I have posted some of the basics of Charlotte Mason methods adaptable to the Filipino family which include Keeping them Short and Sweet and Living and Whole Books for the Filipino Child. As I prepare for topic #3 on oral and written narration, a very stimulating and motivating method guaranteed to make you and your kids enjoy and love learning, I came across a noteworthy event which changed the flow of this series.
This is something you definitely do not want to miss. So now, I grab the chance, shift the topic and share with you a very Filipino theme for the study of art and the artist. Simply, Miss Mason would call it Picture Study. It is #6 in the Charlotte Mason for Pinoys 101 entry. Do not fret, I will steer the discussion back to #3 once #6 is completed. I just feel the urgency of featuring this now.
Why?
Because I do not want you to miss His Art, Our Heart: The Amorsolo Retrospective, a multi-venue art exhibit held around Metro Manila. For details click the box on the lower right hand corner of this page. Scrolling up and down will never change its position so it is easy to spot. The exhibit is from September 2008 to April 2009. Museum passes are available. You need to fill up the reservation form on the site.
As for my family, we will just have to buy tickets on the venue since we will be arriving in Manila from Colombo late in December and the other exhibits will be over by then. It is not worth really to get the passes. But I advise you to get it if you intend to visit all the venues, it is more convenient than standing on the queue and a lot cheaper too if you buy for a group.
CM homeschoolers, this is a great chance to study art appreciation with your children. Fernando Amorsolo is an excellent Filipino national artist to start with! We are studying him this November and the tour of the exhibits will be our culminating activity. A big challenge lies here. Uncopyrighted works in high resolution images are very difficult to find online. They are not clearly stated as public domain so there goes the chance of having a reprint at home for a detailed study. If you wish to print out a copy of low res images, email the webmaster the site to ask permission to reprint for homeschool or educational purposes.
A good start is to read about the life of Fernando Amorsolo, his works and inspiration.
Here are some links on Fernando Amorsolo.
Fernando Amorsolo on Wikipedia at sa Wikifilipino
Biography at Answers.
Fernando Amorsolo y Cueto. 1892-1972.
Defend Thy Honor
Douglas Frazer Fine Arts - low resolution copies of artwork online
Kulay Diwa
Cultural Heritage site
Fernando C. Amorsolo Art Foundation
Here are some links on how to do a picture study.
NEXT: Other Filipino Artists for CM Study .
Our Picture and Hymn Studies are on Saturdays so I find it easier to blog these topics on the same day. Sorry to keep you waiting but the next Filipino artist gets featured this Saturday.
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Tue 4 Nov 2008 - Oooooo...
Do you think it took me long enough to get back to you with the recipe for the layered salad? Please forgive me--I'm not always this slow, but I wanted to get the dip right, and then I went out of town, I missed a deadline on my writing, etc. So very sorry, and here goes:
The lowest layer is black beans (or you may choose a bean that is native to your area). I use canned beans to make this simple.
Above the beans, place a layer of lettuce.
Above the lettuce, place a layer of diced tomatoes, seeded. I use Roma tomatoes, but that is a personal preference.
Above the tomatoes, place sliced black olives above the tomatoes.
Finally, place a layer of cheese on top. To add a bit of spice, try a Monterey Jack/cheddar mix or other spicier cheese.
The dip is a mixture of 1/2 cup of avacado dip (you can also use fresh, ripe [soft] avacados and place them in a blender), 1/2 cup of sour cream, 1 small can of diced green chile peppers, and a sprinkle of paprika. The recipe says to place the dip on top and then allow everything to chill for 8 hours or overnight. I tend to place the dip in a separate container so that I can keep the second servings of the salad looking pretty without eating all the dip.
You can serve this salad with tortilla chips. Enjoy, and thanks for sharing the picture study links!