1RidgewayGirl
UNDER CONSTRUCTION. GONNA NEED A COUPLE OF DAYS TO SET THIS UP.
Hi, I'm Kay. I live in a small city in Central Illinois after a life spent moving around, in an old house with a husband and assorted cats. I've been a member of the Category Challenge since 2008 and love how you all have provided me plenty of titles to add to my wishlist and tbr shelves. Come in, take a look around and share your opinions about what I've read.
These are the cats:
Homer, Melmoth, Freya, Oliver and Bettina.
Once again, I've waited until the second half of December to start thinking about the next year, and once again, I show up to find the rest of you all settled in and ready to go. My theme this year will be my favorite art from museums I have been lucky enough to get to visit. My categories are largely the same as last year, as it worked well for me.
Currently Reading
Recently Read
Recently Acquired
Hi, I'm Kay. I live in a small city in Central Illinois after a life spent moving around, in an old house with a husband and assorted cats. I've been a member of the Category Challenge since 2008 and love how you all have provided me plenty of titles to add to my wishlist and tbr shelves. Come in, take a look around and share your opinions about what I've read.
These are the cats:
Homer, Melmoth, Freya, Oliver and Bettina.
Once again, I've waited until the second half of December to start thinking about the next year, and once again, I show up to find the rest of you all settled in and ready to go. My theme this year will be my favorite art from museums I have been lucky enough to get to visit. My categories are largely the same as last year, as it worked well for me.
Currently Reading
Recently Read
Recently Acquired
2RidgewayGirl
Category One.
The Battle of Lepanto, series of paintings by Cy Twombly
Regular collection at the Brandhorst Museum
Museum: Brandhorst, Munich
It's impossible to explain how overwhelming this series of paintings, depicting the 1571 naval battle is. It's in its own specially designed room and it communicates the carnage and violence of that event more than the many traditionally painted works can.
Reading Around the World
Create Your Own Visited Countries Map
The Battle of Lepanto, series of paintings by Cy Twombly
Regular collection at the Brandhorst Museum
Museum: Brandhorst, Munich
It's impossible to explain how overwhelming this series of paintings, depicting the 1571 naval battle is. It's in its own specially designed room and it communicates the carnage and violence of that event more than the many traditionally painted works can.
Reading Around the World
Create Your Own Visited Countries Map
3RidgewayGirl
Category Two.
The Sunflowers Quilting Bee at Arles by Faith Ringgold
Exhibition: Faith Ringgold: American People
Museum: Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago
Faith Ringgold had a long and varied career that included her active participation in artists's movements and the push for Civil Rights.
We Need Diverse Books
Books from outside of my wheelhouse.
The Sunflowers Quilting Bee at Arles by Faith Ringgold
Exhibition: Faith Ringgold: American People
Museum: Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago
Faith Ringgold had a long and varied career that included her active participation in artists's movements and the push for Civil Rights.
We Need Diverse Books
Books from outside of my wheelhouse.
4RidgewayGirl
Category Three.
Portrait of Alexander Sakaroff by Alexej von Jawlensky
Regular collection at the Lenbachhaus
Museum: Lenbachhaus, Munich
Alexej von Jawlensky was a Russian painter living in Munich when he painted this compelling portrait of Alexander Sakaroff, a Ukrainian dancer and choreographer in 1909. A decade later, arthritis meant he had to hold his paintbrush in both hands, but he continued to paint.
Expats, Immigrants, Works in Translation
Portrait of Alexander Sakaroff by Alexej von Jawlensky
Regular collection at the Lenbachhaus
Museum: Lenbachhaus, Munich
Alexej von Jawlensky was a Russian painter living in Munich when he painted this compelling portrait of Alexander Sakaroff, a Ukrainian dancer and choreographer in 1909. A decade later, arthritis meant he had to hold his paintbrush in both hands, but he continued to paint.
Expats, Immigrants, Works in Translation
5RidgewayGirl
Category Four.
The Park (1910) by Gustav Klimt
Regular collection of MoMA
Museum: Museum of Modern Art, New York
The paintings that tend to wow me are the ones where reproductions are unable to adequately show how fantastic they are. Naturally, I have chosen to post them as tiny pictures on a computer/phone screen.
Brand New Books
Books published in 2025.
The Park (1910) by Gustav Klimt
Regular collection of MoMA
Museum: Museum of Modern Art, New York
The paintings that tend to wow me are the ones where reproductions are unable to adequately show how fantastic they are. Naturally, I have chosen to post them as tiny pictures on a computer/phone screen.
Brand New Books
Books published in 2025.
6RidgewayGirl
Category Five.
Autoportrait dans la glace du cabinet de toilette
Portrait of the Artist in the Mirror of the Toilet Cabinet (Self-Portrait) by Pierre Bonnard
regular collection of the Musée National D’art Moderne
Museum: Centre Pompidou - Musée National D’art Moderne, Paris
Years ago, I was twenty and living in Paris for a year. This painting fascinated me. Bonnard painted plenty of lovely landscapes and interiors, but this painting, created in 1945, when the artist was 78, holds the gaze in a way his other work doesn't.
Books Off of My Own Shelves
Tackling the tbr.
Autoportrait dans la glace du cabinet de toilette
Portrait of the Artist in the Mirror of the Toilet Cabinet (Self-Portrait) by Pierre Bonnard
regular collection of the Musée National D’art Moderne
Museum: Centre Pompidou - Musée National D’art Moderne, Paris
Years ago, I was twenty and living in Paris for a year. This painting fascinated me. Bonnard painted plenty of lovely landscapes and interiors, but this painting, created in 1945, when the artist was 78, holds the gaze in a way his other work doesn't.
Books Off of My Own Shelves
Tackling the tbr.
7RidgewayGirl
Category Six.
Artistin -- Marcella
Artist -- Marcella by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner
regular collection at the Brücke-Museum
Museum: Brücke-Museum, Berlin
Who doesn't love a portrait of a girl and her cat? Kirchner is one of my favorite artists -- living in Germany let me discover that the art I most like to look at is German Expressionism and the Brücke-Museum is a sweet gem of a museum in a quiet part of the outskirts of Berlin.
Books by Women
Artistin -- Marcella
Artist -- Marcella by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner
regular collection at the Brücke-Museum
Museum: Brücke-Museum, Berlin
Who doesn't love a portrait of a girl and her cat? Kirchner is one of my favorite artists -- living in Germany let me discover that the art I most like to look at is German Expressionism and the Brücke-Museum is a sweet gem of a museum in a quiet part of the outskirts of Berlin.
Books by Women
8RidgewayGirl
Category Seven.
Untitled (Blue Man on Red Object) by Bill Traylor
Regular collection of the High Museum
Museum: High Museum of Art, Atlanta
Bill Traylor was a field hand in his eighties before he began drawing. This work was made during the last years of the Great Depression in Alabama on cardboard using poster paints. The High Museum is a fantastic museum that has a large collection of outsider art -- art created by people without having attended art school, often people who live on the margins of society.
Reading as a Social Activity
My neighborhood book clubs.
Untitled (Blue Man on Red Object) by Bill Traylor
Regular collection of the High Museum
Museum: High Museum of Art, Atlanta
Bill Traylor was a field hand in his eighties before he began drawing. This work was made during the last years of the Great Depression in Alabama on cardboard using poster paints. The High Museum is a fantastic museum that has a large collection of outsider art -- art created by people without having attended art school, often people who live on the margins of society.
Reading as a Social Activity
My neighborhood book clubs.
9RidgewayGirl
Category Eight.
Mujer saliendo del psicoanalista (Podría ser Juliana)
Woman Leaving the Psychoanalyst (Could Be Juliana) by Remedios Varo
Exhibition: Remedios Varo: Science Fictions, AIC
Museum: Art Institute, Chicago
The paintings by Catalan surrealist artist Remedios Varo are so imaginative, odd and enchanting that it's impossible to look at them without falling into a daydream.
Books read on my iPad
Mujer saliendo del psicoanalista (Podría ser Juliana)
Woman Leaving the Psychoanalyst (Could Be Juliana) by Remedios Varo
Exhibition: Remedios Varo: Science Fictions, AIC
Museum: Art Institute, Chicago
The paintings by Catalan surrealist artist Remedios Varo are so imaginative, odd and enchanting that it's impossible to look at them without falling into a daydream.
Books read on my iPad
10RidgewayGirl
Category Nine.
Self-Portrait by Albrecht Dürer (painted in 1500)
regular collection of the Alte Pinakothek
Museum: Alte Pinakothek, Munich
Just to show you that I can appreciate the old stuff. Dürer was a good-looking guy who could paint.
Support Your Public Library
Library Books.
Self-Portrait by Albrecht Dürer (painted in 1500)
regular collection of the Alte Pinakothek
Museum: Alte Pinakothek, Munich
Just to show you that I can appreciate the old stuff. Dürer was a good-looking guy who could paint.
Support Your Public Library
Library Books.
11RidgewayGirl
Category Ten.
Bad Things Happen
Crime novels, true crime and general mayhem.
Bad Things Happen
Crime novels, true crime and general mayhem.
12RidgewayGirl
Category Eleven.
Das Schokoladenmädchen
The Chocolate Girl by Jean-Etienne Liotard
Regular collection of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
Museum: Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Dresden
Long Live the Rooster!
Books from awards longlists, shortlists and winners.
Bonus Category.
Absolute Anarchy
Das Schokoladenmädchen
The Chocolate Girl by Jean-Etienne Liotard
Regular collection of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
Museum: Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Dresden
Long Live the Rooster!
Books from awards longlists, shortlists and winners.
Bonus Category.
Absolute Anarchy
13RidgewayGirl
Review of my reading in 2024 (to come).
14DeltaQueen50
Great to see you here. I'm looking forward to following along!
15VivienneR
Glad to see you are here, Kay. I love the art, wish I could see it in reality. The Remedios Varo at >9 RidgewayGirl: is fascinating!
ETA: Your cats look like real characters! What a sweet group!
ETA: Your cats look like real characters! What a sweet group!
16lowelibrary
What lovely kitties. Such a content lot.
17dudes22
Glad to see you've arrived, Kay. And looking forward to the BBs you'll be sending out into the world this year. Klimt is a particular favorite of mine and I like that painting a lot although he's perhaps more well-known for his "gold" works. And, as a quilter, I like that sunflower picture.
18Charon07
What a delight to see all the cats! I enjoy the artwork too, especially the Remedios Varo. I look forward to hearing about what you read this year!
19RidgewayGirl
>14 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Judy. You know I wouldn't miss a year here!
>15 VivienneR: Vivienne, Remedios Veros is fantastic! She also included cats in many of her paintings. I could have easily just used her for this entire challenge.
>16 lowelibrary: LOL, my cats are all full of grievances and can list the many ways they are forced to get by on less than they deserve.
>17 dudes22: Betty, he's more well-known for his portraits, but I love his landscapes so much. And Faith Ringgold moved to quilts late in her career and made several gorgeous ones. A reminder that art comes in many forms and quilting is an under-appreciated one.
>18 Charon07: The cats are beloved and endlessly entertaining, however today I will spend some time vacuuming all the fur off of the furniture in time for Christmas.
>15 VivienneR: Vivienne, Remedios Veros is fantastic! She also included cats in many of her paintings. I could have easily just used her for this entire challenge.
>16 lowelibrary: LOL, my cats are all full of grievances and can list the many ways they are forced to get by on less than they deserve.
>17 dudes22: Betty, he's more well-known for his portraits, but I love his landscapes so much. And Faith Ringgold moved to quilts late in her career and made several gorgeous ones. A reminder that art comes in many forms and quilting is an under-appreciated one.
>18 Charon07: The cats are beloved and endlessly entertaining, however today I will spend some time vacuuming all the fur off of the furniture in time for Christmas.
20Cecilturtle
So many cute kitties!! Happy reading in 2025, Kay!
21RidgewayGirl
>20 Cecilturtle: Merci, Cécile!
25pamelad
>9 RidgewayGirl: Carmella in The Hearing Trumpet is based on Remedios Varo, a great friend of Leonora Carrington, fellow Mexican surrealist. If you haven't read it, it's a real treat. Happy reading in 2025!
26sturlington
Happy New Year! I can always count on you for some book bullets. Looking forward to it!
28RidgewayGirl
>22 mnleona: Thanks, Leona.
>23 Tess_W: Likewise, Tess. The Category Challenge is a danger to my book budget.
>24 clue: Klimt does use an amazing amount of detail in his work. The leaves in that painting vibrate when you look at it in person.
>25 pamelad: Yes, Carrington, Varos and Kahlo are often mentioned together. Carrington is the one I know the least about. I've made note of the book, thanks!
>26 sturlington: I look forward to following your reading, Shannon!
>27 lsh63: Here's to another good reading year, Lisa!
>23 Tess_W: Likewise, Tess. The Category Challenge is a danger to my book budget.
>24 clue: Klimt does use an amazing amount of detail in his work. The leaves in that painting vibrate when you look at it in person.
>25 pamelad: Yes, Carrington, Varos and Kahlo are often mentioned together. Carrington is the one I know the least about. I've made note of the book, thanks!
>26 sturlington: I look forward to following your reading, Shannon!
>27 lsh63: Here's to another good reading year, Lisa!
