For Shane Jones and I, no Easter would be complete without the film, Easter Parade (1948, dir. Charles Walters). This year, for the very first time, we were able to view it on the big screen in our home cinema. Despite countless viewings over the decades, it has lost none of its pizazz and the leading players, Fred Astaire and Judy Garland (with scintillating support from Ann Miller), are simply sublime. Every song in Easter Parade tells a story in its own right, while also advancing the film’s plot. The musical numbers are all brilliantly choreographed, staged and performed, but my absolute favourite is Drum Crazy. The film’s composer, Irving Berlin, wrote it especially for the multi-talented Astaire, who in real life was a skilled drummer. As an Easter treat, see him perform Drum Crazy HERE.
Widely regarded as a symbol of transformation and spiritual rebirth, the butterfly is also closely associated with Easter. For me, Easter has always brought the promise of new beginnings. Accordingly, here are three very recent paintings that hopefully capture something of the spirit in which they were made. Presenting a slightly different take on the Rückenfigur, these butterfly-women are so newly-hatched, I haven’t yet had a chance to assign titles to any of them. Partly inspired by Tudor portrait miniatures, each work is acrylic on a circular canvas and measures 12.5 x 12.5 cm.
To learn more about the many-layered symbolism of butterflies, go HERE.
Wishing you all a very Happy Easter.
