Category Archives: Miscellaneous
Artists’ Pigments
The sole reason I toured Albrecht Dürer's house in Nürnberg, Germany, was because I had read there was a display of his paint and where it came from. Now Dürer lived 170 years before Maria Sybilla Merian did, but things were slow to change back in those days; I figured the source of paints would still be the same. I had already spent two and a half years researching the old paint recipes to find a few which would be usable in the classroom during the study of art in the Middle Ages. (I was bored with the time period and needed a way to "liven it up" 'cause it's a sure bet that if the teacher's already bored, the students will be triply bored, and the last thing we need is bored kids in the classroom.)
I was delighted to see that what I had read was confirmed here.
The blue pigment in the picture on top is azurite; the powdered form was kept on the half shell, it's source is the azurite rock behind. The red pigment was new to me–it is called Drachenblut, or Dragon's Blood. It comes from a red resin from the fruit of a palm tree found in Asia.
The center picture shows a pigment made from roots of the Rubia plant–also new to me–on the left. On the right is a dish of cochineal bugs which, when crushed, make a purply-red pigment. (And, yes, the dried bugs do stink if you get your nose too close to them!)

The bottom picture shows the beautiful bright red pigment derived from Cinnabar rocks from Spain.
One added note: most rocks lose their color when crushed and cannot be used to make paint. Those that do retain their color make very lovely paint, indeed.
Weather…
I’m getting very tired of all the rain, storms, high winds, and, of course, tornadoes! It has rained so much I haven’t been able to get my rain barrel made; isn’t that ironic! I’m sure that when I finally get it all done…well, we’ll probably have a drought and there will be no rain to catch. Seems to be the way things often go around here.
I did become aware during this last dash to the basement as the tornado sirens screamed that what I take to the basement with me differs vastly from one time to the next. When we have a bit more warning and I have time, I do a good job of packing and making sure I have flashlights and candles and matches; shoes and jacket just in case; other items of value which seem to vary quite a lot. Sometimes its family information, photos, artwork–often my current project. This last time all I took was the manuscript I’m working on and the backup flashdrive and my cell phone. And this time we took not only our dog and her car seat, but also the visiting neighborhood cat. Ya just never know.
Chörlein
The Frauenkirche on the Market Square
Discovery at a Garage Sale!

Portrait of a Gentleman
Yesterday morning I stopped at a garage sale near my house. I was enjoying seeing what all was there. My eye was drawn first to a small yellow frame, then to the small portrait. It looked very much like my work from several years ago. Looking closer, I discovered my own signature on the painting! What a find!
In the late sixties through the eighties I painted quite a few miniature portraits on commission. Needless to say, I no longer remember who this gentleman is. (Does anybody happen to recognize him? If you do, I would appreciate your letting me know.)
When I went to purchase the painting (along with a few other items), the fellow in charge of the garage sale started “singing the praises” of this “actual painting” (as he put it). When I told him I had painted it, he smiled and said, “Well, you can just have it!”
And now, one little painting that left my hands twenty? thirty? years ago is back with me. It brings a smile to my face.

The size of the painting
A quarter helps to show the actual size of the miniature painting.
Before Streets Had Names
The Beautiful Fountain
The tall fancy spire you see above the market booths is the Schoenebrunnen, or the Beautiful Fountain, and is very aptly named! It is the most beautiul fountain I’ve ever seen. And probably the tallest. The workmanship that went into making this is absolutely incredible.
Here is a close up of this fountain. The photo was taken through the fancy wrought iron fence which encloses it.
The golden ring is supposed to bring good luck when you turn it. Yes, it does move! Of course, you have to find it first, and that is no easy task! The ornate iron work is such that the ring blends in beautifully, and even the change of color does not stand out immediately.
And, unbeknownst to a lot of tourists, there is an iron ring on the other side of the fountain. Some of the local people asked me if I knew about this one, and when I said no, they beckoned me to this side and said that turning this one ensures that you have children. Apparently especially important after the plague which wiped out so many. Can you find it?
A Walking Tour of the Old Town
The first thing I did was to take a walking tour just to get a basic idea of where things were and what there was. Supposedly a 2 1/2 hour tour, ours lasted another hour because our guide took the time to answer questions as well as adding more information when the group showed more interest. Walking around the town also showed us very quickly just how steep the terrain was going up to the base of the castle. And from the base on up to the castle grounds was even more so!
Entering the old city of Nürnberg
Train to Nürnberg
On to Nürnberg, the next city where Maria Sybilla Merian Graf lived.