Thursday, June 24, 2021

a New York state of mind

View of Columbus Circle & Central Park South, Time Warner Center

For those of us lucky enough to live near Central Park it is no wonder the place holds a favored spot in our hearts. This natural haven is made even more magical by its being situated smack in the center of Manhattan Island

USS Maine Monument & gilded sculpture of Columbia Triumphant

It may also be because wonder | wander | women relocated far from our home island in the Philippines that other far flung islands call out to us. Though this may just be an added incentive on top of the lush greens that recall our tropical paradise. 

Thursday, June 17, 2021

inspirations

Lately wonder | wonder | women are back into the creative groove. We're in the throes of some really exciting work. But it suddenly reminded us...



There are people we'd love to share this work with who are now gone. People who inspired and shaped us, who in some way had a hand in making this work too. 



We want to sit down with them, have a cup of coffee or some wine, say "Look at this! What do you think?" and hear what they have to say.


We can no longer invite ourselves over for dinner or merienda. We can't call them and hear their laughter. But we can put our memories of them into our work.



Some of the people we lost were mentors and fellow artists. Some of them didn't practice art but were supportive and warm people that we drew strength from.



With art, we can say "I miss you", "Thank you", or "I hope you like this". We can share it with other people who loved them and say "Don't you think they would enjoy this?" "Do you remember when we went to see this artist (or this movie)?"



Author Terry Pratchett in his book Reaper Man wrote, “No one is finally dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away, until the clock wound up winds down, until the wine she made has finished its ferment, until the crop they planted is harvested. The span of someone’s life is only the core of their actual existence.”



The people we loved are departed, but we still love them and are grateful for their gifts and the time we spent with them.

Thursday, June 10, 2021

world of words

wonder | wander | women are enjoying being in a writing class together. After over a decade of on going classes with writing teacher and author, John McCaffrey - we can finally attend them together on Zoom. 

NYC & Hudson River - Hoboken NJ

Formed our first year in Hoboken, New Jersey - 24 February 2010, where the local middle school was offering some continuing education evening classes. We signed up for a fiction writing class where we met what would be our decade long tightly knit gang. 

John McCaffrey - novelist, columnist, writing teacher

Sadly, the next year Hoboken was low on funds and killed the program. We prevailed on John to continue and moved our venue to the local Symposia Bookstore along the main drag on Washington Street. Through the years we kept to our core group with some new folks showing up once in a while. 

Friday, June 4, 2021

the walls of Italy

"If these walls could talk..." The story the walls of Italy tell is a story of blood, gold and a wave of artistic advancement beyond anything the early modern world could imagine. 

Siena, Italy