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Posted on November 29, 2025November 29, 2025 by Frances Livings

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Paint, Patterns and Places: Ossip Klarwein & Alvin Mavignier

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❖ Jazz in French, Spanish, English w Ipanema Lounge
❖ Author, poet & songwriter
❖ Voice-over actor
❖ Listen to 🌙 Coyote Moon here ▼

🕯️ Today is the last day of the month of Nove

🕯️ Today is the last day of the month of November and also the first of the four Advent Sundays, leading up to Christmas. In Germany, a large wreath becomes the centre piece of the dining or kitchen table with four candles. Each Sunday one more candle is lit.
🍂 This period of time, the atmosphere of limerance, always makes me think of the painting “November Sonne”. It has imprinted itself in my mind in an almost iconic way, looking at the almost barren trees, dropping their very last leaves, at the only very dim sun, now so distant.

🌥 “November Sonne” was painted with oil on hardboard by one of my favourite German artists, Werner Scholz (1898–1982) in 1934. Scholz is one of the artists of the so-called “lost generation”, whose careers were disrupted by not only the horrors of WWI but were then later defamed, deemed “degenerate” and forced by the Nazis into exile.
1934 was, of course, was a pivotal year, one whole year of the beginning terrors of the Nazi regime, a gloom that Scholz so astutely depicted in this painting. This year – maybe that’s why the painting is so present in my mind – was in many ways similar…

Read more about this painting, the artist and this period of German art in a blog post I wrote after my very first impression. Link 🔗 in bio 👆🏼
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#WernerScholz #NovemberSonne #SuninNovember #NovemberSun #VerloreneKünstler #lostgeneration #Germanart #1930sArt #Expressionism #GermanExpressionism #Painting #BerlinArt #OttoDix #GeorgeGrosz #MaxBeckmann #NeueSachlichkeit #ChristianSchad #Novembergruppe

🌟 I have to say, what a wonderful day! It was m

🌟 I have to say, what a wonderful day! It was my very first visit to the botanic gardens in Kew (London).

🍂 The autumn leaves were magical and the weather was dry and temperate. Next time I will plan for more time. When you go, just take the whole day off to stroll, explore, relax and admire the gardens and especially – my favourite historical structures – the greenhouses (I will show in another post)!

🌹 Kew botanical gardens were formally started in 1759. They can be traced back to the exotic garden at Kew Park, formed by Henry, Lord Capell of Tewkesbury. The site now consists of 132 hectares (330 acres) of gardens and botanical glasshouses, four Grade I listed buildings, and 36 Grade II listed structures, all set in an internationally significant landscape. Kew Gardens is listed Grade I on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens and is only accessible by an entrance fee or membership.

🏡 Note the little gate keeper's cottage, indicating that the grounds were always fenced, or in parts, walled in. Called Kew Lodge, it was designed by an architect W.E. Nesfield in 1866. But why has it got such a tall chimney, you might ask. I thought the roof may have been originally thatched but after seeing the original sketches, it's probably to make any embers, escaping the fire, fly high enough and away from the precious trees!

🦄 Note also the statue of a unicorn, guarding one of the old entrances, looking down onto any "intruders".

🏛️ All of the architectural elements, like ruins or towers are typical for garden designs of the late 18th and 19th century, like the "fake" l'arc de triomphe.

The "Chinese tower" called, The Great Pagoda, is a ten-story tower built in 1762 by Sir William Chambers. Designed for Princess Augusta, it was inspired by East Asian architecture and is adorned with 80 restored dragons. The interior is being restored.

👮🏻‍♂️ Little known fact: Kew Gardens has its own police force, Kew Constabulary, which has been in operation since 1845.

#KewGardens #Kew #RoyalBotanicGardens #LondonGardens #UKGardens #botanicalgarden #plants #botanischergarten #historischergarten #naturelovers #plants #visitLondon #gardenlovers #unicorn #fakeruins

✨Failing my way to success 🤓 on my little fir

✨Failing my way to success 🤓 on my little fire engine 🚒 red e-piano! Despite always writing my songs on the piano it’s time to freshen up and I take some “proper” lessons!

So far, so fun! 🎹

@openstudiojazz @casio #casioprivia #pianolessons🎹 #songwriting #womeninmusic

🌿 Looking for a quiet spot to have my lunch in

🌿 Looking for a quiet spot to have my lunch in between two tours today, I remembered this lovely little courtyard.
✨Absolutely perfect: wind still, quiet and very Italianesque with the vines against the white washed brick walls, the palm fronds and olive leaves in contrast to the blue skies…
🌳 Those of you who have been on one of my “Kultours” through the historic park and its museums may be able to guess where this is… (Hint: take a close look at the third picture).

Let me know in the comments!

#HamburgArt #arttours #musicandart #BargheerMuseum #HamburgArt #MusikUndKunst #Kultour #Jenischpark #ArtHistory #courtyard #italianstyle #sundaytours #toursinhamburg

“The orchids grow in the woods and they let out

“The orchids grow in the woods and they let out their fragrance even if there is no one around to appreciate it. Likewise, men [and women] of noble character will not let poverty deter their will to be guided by high principles and morals. If you are in the company of good people, it is like entering a room full of orchids.”

~ Confucius (551–479 BC) translated by Alice Poon

The first two are from the botanical gardens in San Diego, some of the others aren’t orchids at all but very pretty blooms I admired at home (and the rare brown one just too cute)…

👉🏼 Don’t miss the link in my bio to “Orchids in the Key of Life”.

#orchid #orchidelirium #botanicalgardens #homegrown #adoptdontshop #flowerstagram
#tropicalblooms #orchidlovers #orchidworld #historyoforchids

🎺🥁“With Drums Rolling and Trumpets Ablaze” – I’d like to dedicate these gorgeous little prints and paintings from the 1920s and 30s to my lovely musician friends & community:

I just saw them last weekend at a small exhibition I wandered through at the Bargheer Museum, a small art gallery style exhibition space in the burbs of Hamburg, on the periphery of the romantic Jenisch Park.
The title of the exhibition translates to “With Drums Rolling and Trumpets Ablaze” and is show-casing around 60 artworks from the 1920s — musicians and jazz scenes.

The “Flötisten” (an aquatint etching) is by one of my favourite graphic artists, Rolf Nesch, and is from 1931. It is part of a series depicting scenes of the famous Karl Muck Orchestra.
The exhibition only just opened last weekend. Join my small guided tour for more in-depth stories behind the paintings!
DM if curious about upcoming dates because obviously, this is the perfect marriage of my two passions...

* #HamburgArt #arttours #musicandart #rolfnesch #BargheerMuseum #HamburgArt #MusikUndKunst #1920sVibes #HamburgSecession #AvantGardeArt #ArtExhibition #KlassischeModerne #EduardBargheer #Jenischpark #ArtHistory #MusicInArt

🌿 Did you know Jenisch Haus hosted one of Europ

🌿 Did you know Jenisch Haus hosted one of Europe’s foremost orchid collections in the 19th century? Step behind the scenes with me on an exclusive guided tour of this historic gem.
Tap the link in bio for details! #HistoricalBotany #GuidedTours #HamburgCulture

🌿 Avoir un cœur d’artichaut 🌿 Meaning: t

🌿 Avoir un cœur d’artichaut 🌿
Meaning: to fall easily in love

Literal translation: to have an artichoke heart

There are so many magical fruits (I had written about pomegranates a while ago) so imagine my delight when I came across this French proverb! Artichokes, you probably know, are a vegetable where layers of leaves protect the edible part – its ‘heart’. 💚 Originally, the French expression was slightly longer, "cœur d’artichaut, une feuille pour tout le monde", which translates to “artichoke heart, one leaf for everyone”, the meaning being “lots of leaves, lots of loves”. ❤

Makes me also think of the beautiful jazz song "I fall in love too easily" by Chet Baker.

#vegetables #magicalmoments #songwriting #artichokes #artichaut #lovesongs #foodinsta #foodart

🌿 I have to be really honest: Being a "messy pe

🌿 I have to be really honest: Being a "messy perfectionist" and an HSP is a great recipe for under-estimating and over-doubting oneself. A psychological double-whammy, which is why I often struggle with finishing things.
I've never had a creative block in whatever genre I've worked in, it's more like an overwhelming sense of being sensually and creatively over-flooded with ideas and possibilities. So I'm working on it and have to start patting myself on the back when I have the courage to decide; be slightly bored and “just” do the nitty gritty and – FINISH things!
One song I recently completed (and am actually very happy with 😳) is "Prussian Blue", which is why I thought I'd share this colour chart with you – having just posted about the colour yellow. Prussian blue is the third colour from the top.

From top to bottom: Ultramarine Blue (PB29), Cobalt Blue (PB28), Prussian Blue (PB27), Viridian (PG18), Cadmium Yellow (PY35), Yellow Ochre (PY43), Burnt Umber (PBr7)
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#pigments #art #artist #artwork #painting #kunst #malerei #peinture #fineart #yellow #blue #colours #colors #ultramarineblue #cobaltblue #HSP #perfectionists #Prussianblue #Viridian #Cadmiumyellow #Yellowochre #Burntumber #colourpalette #songwriting #songs #femalesongwriter #indiemusic #indiemusician #lyrics #lyricist

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More Blog Posts

Paint, Patterns and Places: Ossip Klarwein & Alvin Mavignier
Songs in the Key of Orchids: Art Meets Nature
Novembersonne
Moon Songs. Coyote Moon
Moon Songs. Mr. Moon
Livings in Los Angeles – Murals and Mug Shots. Thoughts on the Artist Mike Kelley
Participation in an Audio Guide and Interview for a Podcast
The Healing Powers of Sound

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Frances Livings: Weltenwandlerin zwischen Musik, Poesie, Kunst und Natur - MassivKreativ on Livings In Los Angeles. Public Parks and Gardens and their Impact on Mental Health and the Creative Mind
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Moon Bourjolly on Funeral Blues ~ Songs and Poems about Death
Songs of the Soul ~ In Memory of Zane Musa (1979 - 2015) - Frances Livings on Songs of the Soul
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