As I stepped off the elevator on the third floor of the Whitney Museum, I was immediately greeted with a very large Burchfield watercolor painting of a spring landscape. The first thing I noticed were that the colors were not combinations I would have normally associated with nature in the spring. They were dark and muted. The trees are expressionistic, almost symbolic, like an Asian print. I have to admit, I didn’t get quite "get it" at first, until after I walked into the first room the of the exhibition.

For the first few minutes, I was still overcome with Burchfield’s use of dark colors, in what was supposed to be the beauty of a day in nature, but what was even more striking was the contrast of his expressions of light. Each painting seemed to have a unique portrayal of the sun and the warm, permeating way it lit everything around it. Burchfield had an extreme sensitivity to how light made nature appear and how it made him feel during different seasons, locations, and times of the day or night. It was as though the colors in his paintings moved into a crescendo into a glorious light.

Now my emotions have now evolved into a state similar to what I had over the summer when I saw the exhibit of Monet’s Lilies at the Gagosian Gallery. Monet was an obvious master landscape impressionistic influence, but I am also feeling the sad, but beautiful passionate movement of Van Gogh’s Starry Night in Burchfield’s paint strokes. There is a beautiful gloominess about Burchfield’s work. I could very much feel his perspective in each painting simply from his color choices and the energy of the movement of his brush strokes. The essence of the landscapes and his moods were easily translated. Colors were blended very well, creating unique and wonderful palette combinations. He used abstract, yet recognizable landscape images that succeeded in giving an impressionistic, realistic, and mystical effect all at once.

I was impressed with the way he used his charcoal outlines not only to sketch what was to be under the paint, but to enhance what was already painted. The charcoal outlines were visible and deliberate in many of his paintings. In his watercolor Blue Mountain of Dome, he combined charcoal outlines alongside mounted boards already covered with paint of the continued landscape images. There is a natural connectedness of these charcoal outlines of trees and clouds to its watercolor paint stroked parts. It is a magnificent vivid and equal marriage of light and dark, sketched and painted.

There is a sense of spirituality in Burchfield’s paintings, a continual theme of the light breaking through the darkness. The sun and light possibly represented God and the dark nature represented the sinful nature of man or himself. His journal writings, which were also exhibited alongside his paintings, gave particular insight into his faith and his struggles. His paintings look driven from inspiration, as the light appears to be a representation of his faith.

After seeing the entire exhibit, I am amazed by the excellent skill and use of different paint mediums. Burchfield was in no doubt a master of watercolors, but his use of gouache and oil paints were equivalently efficient. His earlier works were more flat and representational, but still included a sense of American nostalgia. All in all, I believe his paintings are timeless classics, and his interpretive use of light and colors are quite noteworthy. He was a master of recreating light though specific moments, seasons, and scales of emotions. With similarities to Monet and Van Gogh, he has a modern American feel, with all the training and versatility of his predecessors.

Marisol Tirelli Rivera

An under construction bridge collapsed on  Tuesday , and now there are reports that false ceiling in one of the venues has collapsed. Commonwealth Games officials are on record commenting about filthy toilets in athlete’s village and sad condition of unfinished apartments.

Corruption is Indian’s biggest enemy-not Pakistan, China or Nepal or the Maoists. If they can deal with this malaise then only the country will go further.

By the way, India should stop its jealous babbling against China and learn from the Commonwealth Games fiasco. China organized one of the best Olympic Games in the history and India has failed even to provide basic facilities for the Commonwealth Games.  India has failed, it is that simple.

Bhumika Ghimire

I was scanning the British newspaper headlines and it is pretty clear that majority of people-judging from the newspapers, are not happy to see their government spend tax dollars to welcome a religious leader in a secular country.

A quote by Peter Tatchell – a human rights campaigner makes lot of sense. He says

"We object to the British government honoring him with a state visit — we do not think he deserves it," Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, spokesman of the Protest the Pope group, told CNN. "We also object to the fact that this visit has been funded by the taxpayer at the public expense. We do not as a country fund visits by the Grand Mufti of Mecca, or the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, so why should the pope’s visit receive privileged…"

 

 Why indeed should the Pope be any more special than Mecca’s Mufti or Jerusalem’s Rabbi? Is it because Britain is a majority Christian nation? If that is the logic-majority religion gets special privilege then the whole idea of freedom of religion and democracy is defeated.

 Religion, I have always believed is a bad influence on democracy and freedom. If Britain and any other nation who considers itself democratic continues to accord special privileges to a religious group then slowly and surely its democratic values and civil freedom will erode.

Bhumika Ghimire

Ayan Hirsi Ali’s life story reads like a fast paced political thriller.Coming from a conservative Muslim family, Ali suffered gender discrimination and violence of worst kind-female genital mutilation. But she managed to stay strong and turned her life around.

 Quite a positive story. But unfurtunately, her powerful voice is going wasted. She is siding up with the neocons and has turned into a professional anti-Islam(not anti-radical Islam or anti-fundamentalist) talking head.

Her life story and its positive energy can be a powerful message against the radical and fundamentalists who abuse their faith and their fellow beings. Instead Ayan Hirsi Ali is now a neocon, anti-Islam, pro-war talking head.

What a tragedy!

Bhumika Ghimire

Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin  are the true peddlers of hate and lies. Beck accused President Obama of hating white culture and white people, while he was socking racial and religious fear among people.

Beck’s Islamophobia is out of control. He made it pretty clear that only Christians are real Americans and that a non Christian should not be allowed to be president. That is why he keeps on raising doubts about President Obama’s faith and background.

 Glenn Beck exploits people’s fear and reservations to gain political mileage. He is a hate monger.

And now, to make it worse, the Beck circus has found a new clown. The airhead from Alaska-Sarah Palin.

Palin’s depth and understanding of world issues is well documented. She is shallow and hollow enough to believe that "I can see Russia from my house" qualifies her to be a President. Now she is also into the Islamophobia brigade, furthering the radical Evangelical view of a Christian America.

If Beck-Palin 2012 becomes a reality, I guess entire towns and cities will migrate up to Canada to escape and wait for the apocalypse to play out.

Bhumika Ghimire

Iraq is still a violent, war torn nation, as proven by steady stream of violence and insurgent attacks. United States is ending its combat mission in the country this month(August 2010). This will leave a huge security hole in the country. I am not advocating that US stay in the country indefinitely; but the least Nepali government can do is read the papers and make common sense decision.

After the US troops pull out,the insurgent activity is definately going to go up. In the long run the Iraqis themselves will take care of the situation, but that is not going to happen today, tomorrow or even next year.

 Until then lives of these hard working people should not be treated as spare goods. Nepal should reinstate its ban and keep its people from seeking employment in dangerous Iraq.

Bhumika Ghimire

• Gulf oil tragedy: President Obama did not handle the oil spill and BP properly. He did give a great speech on the incident, but then the action did not match his words. Okay, I am not saying that he should have been in the Gulf water in a wet suit, but he could have done something closer to that.
• The economy: How long is he going to blame Bush for the economy? He has to start making progress because blaming Bush and the Republicans isn’t going to work anymore.
• The mosque controversy: Did he have to inject himself into this vile debate? The right wingers are abusing Ground Zero mosque concerns to spread hate against Muslims, and the President’s speech on the issue just gave them more fuel. He should have kept his mouth shut on this issue.

And now President Obama is going on a 10-day vacation to Martha’s Vineyard. Not the right time to relax. Get back to work, Mr. President!

Bhumika Ghimire

I am not saying that Lord Shiva’s devotees are irrational, but there are plenty who use and abuse God and religion. For example, during the month of Shrawan, large numbers of married Nepali women and young girls fast every Monday. Their desire? The married ones pray for their husbands’ long life and the single ones ask the lord for a good husband.

What on Earth? Is God a businessman or an egomaniac who is pleased by you not eating on a certain day and will grant your wishes? And, also, what is it about Hindu women fasting and praying for their husbands’ long life? In no other religion women are forced to beg for their partners’ long life, and yes, the husbands are completely absolved of this duty. It is the female who begs, not the man.

This is religion- and culture-sanctioned discrimination. Very much accepted and prevalent in Nepal and also in India. Drives me nuts.

Some will attack my observation because I am an atheist and supposedly bound to attack anything remotely connected to God or religion. Bonkers! I am criticizing this practice because this is just so ridiculous and stupid. In the 21st century, women are intellectually infantilized and reduced to begging in front of God.

When are we, Nepali women, going to grow up?

Bhumika Ghimire

A few weeks ago, my husband and I took a day trip to the Lakota Wolf Preserve in Columbia, New Jersey. The preserve rests on Camp Taylor, just minutes from the Delaware Water Gap and the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. It is owned by Dan and Pam Bacon and Jim Stein. They have three different types of wolves that include the Timber, Tundra, and Arctic wolves. They also have two adorable foxes and three bobcats. Each pack and group of animals has their own fenced-in space that is more generous and humane than any in any zoo. The wolves have plenty of space to run, play with each other, and act like wolves, while still being protected.

As we began the tour, we were given information and facts about the nature of the wolf. Since it is a hot East Coast summer, the wolves had shed their luscious coats, looking a little like skinny coyotes. However, they were a perfect weight and quite larger than a coyote, husky, or a malamute dog. I immediately noticed that they behaved just like dogs, as they were panting and excited to see us (actually, their caretaker/pack leader, Jim, who had treats for them). Jim told us that they feed the wolves roadkill from the area, mostly deer meat.

Jim informed us about his preservation efforts along with interesting insights, such as wolves actually want to stay away from humans, and there only being one incident in the United States of a wolf attacking a man. I asked Jim what his inside knowledge was about the hunting of wolves in Alaska, and he said that the horror stories we hear about aerial hunting of wolves and their baby pups are true and unfortunately quite active today because of their state policies. (Thank you, Sarah Palin.) The reason behind all this hunting of wolves in Alaska is that the wolves are supposedly killing all their caribou (moose, deer, etc.), which are desired for the decadent and profit-making sport of hunting for the state. The irony is that these hunters justify killing all this caribou because of their overpopulation, especially in industrialized areas. So if there is an overpopulation of moose, why not let the natural predator (the wolf) take care of this situation as a natural part of the ecosystem? Contrary to claims that there is an overpopulation of Alaskan wolves, wolves are actually an endangered species in the United States. To reiterate, wolves want to stay away from men, and they are a natural predator of caribou. But, where there is an overpopulation of caribou, there is an abundance of expensive hunting licenses granted, contributing to the state’s economy.

In all honesty, men do not want to stay away from wolves. We have a natural fascination toward them. They have a mystical reputation. How we love the stories of werewolves and vampires. All this has nothing to do with the true nature of the wolf. They are timid, loyal, and intelligent animals. Yes, they are powerful and can be ferocious toward their prey or threat. They are wild. But, when you look in their eyes, you see wisdom, strength, and gentleness all at the same time. As I looked into the eyes of a black wolf, his gaze penetrated into my soul. I had a feeling of healing as I saw his strength and wisdom. I also wanted to pet him, but that, I have to admit, would be dangerous. I am attracted to this bad boy. He is dangerous and unpredictable, yet gentle and sweet. Don’t we all love that?

Our tour ended with a symphony of howls from all four packs of wolves all at the same time. The sound reminded me of a Native American flute. It was peaceful, spiritual, and very soothing. We were told to howl along with them. I felt connected to them. We are connected to each other.

Marisol Tirelli Rivera