Petite Burr

~ Mia Pharaoh

Untitled 1979-1980 Photography by Francesca Woodman

 

Petite Burr
10 Words


Sometimes the dreamers, thinkers and artists are born of circumstance.

 

“I was so busy trying to maintain my shell, preventing any of my broken, scrambled self from spilling out onto the sidewalk. I couldn’t let any of the ugliness show, not yours and what I thought was mine too. You were convincing, implying how wrong I was about everything. You wore white; I was always dressed in your hand selected shade of grey. All the long while, I shrouded myself in uncertainty, a conflicted reality. Yes, I kept the secrets, and yes, you were right and you’ve always been right. I was wrong about everything, there are no more secrets and I no longer stand in your grey shadow.”
— M. L. Lurie, The Lost Journals


Deep Purple – “Demon’s Eye – Francesca Woodman Pics”                           .     .

 

97 thoughts on “Petite Burr”

      1. Thank you so much Anna, for the kind words. I was pleased to find this self-portrait. So different, yet so her. Perhaps it’s the layers and layers of fur coats, the multiple skins that we all wear, That’s something we don’t expect to see, Francesca all covered up. I think she was brilliant with her commentary through images. I want to tell you, I adore the genre (dark) of the artwork that you post. Please enjoy your Thursday. ~ Mia

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      1. The kitties say “Meow”, “Meow”, “Meow”, “Meow”, “Meow” and “Meow”, and they all send you lots of purrs and kitty kisses. The temps have been in the low teens outside, so Lola has been taking advantage of the all heater vents.

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  4. The life circumstance we are born into certainly frames our early journey. We can change our circumstances but our lens through how we see the world is much harder to change. Francesca is a talented photographer…loved the images flowing through the video. The one where the girl is in the water and holding the tree’s root really caught my eye☺️ I like some of Deep Purple’s work…they were a little hit and miss for my taste. This one was bluesy and really jammed.😊

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    1. Hi Michael, thanks for a wonderful comment. I completely agree, do you think our early imprint stays with us throughout our lives? Can we truly see through a different lens, or do we fall back to the ill-fitting, familiar and perhaps tinted lens, because it’s oddly comfortable?

      Francesca Woodman is one of my favorite photographers, and if you know her life story is so very tragic. To tell you the truth Michael, I’m not a huge fan of Deep Purple, I think this was a terrific photo montage to show off some of Francesca’s work and the lyrics worked okay, (“Demon’s Eye”, was not bad with the photos). I had something else in mind that had better meaning, but I wasn’t sure anyone would really listen to the lyrics. 😉

      Wishing you a terrific Monday, enjoy the entire week, take care. ~ Mia 🙂

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      1. I’m with you, I believe the change of perspective is extremely hard to make. Even having an awareness that we have a “lens” effecting our perception is a big step forward. From awareness, change is at least a possibility…. As for Deep Purple, yes…this was a deep cut for sure, ha! Not exactly “Smoke on the Water”😉 Hope you have a great week too, pretty Mia 😘

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    1. Soul, thank you so much for your kindness. I agree, “naked and raw”. I found this to be very dark, and was not sure I was going to post it. So your words hold great meaning for me. I wish you a great start to your week as well, you’re always ahead of me. 😉 Love you. ❤ xo

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      1. You really like your articles you know and I do not mean to say
        each of us is attracted by what he likes and you like me very much even with glasses are more beautiful 🙂 ❤
        LOVE! xo

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    1. Hi George, thank you for such kind words. I really like, ‘some will stumble, some will fall’, very true, especially with Francesca’s history. I don’t think I would have used a Deep Purple video if it hadn’t been for the terrific photo collection of Francesca’s work, the lyrics are okay, but sometimes I have to be able to make compromises. *Laughing*, it took me several days to come to terms with that compromise. Wishing you a wonderful week ahead. ~ Mia

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        1. George, thank you for including the link, it’s stunning and so very sad, “Dance me to your beauty with a burning violin… “. Sadly, I’m familiar with the camps. I thought of you when I read the following,

          “…it’s curious how songs begin because the origin of the song, every song, has a kind of grain or seed that somebody hands you or the world hands you and that’s why the process is so mysterious about writing a song.”
          — Leonard Cohen

          You’re very right about still and music, I think the more senses that can be afforded the consumer/viewer/listener, the more complete the artistic experience can and perhaps will be.

          Alright, cool father, sharing some culture with the population at the gym!

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          1. He’s a headphones man in his gym at home. At a big gym I think they’d kick him out if he put Cohen on merely because of the lack of a beat. But yes, still frame and music does have impact that rolling video doesn’t always have.

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  7. Raw and hard to hear and look at a bit, but the words and the images together helped, and both did hit me. I went and read up a bit on Woodman, and her history helped put things in context a bit, but not entirely. She was definitely a talent, but it seems that she wasn’t happy in the shadows of others, either.

    Despite all of this, Mia, have yourself a lovely rest of the day and week. ❤

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    1. Thank you for a terrific comment. True not everything is pretty or comfortable. I’m delighted that you read up a bit on Francesca. I don’t know if the information that you read included the all important family dynamics. Everyone in the family was an artist, so one can only imagine the competition being fierce. She was most definitely a talent, perhaps a genius in fact with her camera and the statements she was able to make with her photos. I know her body of work is not for everyone, did she accomplish her mission in her very short lifetime? I believe so, I think that everyone that looks at her work loves it or hates it, either way it’s memorable.

      Thank you again for sharing your thoughts. I want to wishing you a lovely rest of the day and week as well. Take good care. ~ Mia ❤

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  8. Superb! Enjoyed this very much, may I adopt you as muse? Or does that work the other way around?

    Who is / was M. L. Lurie? I can’t find anything on google!

    Lovely piece of music too, I saw the Purple ones live last year! It was a good show!

    Its an interesting question, I think your right about circumstances, there was always something there, but it could have gone by had it not been for circumstances.

    Xx

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    1. Thank you Ogden, so very much. You may indeed, are the adoption papers drawn up? A lowly writer. Did you really see them? It seems you see a lot of live music, how wonderful. I’m glad that it was a good show, that makes it fun. I fear there is no avoiding circumstance or circumstances for that matter. Perhaps they are the bread crumbs of our own journey, the one we take alone. Wishing you a lovely week, take care and stay warm. ~ Mia ❤ xo

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      1. Yes! Its finalised already 🙂

        That piece by Lurie reminded me of the sort of thing I’d expect to read in Ruth Franklin’s biography on Shirley Jackson, (I only heard of these women yesterday on a radio book review yesterday) It certainly warranted further reading 🙂

        Oh yes, live music is probably my favourite thing, its a blast. Volume is a great way to get full attention. I’d like to take in something more thoughtful and curative too, such as classical, I shall have to look into it. Next tho I’m due to see Black Sabbath in Jan 2017, which shall be obviously quite loud!

        I don’t often feel terribly alone, tho I have done in the past, its a very peculiar phenomenon. Watching myself tho, I’m not sure its the same thing, I’m not sure I grasp the concept – of course I support those who do xx

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        1. Great, when do we start? 😉

          The first thing I ever read by Shirley Jackson, was her short story “The Lottery”. I was completely captivated and unnerved at the same time. Thank you for bringing that to mind. Yes, it does warrant further reading in my opinion. 🙂

          Black Sabbath in January, just around the corner, I hope you have a great time (you will).

          Maybe life in general is an interesting phenomenon, and everything that it entails. ❤ xo

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          1. Oh, I’m going to have to back out due to a busy schedule – have your people call mine and see if we can come to an acceptable settlement! 😉

            I think I shall buy the one about the Castle we always lived in, as I already read the free part on the download, I like her style 🙂

            Oh yes, I’m sure it is ❤

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          5. Yes, we’re on! Sorry about that indecisiveness, you can rest assured I am now utterly devoted ❤

            The book I have is called "We have always lived in a castle" They mentioned it on the radio program, so the was the first one I went too, straight away I could see its influence on the film "Stoker", I'll bet the guy who wrote that script had been reading her, I really liked that film, not perfect, but right up my street. They do say Stoker was also influenced by Hitchcock's "Shadow of a Doubt" which is also a fave of mine, they don't make enough good films.

            Thanks for being so agreeable about the muse thing 😀 😀 ❤

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          6. Yay! 💜

            Yes, I remember the movie “Stoker”, *shivers* kind of scary. But, I love to watch the good ones. Oh, Hitchcock was brilliant. No, they don’t make films like that anymore.

            Ogden, you’re so welcome, delighted in fact. 💜 💜 💜

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  9. Mia I love how you curate your thoughts of a subject along with interesting music and art that many of us have not yet discovered. In my case, as an artist, it was simply the very encouraging and positive words that I received from my mother than created this positive feedback loop in my mind. This was then further reinforced by art instructors I had as a child. So this was the circumstance that affected my life direction. I loved the collection of images in the video, though I know very little about the musical group.

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    1. Thank you so much for a lovely comment. Your experiences sound ideal, I delighted that you had a sturdy foundation and the encouragement to pursue your artistic side. Francesca Woodman is worthy of further investigation. Her photography, in my opinion, is in a league of its own. Deep Purple’s “Devil’s Eye” is a wonderful backdrop for the montage of Francesca’s work. Please enjoy the remainder of your evening and have a wonderful Tuesday. ~ Mia

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    1. Hi Christy, it is. Empowering individuals to pursue their creative nature is powerful. Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful thoughts and words. Please take good care, stay warm, and enjoy the upcoming holidays. ~ Mia

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  11. What a thought provoking 10 words. Makes me think of what Cake has said, “happiness writes white.” Maybe that’s not exactly what you mean. I really enjoyed the video with all those photos. She was very talented.

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    1. Hi Vic, thank you. It’s so funny that you mentioned Cake, because I was feeling that this was a bit dark for some readers, and I kept thinking of Mr. Cake and that phrase, “happiness writes white”. His comment is below and he mentioned, “thank you”, he liked that you quoted him. Yes, you’re right, this is not bright white for sure. I’m really glad that you watched the video, Francesca’s talent surpassed her years, for sure. Thank you for sharing your wonderful and always kind words. I hope that you’re having a terrific evening and that it continues through the week. ~ Mia 🙂

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  14. Another wonderful post and you do more justice to Francesca that I could ever hope. Circumstances are everything, they are the deep assignations that ran through our veins. Nice to see me quoted in the comments (thanks Vic). Dark indeed., but at least it’s not grey.

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    1. Thank you Mr. Cake, for your lovely words. I don’t know about that, your post on Francesca is pretty wonderful. She just ended up being the poster child for this post as I was collecting my thoughts and wondering how to best deliver the commentary. She truly fits the bill, as many do. Indeed, it was great to see that Vic had quoted you, you are quotable. I see another book in the distance, “Cakeland, Quotable Quotes”. ~ Miss Cranes

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          4. Matters, yes. Pressing, no. Just trying to keep the tub from overflowing, the phone’s ringing, the candles have burned themselves down to the tabletop, there’s someone at the door, the pot’s boiling over, the toaster has caught fire, the smoke alarm is beeping, and the cat wants to eat.

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      1. I wonder… personally, if I’d been encouraged to pursue the things that interested me when I was in my formative years instead of being pushed in other directions… Or if I’d had the wherewithal to figure it out for myself. Ah, well. Time moves in but one direction, so forward to salvage the remainder. 😀 (and yes, thank goodness Francesca was prolific!)

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  16. Oh, how I understand this! I have talked about this very thing so many times with various people. I always feel like I was born to be creative…but was I? To what extent if I was? If my childhood had been happy, would I have been this strange child obsessed with words, images and different worlds? I certainly wouldn’t have been found at other kid’s birthday parties hiding in a corner with a book. It’s fascinating to think about. That’s why I was so affected by “The Butterfly Effect” because it deals with just that: how circumstances play such a big part in who we become. I like to think I wouldn’t have been one of those brainless girls obsessed with boys and make-up but sometimes it haunts me that maybe I would/could have been. This is why, no matter what I’ve been through in my life, I sometimes think that it was all for the best in a way…
    Gosh, I’ve gone on…sorry, Mia! Great post and I love the extract and Deep Purple 🙂

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    1. Nathalie, I do so love your thoughts and comments. I agree, circumstances play a huge role in our development and who we become. Thankfully in many ways I think creativity is intrinsic, which allows for a healthy escape from chaos if needed. This is especially great for the creatives that are thinkers and dreamers, because it can’t be taken or punished away. Can we even consider the question of nature v. nurture? I think it’s more of nature and nurture v. nature and don’t nurture. Then I would ask, how much more creative would the individual be now if they had been nurtured? I have no doubt that you were born to be creative and will always be creative, because that’s your nature, and quite apparent by your wonderful writing abilities. 😉 Perhaps at this point we are what we are, and we are what we create. A friend of mine wanted me to title this, “Merci Mère”. 😉

      I’m really glad that you liked the post, it means a great deal to me. Please enjoy the rest of your week Nathalie, I know it will be filled with much creativity. ~ Mia 💜

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      1. Mia, so well put! I agree: “I think it’s more of nature and nurture v. nature and don’t nurture.”
        Thank you for the lovely kind words, at the risk of sounding sycophantic, I must say you are a perfect example of an intrinsically creative soul.
        I like the alternative title suggested by your friend but I’m not sure if everyone would have got it 😉
        Have a lovely week – Nathalie 💜

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  17. Hi Mia, a bundle of emotion for me in your ten words, and bonus, the music of Deep Purple. I loved this post. Having spent a little reflection time in the Boulder Graveyard, on my own, I was estatic to see your post on Francesca Woodman. When they arrange the place cards for the writers award ball, I hope they place mine next to Ms. Cranes. have a wonderful week. Daniel

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    1. Daniel, thank you, your words have completely made my day. I think that creativity is some sort of salvation, I can’t quite put my finger on it, but if you have the ability and are lucky enough to tap into it, it’s divine. A graveyard is a wonderful place to reflect. There’s a very old and quite small graveyard not far from here, every time I would pass it I thought about stopping. One day I found myself driving through the huge wrought iron gates. It was a lovely and emotional visit to a sanctuary. I very much look forward to sitting next to you, I don’t care about the awards, I’d much rather share some great conversation. Please have a wonderful week too Daniel. ~ Mia

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      1. Hi Mia, I got to thinking after your wonderful comment on my post, about this, I thought I had replied and I had not. My apologies for the oversite. I think your insight into creativity as a salvation is right on. In many ways it might be our pathway to immortality. Who knows whom might glum onto one of my many dusty unpublished works someday in my attic. 😉 This along with your visit to that cemetery is one of the thousand or so subjects I am awaiting to discuss with you at the awards banquet. Oh yes and then there is the portraits that Francesca did in Boulder, in a graveyard. To me they border on the macabre, still I have to say, I look at them, and cannot look away. Thanking you as always for great conversation, and wishing you a great day. Daniel

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        1. Hi Daniel, my apologies to you, because I originally posted my reply as a comment to myself, that’s why I asked if you received my reply. My error, but I’m glad that it has been remedied. I like that phrase, “pathway to immortality”. I think our creativity lingers in many different forms when we’re no longer here. Francesca’s graveyard photos are unnerving and macabre, but they are indeed captivating. I don’t think we can deny that her photos were very telling, foreshadowing events that would sadly come to pass. I always enjoy our conversations, thank you so much. Wishing you a wonderful evening Daniel.
          ~ Mia

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  18. This is fantastic Mia! I’ve always believed that art in whatever form is about honesty and truth and that is what I see in Francesca’s honest and fascinating photographs. She has given us access into her complex and alluring world. Interestingly enough I just watched the “Finding Vivian Maier” documentary last weekend. I highly recommend it if you have not seen it. I plan on reading more about Francesca’s work now too. On a side note when I saw the title of your piece and the photo I thought brrrrrr not burr…lol!! This cold weather seems to be taking over my every thought! Have a wonderful day Mia!! – Lola 🌺💜

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    1. Thank you so much Lola, for a wonderful comment. Francesca’s work is amazing, and sadly sometimes it seems to have foreshadowed a preoccupation with death. Vivian Maier is another extremely talented photographer, her life is fascinating, boy was she private. If you haven’t seen it yet, there’s a good documentary called, “The Woodmans” you can easily access on YouTube.

      It’s been cold here too, although nothing compared to your cold. Tomorrow will be our first day of winter, but it feels like it’s already here. I hope you’re have a terrific evening, enjoy your vacation. ~Mia 🙂 💜

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  19. Very well said Mia. 10 words that’s quite a challenge. I’m thinking harder than 6 actually because you have those 4 extra words to precisely say what you want. I think your piece summed up Laurie’s quote terrifically. Happy Christmas on the beach!

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    1. Thank you Amanda. I seem to like the 10 words, six I fear would be too limiting for me, I’ve never tried one though. I’m pleased that you thought the effort went well with the quote. Are you already for Christmas? I hope you baked some of those fabulous chocolate chip cookies. We’ve had a lot of rain, right now we have incredible wind with sun, more rain is on the way. Not too sure if it will be a beach day tomorrow. Enjoy your snowy Christmas, wishing Happy Holidays to you and yours. Enjoy Amanda! 🙂 💜 ☃️

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      1. Thanks again Mia. 6 is hard at first, but then you find not so bad. I read the famous one by Hemingway: “For sale: Baby shoes, never worn. ” and have tried a few since. Enjoy your holidays!

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          1. This evening (Christmas Eve) we go to church for a candlelight service, mostly little kids singing lol. And then we have company and my brothers come over with whoever else. We have snacks Christmas Eve.

            I just finished making some spinach dip, there’s cheeseball, sausage, vegetables, crackers, cookies and squares of our favourite kinds –baked and bought as well as some hot hora d’ouevres. To drink some wine of different types, coffee with baileys, tea hot or cold, and some soft drinks.

            Then my family including my GrAndma, we often open presents late Christmas Eve when the companies gone. Funny enough, though my siblings and I are all in our late twenties, early thirties and often we just want to sleep by the time everyone leaves. Then we might end up opening presents before the Christmas meal tomorrow.

            How about you? What are you up to tonight?

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          2. Amanda, how festive, what a beautiful evening, and the snacks sound fantastic. Pretty much non-stop through tomorrow. 🙂 Christmas Eve is always quiet, finish wrapping gifts and cooking. We always open ours gifts on Christmas day, after an early dinner. As a child it was really hard waiting to open the presents, now it’s not so bad. 🙂 Have a really great time.

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  20. Hey mia !! U r absolutely right bt i m unable to think dt ur pertite burr is a bunch of dt named flower or a girl.if ur post is related from d girl plz explain.i m worry after reading d qoute as gray shaded.have a happy day,dear and mary chritmus day.

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    1. Hi Aruna. The girl in the photo is Francesca Woodman, a photographer. My words are open to interpretation, but can apply to her as well. Thank you for the holiday wishes. Do you celebrate this time of year? ~ Mia 🙂

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