am gandit sa refolosesc o bucata de hartie pe care am sters pensula de culorile acrilice cand am lucrat altadata. Am lipit pe ea niste bucatele de hartie, staniol sau plicuri de ceai.

Today I thought to reuse a piece of paper used to remove acrylic colors on the brush with which I worked another time. I glued on it some pieces of paper, foil or tea sachets.

Am adaugat niste culori acrilice...
I added some acrylic ...

Am mai lipit niste bucatele textile si am pus niste cercuri albe si niste auriu ca sa mai lumineze decorul...
I have attached some textile pieces and put some white circles and some gold to glowing decor ...

Am mai lipit doua litere, dar apoi pe una am dezlipit-o...
I have pasted two letters, but then I unglued one...

si in final arata asa...
and finally look like this ...

Primele experimente in 2015...

Am inceput acest an experimentand o tehnica noua. Nu este grea si da efecte foarte interesante.
Am lucrat pe hartie usor cerata. Am umezit-o bine cu apa si am adaugat apoi culorile acrilice. Deasupra ei am asezat o folie de plastic care se increteste pe pagina uda. Am lasat-o sa se usuce bine si apoi am scos plasticul. 

This year I started experimenting with a new technique. There is no difficult and give very interesting effects. I worked on the piece of paper, slightly waxy. I sprayed it with water and then I added acrylic colors. Above the wet sheet I placed a plastic sheet. I left it to dry thoroughly and then I removed the plastic.

Rezultatele sunt incantatoare, imi plac foarte mult....In fotografii nu se pot vedea, dar apar niste efecte de stralucire in zonele care au fost atinse de plastic.

Results are lovely, I like very much .... In these photos is not observed, but there are some effects of brightness in areas that were affected by plastic.