It’s about Light: The Art of Life

Art & Life in New York

Men of New York with Stefano, Vincenza , Eder and Sebastien

While I worked at the United Nations, I had the opportunity to work in the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General which led me to be in contact with UN Correspondents.  I truly enjoyed my work which was fascinating for I was news monitoring and our office was at the heart of world events.  I also met so many interesting people in my office and, especially meeting the journalists who, in some cases, became my friends.  Among my journalist friends, I was very fortunate to know the founder of La Voce di New York, Stefano Vaccara, who has been not only a friend but also a great supporter of my artistic initiatives and for which I am so grateful. 

I am very grateful to have had the opportunity of working at the United Nations for, in my view, it is like going to school every day, the school of life.  I was able to learn a great deal about the world, about people and I honestly believe that it remains one of the best hope for humanity.  With this global pandemic, it is even more important that we work together to find a cure.

My last birthday in New York at Crow's Nest

At Crow's Nest on the East River

My life in New York was also about my art and I always tried to keep my creativity alive while going to the museums and walking all over the city to get a glimpse of its beauty from the parks to the brownstones, discovering new places and, most importantly, new restaurants that I promised myself I would try with my friends.  One of my favourite places to meet with my friends was my Greek restaurant hang-out, Avra, where the food was so delicious and the ambiance was very cozy, especially at the bar.  I celebrated my 60^th birthday at Avra, the food and the wine were flowing, the laughter, and the joy of being together with my friends, it was a memorable celebration.  My other favourite was Pastis in the meatpacking district, which reminded me of an old brasserie in Paris. We used to go on Sunday afternoon in the Winter, a perfect time when the crowd was not too loud and we could talk about life and all that jazz.

When I moved to Waterside Plaza on the East River, which was my last home in New York before I returned to Canada, I discovered another hang-out place on my way back home from work.  The Water Club was an anchored boat that had an open bar on the upper deck called The Crow’s Nest.  Being on a boat on the East River felt like being away on vacation in a beach resort of some kind. It had all the attributes of a faraway and sunny destination. 

Marlene Luce Tremblay added a new photo — with Anthony Yammouni and 3 others.

July 17, 2015 · 

 My 60th Birthday Party at Avra

Marlene Luce Tremblay - Art Blog: It’s about Light: The Art of LifeArt & Fate“What w...

Marlene Luce Tremblay - Art Blog: It’s about Light: The Art of LifeArt & Fate“What w...: It’s about Light: The Art of Life Art & Fate “What we call fate does not come into us from the outside but emerges from us.” Rain...

It’s about Light: The Art of Life

Art & Fate

“What we call fate does not come into us from the outside but emerges from us.”

Rainer Maria Rilke

Life is a journey and I have the strong impression that it’s in connecting the dots that it all makes sense.  Like a puzzle, each piece is part of a bigger picture that brings more meaning and clarity as to our unique human existence. Time is the essence of a better understanding as we have a better perspective.  “We follow a thread of connection that reveals itself as a necessary art of being.” Mark Nepo (Drinking from the River of Light) 

The Kiss of Eros, Love in Lake Como

New York has been part of my life and my destiny for this is where I fell in love when I met my second ex-husband. I will never forget when he proposed to me in a restaurant called ‘Trattoria Dell’Arte’, across the street from Carnegie Hall.  How appropriate for our honeymoon took place in Italy.  I had no idea that Italy would remain, to this day, one of my favorite places for creative inspiration, especially Lake Como where I have shown my artwork at Villa Carlotta. 

During the 17 years of marriage, I felt so blessed for I was able to travel a great deal to Europe where my two step-daughters lived in Paris and London and who became my friends over the years. They are both extremely bright young women who are still in my life and whose strength of character is such an inspiration to me.  I will always be grateful to them for reaching out to me during the divorce. 

Romeo & Juliet, Love in Lake Como

As the song from the movie Moulin Rouge goes: “The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is to love and be loved in return.” I strongly believe in true love and it all starts at the core of my being. 

Once I graduated with my bachelor’s degree from McGill University with a Major in Political Science, I decided to focus on my artistic activities.  One of my first exhibitions, which was about Eastern Europe, took place in 2000 at the Consulate of the Republic of Poland in Montreal and I used my limited diplomatic experience I gained while working earlier at the United Nations to have the ambassadors of the four countries to participate; namely, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Hungary, the Czech Republic and the Russian Federation.

As I was spending my days in the lab developing and printing my images, I came up with a new technique, exploring further my creative aspirations, which consisted of printed black & white prints that I dipped in trays filled with different tints & chemicals.  The technique I developed and created is called Pintography, which led to creating larger images once scanned and transferred on canvas, and finally painted over with oil paint.  This process combines the timelessness and classicism of photography to create images that challenge the current boundaries between the artistic categories of photography and painting while adding a more emotional aspect. 

St. Petersburg, Russia

Le Louvre, Paris

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It’s about light: The Art of Life

Art & Travel

“We follow a thread of connection that reveals itself as a necessary art of being.”

– Mark Nepo (Drinking from the Water of Life)

The mysterious and magical natural world

 While reminiscing about my travels to Europe in the past two years, and as I am looking forward to traveling again, I recall the memories of years passed.  In hindsight, I was planting the seeds of what would be my most important life experiences, that is to travel for art.  As a photographer, there’s a need to change sceneries, and traveling brings new discoveries. When I travel to a new destination, I don’t read all the related information so that I can see through the viewfinder with a fresh look and not based on a pre-conceived idea. We all wear different glasses and the first look is always magical as if experiencing love at first sight.  

Dubrovnik Market (1980)

After having lived in Europe during my first marriage, in Antwerp, Belgium more precisely, I already had a taste of world travel and felt so at home in Europe.  I was fascinated by the rich culture, the architecture, and life was more in tune with what I aspired to which was and still is to travel and to live the European lifestyle.  

On our way to Greece (1980)

On our way to Greece (1980)

Although my marriage was practically on the rocks by then, I have fond memories of being able to drive to Paris, Amsterdam, or Liechtenstein unlike being here in America where distances are much greater for this is such a huge country.  The most important trip during those years was when we drove with our friends, Caroline & Stephen, from Belgium to Greece.  That was a fascinating journey riding along the Adriatic Sea when Yugoslavia, which under Tito’s communist regime, was still a unified entity.  I will never forget how we drove up the high mountains on these very small and winding roads.  We could see cars left there after having fallen off the cliff as a reminder of the danger of driving too fast. We got to the top where we found a small restaurant, it was a truck stop but the food was fresh and delicious.   

On our way to Greece, along the Adriatic coastline (1980)

The scenery and the landscape were mesmerizing.  It was so exciting, a true adventure.  I was drunk with freedom for I didn’t belong anywhere and somehow, I was overcome with that sense of belonging everywhere while being in such a beautiful natural setting.  To this day, the natural world takes me to a place of peace, beauty, love, and harmony.  Hence the reason that my artwork features the beauty of the natural world.

It’s about Light: The Art of Life

Nature Art  & Music

Mozart's Minuet in C

Today my artwork is about nature, for the sublime of beauty and harmony resides in the natural world.  I have a fascination with trees that dates back to my younger years when I used to go into the woods and talk to the trees while watching the clouds making images of my imagination. Moreover, I would cry and feel pain when I heard chainsaws cutting trees in the forest.  Trees are not only beautiful but also embody selflessness for they provide all life on earth with oxygen, clean the air and soil.  Trees give so much to our world and play an important role to combat climate change. I see the natural world as the embodiment of beauty, harmony, and love. 

Haydn's Minuet

I find that the natural world is so conducive to classical music, it’s as if the masters of classical music were in tune with nature and the divine when they composed symphonies.  My favorites, among many others, are Mozart, Beethoven, Faure, Wagner (Tannhauser Overture), Samuel Barber (Adagio for Strings), and Gustav Mahler (Symphony No. 5 in C minor).  As we are still listening to their music today, it seems to me that their creative inspiration was heavenly and from an elevated world, almost surreal.  That’s how I see the natural world, as pure creative energy and a reminder of the transience of human existence. 

As I am hopelessly romantic, I also appreciate music from the movies and the film score from Cinema Paradiso by Ennio Morricone (sadly, who passed away today) inspires me when I’m in my creative bubble, as well as John Barry from Out of Africa, James Horner for The English Patient James Newton Howard for The Prince of Tides, Henry Mancini for Breakfast at Tiffany and, John William for Schindler’s List, to name a few.  Wrapped in music, I am totally in tune with my romantic and passionate heart.

With a passionate heart, I placed love at the top of my priorities – to love and be loved – was my ultimate dream and somehow life took a different turn when I fell in love for the first time. As Julia Cameron wrote in Walking in this World: “Making art is making love with life.  We open ourselves to art as to love’’.  I opened my heart at a young age, starting a new chapter of my life but not quite ready for what the future had in store for me.  Life is not traced in a straight line for we often make choices that lead to an unknown path.  Life to me is not linear but more like a spiral. 

It’s about Light: The Art of Life

New York & Diversity

When I moved to New York, I was blessed to have a family of friends who came from all corners of the world and as I worked at the United Nations, my world was as diverse as can be. Hence I felt truly at home in such a diverse and international environment.

Women & Men of New York (2019)

In fact, this was the inspiration of my two exhibitions about New York’s diversity for which the main subjects, women, and men were from diverse countries.  Women of New York featured portraits of 15 women from all walks of life who, just like me, came to New York to make a new life while celebrating diversity and humanity.  I wanted to show that diversity among people is enriching and the importance of friendship which carried me along at difficult times, especially when my mother passed away. Through one-on-one interviews, they shared memories, their challenges of being a woman in a competitive world.  

The inspiration for this project came from my mother whose strength to overcome the many challenges she faced, not only as a mother but also as a woman whose heart was so big that it could contain the whole of humanity.  My mother was the pillar of the family.

New York Skyline - Vintage 

Since my family of friends was comprised of men who also came from diverse countries, I decided to pay tribute to them as well before my departure from New York as I had to retire at the age of 62 in 2017.  The format of the exhibition was the same as that of the Woman of New York, with one-on-one interviews and I did their portraits to not only show diversity but also to show their character strength.

In both instances, the experience proved to be an incredible journey into the lives of people who became friends as a result of our gatherings, eating dinner together at my apartment and although they all came from diverse countries, we shared that common thread, that of our common humanity. 

Peace Bell at the United Nations

These two exhibitions, as well as others of cultural exchange initiatives, demonstrate that art has no frontiers, it’s a universal language that speaks to us all in time and space, beyond the many barriers of different civilizations.

The aim of these two exhibitions was to demonstrate that what makes New York a vibrant city is not about the rich and famous but about people whose cultural diversity enrich New York’s society.  My young journalist friend, Vincenza di Maggio, who wrote about both exhibitions in La Voce di New York made reference to the invaluable contribution of these women and men of New York: “They are rich, not in money, but in their desire to experience life to the fullest, explore new horizons, meet and form relationships with people of all cultural backgrounds. They have achieved a level of success in a city known to easily break down its inhabitants, but more importantly, they are passionate about the work they do. Whether it’s through art, architecture, journalism, real estate, setting up missions in countries around the world through the United Nations, or through their involvement in activist organizations, they use their interests and talents to give something of value to society and promote social change.”

http://www.lavocedinewyork.com/en/un/2017/03/08/women-of-new-york-women-of-the-world/

http://www.lavocedinewyork.com/en/arts/2017/06/22/from-australia-to-ecuador-to-sicily-who-are-the-men-of-new-york/

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It’s about Light: The Art of Life

Life & Friendship

Fay & Terry in Pujols, France (2018)

I heard the sad news today that my dear friend, Fay Kelly, passed away yesterday.  I am in shock and in disbelief that her life ended so abruptly.  I have such fond memories of time spent together in France and in New York when she visited me. I will miss Fay and the memories will stay with me for she played an important role in my life.  

Fay, Louise and me - chez Louise Finn in Pujols (2018)

While I was creating a new life, I was blessed to meet people who became my family of friends and who enriched my life in countless ways.  During those nine years I spent in New York away from my family in Canada, my friends were there for me and I am forever grateful to my friend, Fay Kelly, who flew from England to take care of me after my operation when I was diagnosed with cancer. Before she returned to England, I organized a thank-you dinner at the local café in Tudor City, which was closed at night but the owner, who was a friend of mine, cooked couscous for us, and our first “Life & Friendship” gathering took place. 

This was the beginning of a fascinating journey for the “Life & Friendship” gathering took a life of its own and became a reoccurring event that grew as more friends joined in.  When people move to New York, they don’t have their family nearby and, therefore, friends become family.

It’s about Light: The Art of Life

Trees of my world

As they say, there is always a silver lining when struggling with difficult experiences and art has been and remains my ultimate quest for a meaningful life.  Jean Houston writes about creativity: “Now, creativity doesn’t have to lead to something.  It doesn’t have to result in a song, a dance, a novel, a better mousetrap.  The greatest form of creativity is the re-creation of yourself.  Moreover, the creative work you do on yourself will heighten your capacity for creativity in other things”. 

Creating a new life requires a sense of resilience to transform which also means letting go of the past which also means peeling away layers of false interpretations, beliefs, and expectations.

When building a new life, remembering only sorrows or painful moments increases negativity while practicing gratitude improves not only life in general but also it improves creativity and the healing process. Sometimes we block our own growth while being challenged. 

Trees of my world bis

In a state of creativity, one gets a glimpse of eternity for there is no time, no space, only intense and pure joy, pure bliss.  This is how I feel when I am in harmony with nature which brings me into a state of creativity being in tune with life, with the universe.  It’s as if yielding to a power not my own and beyond me, surrendering to a power greater than I can even imagine, flowing with the immense flow of existence where lies real life, for real life is love, creativity, beauty, and harmony.

The Art of Life – the UN Path

The United Nations Headquarters in 1952

Today marks the signing of the United Nations Charter 75 years ago which is taking place during an unprecedented time in history as the high-level debate of the General Assembly will take place via pre-recorded statements.

When I moved to New York for the first time in 1989 to work at the United Nations, I felt so at home working in an international environment while living in such an exciting city, rich with its cultural diversity.  I had the chance to meet some wonderful people who are, to this day, still my friends.

While working at the United Nations in New York in the 1990s, I had the opportunity of meeting people from all over the world and, as a result of my working in the office the Under-Secretary-General for Public Information, I also met some important public figures. At that time, there were a great many changes in the world.

Audrey Hepburn at UN Radio

I will never forget during an international conference for the Rights of the Child Summit when Audrey Hepburn came to our office to rest for I believe she was ill at the time.  It was a magical moment and inspiring for she was humble with a very kind disposition, unlike a movie star. What I admired the most about Hepburn was not only because she was a great actress, but also that she used her fame for a humanitarian cause.  In her biography by Barry Paris: “from 1988 until the end of her life, Hepburn became a special ambassador for the United Nations Children’s Fund.  Her trips to Ethiopia and Somalia demonstrated her whole-hearted and tireless commitment.  Never before had so great a star so vigorously lent herself to such a crusade.” 

Faced with a global pandemic, we are reminded what truly matters and if we look deeper, it’s more than the material and the need to accumulate things, it’s more about the love we give and receive, about compassion for those who are suffering.    

It's about Light: The Art of Life

Our Love is Here to Stay

Early on at an early age, I went searching for the meaning of life leaving home, unprepared for such an adventure, at the age of 17 to follow the love of my life for, in my view, love was the answer to all my problems.  One of my favorite philosophers, Søren Kierkegaard writes: “What, after all, is a human being without love?” Romantic loving is beautiful because it is intoxicating and extraordinarily interesting and transforms one’s life so much that it feels as if it is of mythological proportions.’’  However, Kierkegaard also viewed loving relationships as a reflection of a lack of self-development ending in despair. 

Despair I have experienced when my marriage ended after nine years, living both in the United States and in Belgium, after which the real adventure of my life began when I was prompted to turn to my artistic calling.  When the heart is filled with pain, we tend to find a way to heal and art is what brought me back to life.  I had been in front of the camera throughout our married life, for my ex-husband was a photographer, and thanks to him, I was introduced to photography when he offered me my first 35mm camera, a Yashica, as a birthday gift. 

Nevertheless, I can reflect on my life now, and actually, I can see that there are no real mistakes.  Life challenges are what constitutes the notion of the human experience and that’s what it means to live life, that unbearable lightness of being.  When reflecting about life and death, we tend to connect the dots for every experience, every person we meet along the way brings something to enrich our lives.  After all, in the whole spectrum of the universe, we are stardust, we are small dots in the midst of an infinite universe. 

It's about Light: The Art of Life

Early on at an early age, I went searching for the meaning of life leaving home, unprepared for such an adventure, at the age of 17 to follow the love of my life for, in my view, love was the answer to all my problems.  One of my favorite philosophers, Søren Kierkegaard writes: “What, after all, is a human being without love?” Romantic loving is beautiful because it is intoxicating and extraordinarily interesting and transforms one’s life so much that it feels as if it is of mythological proportions.’’  However, Kierkegaard also viewed loving relationships as a reflection of a lack of self-development ending in despair. 

Despair I have experienced when my marriage ended after nine years, living both in the United States and in Belgium, after which the real adventure of my life began when I was prompted to turn to my artistic calling.  When the heart is filled with pain, we tend to find a way to heal and art is what brought me back to life.  I had been in front of the camera throughout our married life, for my ex-husband was a photographer, and thanks to him, I was introduced to photography when he offered me my first 35mm camera, a Yashica, as a birthday gift. 

In Paris

Nevertheless, I can reflect on my life now, and actually, I can see that there are no real mistakes.  Life challenges are what constitutes the notion of the human experience and that’s what it means to live life, that unbearable lightness of being.  When reflecting about life and death, we tend to connect the dots for every experience, every person we meet along the way brings something to enrich our lives.  After all, in the whole spectrum of the universe, we are stardust, we are small dots in the midst of an infinite universe. 

It's about light: the Art of Life

Trees of Friendship

Tree Web of Friendship

My inquiry into the meaning of life is an on-going process as is the case for any artist trying to bring more meaning into artmaking. I’m getting older and I wonder if I’ll be able to make all my dreams come true as an artist while bringing more meaning into my life.  I also realize how life is so precious and especially now, as death is on the horizon with this global pandemic, life is even more precious and that of the people I love.  Although I have no family of my own, I feel very blessed to have my siblings, my cousins, and my family of friends who enrich my life in countless ways.  I am so grateful to have met people who crossed my path along the way and who remain part of my life for distances don’t matter when friendship is of the heart. These memoirs are somewhat dedicated to all the people in my life who bring meaning to my existence together with my art. 

It is unsettling when we realize our finality and that there is no escape from such a reality.  Does it always take a tragedy to bring meaning to life? How does one bring more meaning into one’s life? Eric Maisel in his book, “Coaching the artist within”, makes reference to the difficulty in bringing meaning not only to our life but also to our art, to get a grip of the mind and to achieve being present in order to do art from within, the deep source: “We are spiritual beings trying to learn how to live in the physical body, as opposed to human beings trying to learn how to be spiritual.”

Trees of Life & Friendship

It’s about Light: the Art of Life

Black & Blue Trees of my Heart

While we are in the midst of a global pandemic, although I love to travel it is impossible at this time for me to plan and prepare for an exhibition, to run away to a distant destination.  Since I can no longer run away, it is an opportunity to travel inward to seek deeper, allowing for an existential inquiry into the meaning of life.   When going through a time of crisis and major transition, we all respond to life’s challenges in a different way, most importantly, how we react and what effect it has on our lives determines the person we are becoming.  

As we are witnessing a great many changes in our world today, we are also seeing the worst and the best of humanity when compassion and love overcome selfishness, and hate for the global pandemic brings out what we were too busy to notice before.  The haves and haves not, the widening gap between rich and poor, there is a crying need to redress social injustice and to bring more humanity into society, to bring more meaning into our lives. 

Le Louvre, Paris

Metaphorically in the art of black and white photography, as it is in our world, there is an important interplay of light and shadow while highlighting details, that gives meaning to an image, hence the need to strike a balance between these opposites.  We are at a major turning point in human history to choose what matters most so that humanity can survive.  Jean-Jacques Rousseau, an important figure in the history of philosophy, refers to that “which he terms pitié (compassion). Pitié directs us to attend to and relieve the suffering of others (including animals) where we can do so without danger to our own self-preservation.”

                                                    

                                                                    Nabeul, Tunisia

''As we acquire more knowledge, things do not become more comprehensible, but more mysterious.''- Albert Schweitzer

It is said that artists are born under Saturn…meaning that the source of their creativity is also the root of their suffering and often we don’t understand that our passions have something to do with life making sense. Throughout my life, when I dismissed and undermined my urge to create, I became depressed and life was meaningless. 

At the age of 14, I was faced with death when my father died suddenly in our home and such a trauma changed the course of my life.  In search of meaning, I was a seeker in need of answers about life.  I realized then that life is very fragile, a gift that we often take for granted.  In my humble view, to live life fully meant to learn, to see the world, to seek adventure for it is through life’s experiences that we gain knowledge and insights. Most importantly, love, love, love.