Throughout this course, one topic that greatly fascinated me was the study of the significance of objects stemming from people with different cultural perspectives. One must always remember that all around the world, people with different backgrounds hold distinct values from their own backgrounds, and one value that has always struck me, was the way in which Italians cherished their preparation and meal time. Now, I’m not talking about Italian Americans who get together solely for “sunday dinner” and then call it a day; I’m talking about the extraordinary reverence Italians possess not just for the food they eat, but for the time spent in creating their meals and the time that is spent with their loved ones while eating. After having been to Italy, the way in which lunches and dinners took up at least two hours of the day stunned me and introduced me to this culture’s tremendous devotion to edible objects – food. 

Ironically enough, many months later I enrolled in this Materials of History class and this same concept popped up after going to Huguenot Street. I encountered objects saved because they reflected this exact importance of sharing meals and the value that stems from time spent among a table with loved ones. Thus for this project, I wish to discuss the parallels that Italian food culture shares with the historic Huguenots food culture. Moreover I would like to study important objects relative to cooking during Huguenot times and compare them to similar objects used that are found in Italy. On the Huguenot Street website, one of the exhibits is called: Around the Table, Early Cooking in the Hudson Valley. The page discusses the significance of cooking and sharing meals during this time and in the introduction to the exhibit the author reflects on the hearth: “The hearth was used for warmth, cooking and as a place for the older generation to teach skills to the younger generation. Food served as the bond between family, friends and neighbors making it’s preparation very important” (Exhibits at HHS). This site has given me a general introduction to function of food in this society and what really surprises me is the way in which American culture (or perhaps just New York culture), has drifted away from the beliefs that the Historic Huguenots carried. But greater factors impacted this shift to take on as the emphasis on American culture is on speed and not on rest. 

The webpage entitled: http://www.italiana.co.uk/theimportanceoffoodinitalianculture.html gives an overview of the importance of food within Italian culture. The page discusses the way in which all different parts of Italy take great pride in their cuisine and display this by taking much time to prepare it and taking an equal amount of time to consume it. The site also brings up the popular value within Italians – the family, and how appreciation of one’s family serves through cooking and dining. However, unlike the historic Huguenots, this tradition found within Italian culture has never changed and to this day, Italy continues to hold one of the greatest reputations in terms of their food. The website: http://italiandaycentre.com/culture.htm acknowledges Italy’s passion for food and the author writes: “The sharing of food is the sharing of joy”. Clearly, this relates back to the Huguenots’ way of viewing food and I want the class to become aware of the way in which other cultures use food to bring togetherness and harmony amongst each other. It fascinated me while I was in Italy and I hope to research it more and take the food ideals from the Huguenot culture and Italian culture and incorporate them into my life. Last but not least, I cannot give this type of presentation without bringing in (or, dare I say, cooking), some type of food for the class! However, although I am of Italian descent, I have absolutely, positively NO skills in cooking whatsoever. It is quite the shame but I have accepted that the gene simply skipped over me. So I still need to ponder about what I am capable of bringing to the table (besides this presentation). 

         The topic that will be discussed for teaming teaching is: exploring the significance of object symbolism within Western Art. As an Italian Studies minor I have studied Renaissance Art and the way in which the painter places objects within his work to convey different meaning is extraordinary. It has enabled my creative mind to shine through and influenced great discussions on how to interpret what the artist might mean. This topic matters tremendously because it shows another way in which objects play such a large role in one’s society , the understanding of its people and ways of life from a historical perspective. This topic also raises so many questions about the artist’s intention of his work: What does he want the viewer to understand through the objects he paints? Are all objects meant to be symbolic within his painting? Can an object have multiple meanings behind it? Can objects serve to enable the viewer to see what’s not there or what’s in the distance? The questions are endless and I believe the more questions a painting gives us the more influential it serves to  its audience. This in turn enables the painting and the artist to be remembered and this may be a major reason for why the artist painted his piece.

                In our team teaching, Ally and I studied five paintings created during the Renaissance period and introduce them to our class. However we will start with an exercise of examining Vanitas works and pointing out what we see. This will allow the class to become comfortable with talking about art and we choose Vanitas paintings because many important objects are found within them. However these objects have a pessimistic meaning behind them and often convey themes of death, decay and temporary earthly pleasures. Indeed,  the term Vanitas is the Latin word for vanity and so this type of artwork possesses this idea that earthly objects are meaningless and only serve as temporary pleasure for the individual. Thus, Vanitas pieces  are symbolic paintings with different objects placed in the artwork that allows the reader to interpret the message or messages of the painting. This type of art work also incorporates the form of still life painting which was popular in Flanders and the Netherlands during the 1500s. Still life paintings are paintings that only have inanimate subject matter within them, whether they be natural objects or man-made ones. Introducing these terms and these types of paintings is a great way for students to see the significance of objects as symbolism in artwork during the Renaissance and examples of different objects and the meanings behind them.

                After we have a discussion about Vanitas art pieces we will talk about: Campin’s Merode Altarpiece, Van Eyck’s Arnolfini’s Portrait, Holbein’s Ambassadors, Aertsen’s  Butcher Stall, and Bronzino’s Venus, Cupid, Folly and Time paintings. All of these paintings have a vast amount of objects within them and symbolism behind those particular objects. Students will learn about the different symbolism behind objects such as: a mirror, a lute with a broken string, a mousetrap and the material clothing worn by subjects within the paintings. All of these things represent different ideas that the artist may have wanted his patron and viewer to comprehend about himself, his world around him or the religious world. Although most of these paintings were done during the Northern Renaissance Period, but the last one (Venus, Cupid, Folly and Time) will introduce the class to the Mannerist period and the characteristics that makes a painting a product of that time frame. We intend for students to not only understand the significance of object symbolism in Western Art, but also different religious ideas, historical background, and the way people lived and how they were influenced during the 1500s. Thus, students should comprehend that objects have phenomenal power in channeling in an entire time period.

                Lastly, Ally and I will go over the art historian’s role within material culture studies and how any form of art – whether it be paintings, sculptures or material artifacts, should be examined and understood by art historians. Michael Yonan’s article: Towards a Fusion of Art History and Material Culture Studies develops this idea that art historians are absent from material culture studies because many of them do not believe in objects being significant enough for intensive study. However  what they fail to realize is that a painting, that has tons of symbolism and value within it, is also an object – like ceramics, metalwork and carved wood. At the same time, paintings do not only have object symbolism that can aid in one’s understanding of its meaning but there are so many other factors one should take into consideration. For example the artist’s choice of medium can display much about the his intention for each component within his painting. Therefore, although object symbolism plays a tremendous role during the Renaissance, how large is its role in today’s world? How do other aspects of creative artwork serve in one’s understanding of the overall meaning the beholder intends for his audience? The fact of the matter is, one can never fully determine the specific reason or reasons why an artist inserts an object into his work and the symbolism behind it. That is the responsibility of the interpreter and this is a challenging task considering there cannot be one right answer. There are many answers and that is what makes the task all the more valuable and beneficial to the one studying the work. This is why we want every student’s opinion and interpretation on the paintings we have chosen to discuss. They require critical thinking, analysis and interpretation and objects can influence a discussion for hours on end. In conclusion, objects are a tremendous value within Western Art and have the power to promote extensive thinking  and realization about an artist’s piece which in turn, honors the artist.

Annotated Bibliography

Yonan, Michael. “Toward a Fusion of Art History and Material Culture Studies.” West 86th – Toward a Fusion of Art History and Material Culture Studies. Bard Graduate Center, 20 Sept. 2011. Web. 21 Apr. 2013.
This is an informative article that discusses the similarities and differences between the study of art history and material culture studies and why they are often times disconnected. The author argues that the two studies both complement one another and art-historical practices should play a larger role in understanding material culture studies. This article is fascinating for someone who wants to explore the ways in which materiality impact our world and how goods of all kinds can assist in one’s understanding of broader academic practices and intellectual life.

“Explore Smarthistory.” Smarthistory: A Multimedia Web-book about Art and Art History. Ed. Beth Harris, Dr. and Steven Zucker, Dr. Khan Academy, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2013.
This is an incredible educational resource for studying, understanding and exploring art history. There are videos, written pieces, discussions, and resources for students to easily access. There is also a blog on this website that contains tours, information about different museums and art history in relevance to the classroom. If someone is taking an art history class and needs information about a piece of artwork this is your go-to site!

Protas, Allison, Geoff Brown , and Jaimie Smith, eds. “Dictionary of Symbolism .” University of Michigan . UM Fantasy and Science Fiction, n.d. Web. 20 Apr 2013.
This is a very expansive source from the University of Michigan which gives an entire online dictionary to symbolism seen throughout the arts. There are many search options and you can even submit questions.  If you are looking at a particular piece of art or literature that you know employs symbolism or has an object in it which you think might be a symbol, you can go to this site to see it’s possibilities.  Just remember, not every artist uses symbolism, and typically not every object in an art piece is a symbol, so you must use your judgment to discern just how much symbolism there is!

Ward, John L. “Disguised Symbolism as Enactive Symbolism in Van Eyck’s Paintings” Artibus et Historiae, Vol. 15, No. 29 (1994), pp. 9-53.  IRSA s.c, n.d Web. 21 Apr. 2013.
Here is a very informative and interesting scholarly article if you want to research further into Van Eyck’s paintings.  It discusses his use of symbolism and inquires as to how much symbolism is used throughout his works and his techniques for employing symbolism.

Roepstorff, Andreas. “Things to think with: words and objects as material symbols.” Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society: Biological Sciences . Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B , 12 Jun 2008. Web. 23 Apr 2013.
This article digresses slightly from what we will be delving into in class, but it provides valuable information for perhaps why artists throughout history have decided to put symbols in their artwork and why they represented objects as those symbols.  It approaches this through the angle of human nature and is a psychological/neurological inquiry into why and how we create symbols through the objects and materials we come into experience with and how this possibly links our internal understandings to the external world.

Caption & Description: A worn-out, short-sleeved T-shirt dating back to the 1980s that represents qualities ranging from pride, participation or simple appreciation for a good performance. This royal blue T-Shirt reveals a casual fit to its subject and is made up of cotton fibers. The thin white tag which depicts these details resting in back of the shirt is extremely fragile and displays almost no readable print. The material has a dry feel to it yet the detail in the middle of the tee ironically can be easily read and possesses very little fading. The text states: The Department of Theatre Arts at SUNY New Paltz Presents The American Premiere of The Swan Down Gloves. The character detailed under the writing most likely represents one of the main characters of the show known as Mazda, the Master of Shadows. But why was this production and t-shirt, among the dozens of musicals performed within the Theatre Arts department at New Paltz, cherished and seen as so significant in the eyes of all those involved? 

Provenance: Although no definite information has been confirmed, this t-shirt is believed to have been donated by the original director and writer of the show – Billie Brown – to the SUNY New Paltz memorabilia collection. Another assumption reveals someone within the theatre arts department saved and stored away the shirt. Surprisingly, as productions played a frequent part in the life of a theatre major, shirts representing each production were not always created. However because this was such a special show, the department made an exception so the shirt could serve as a way to remember the achievement of SUNY’s first American Premiere of London’s The Swan Down Gloves. Other items related to this show are also saved within SUNY New Paltz’s special collection such as the directorial notebook of the show with all the notes, stage directions and cast lines.

According to the New Paltz Oracle newspaper, the cast of the theatre art’s production of The Swan Down Gloves dates back to late March and early April of 1987. The exact show dates were March 26-29 and April 2-5. The performance was held in McKenna Theatre and the general admission ticket was $7. The oracle had frequent advertisements for college productions and even occasionally had reviews for certain shows for the public to read about. This production is just one of the examples of the richly talented contributions that the fine and performing arts departments within the college that is SUNY New Paltz. However, what makes this production particularly extraordinary is the fact that the theatre department at SUNY was the first group to stage an American version of this London production. Thus, the original director Billie Brown came to SUNY New Paltz to see the show and Nigel Heiss, the show’s original composer also came to New Paltz to assist with musical numbers.

Based off Billie Brown’s book, The Swan Down Gloves has the potential to captivates the minds of any audience with its imagination rendering mystical characteristics. The show debuted in London, 1981 with The Royal Shakespeare Company and through its distinctly pantomime way of being, proves to be a particularly unique show in itself. Generally, the show appears to be a spoof on William Shakespeare’s early life and includes several comedic characteristics that parallel with Shakespeare’s plays. The New Paltz Oracle describes in its description of the performance as: “A frolicking, rolicking romp through the joyous and sometimes bawdy realm of fable and fairy tale where boys play girls and vice versa, rats read Neitzsche and fairies guzzle gin”. This “bawdy realm” includes the simple plot of characters Kit (a glove maker) and his brother Will setting out on a journey to deliver a pair of special gloves to the court of London. The characters encounter many obstacles and throughout the show the audience becomes acquainted with vibrant characters such as Mazda – the Master of Shadows, Lumina – The Lady of Light and of course, Lady Alice – the sex kitten. (insert footnote). The characters’ outstanding experiences throughout the show seem of greater importance than the actual storyline as a review by John Barber states: “The script…….gives classical actors every chance for outrageous burlesque of panto people and conventions”. Clearly, the performance requires tremendous talent and ability which the theatre arts department could take grasp and re-create in the still very familiar McKenna Theatre.

Although little is still documented on the specific casting details and highlights of this show, the production of Billie Brown’s: The Swan Down Gloves was one to remember and appreciate during its current time and still today. This new type of performance composed of pantomime and Europe’s comedia dell’arte influences, introduced its audience to a different type of show.  This show displayed little similarities to popular musicals that were more commonly displayed in American playhouses. Thus, this show paved the way for a different type of audience and a different approach to theatre. SUNY New Paltz was gifted with this wonderful opportunity and so opened its doors to diversity within the theatrical performance world.

*sources to be continued 

Caption – A tiny and simple representation of high societal living: Gertrude Deyo’s silver mirror played an essential role in preparing herself to venture out in public. There was no question that a modern and sophisticated woman of this time had to look her loveliest at all times. Based off the photos and images of Gertrude, she satisfied these standards quite mesmerizingly. What can be said of the woman whose face appears in the mirror’s reflection?

Description – This sterling silver mirror is surprisingly heavy to the touch yet a humble size of 9 ¼ inches long with the diameter being 4 ¾ inches across. It is over 100 years old and resembles an artifact that could be discovered as one of the remainders from the Titanic ship. Yet the mirror has been exceptionally preserved as the glass on the mirror is vividly clear and reflects a circular frame.  When one turns the mirror around floral designs are seen along with two female looking goddesses in the middle of the surrounding designs. One of which the viewer only sees a side profile and flowing hair and another whose full figure is displayed making her significantly smaller when compared to the woman’s side profile. These depictions most likely represent the importance of a female’s beauty during the time that could be preserved through the mirror. The handle of the mirror is sturdy and one can feel the designs on the mirror implant their characteristics into one’s hands if it’s held tightly enough.

 Provenance – This object was found within the Blake House and was manufactured by F&B Sterling Pat’d 1901. It was donated by the Blake estate which is located on Libertyville Road in New Paltz in 1984 along with 66 other objects that had arrived to Huguenot Street with the collection. The mirror has remained in the Deyo House ever since its arrival. According to the Historic Huguenot website that discusses the Blake’s collections:

This collection was created by William Henry Dill (W.H.D.) Blake (1843-1926), farmer and Civil War officer, and family members after they moved to New Paltz in 1881. In addition to W.H.D. Blake, other family members represented in the collection include his wife, Matilda Booth (d. 1904), two sons Alfred Booth Blake (d. 1950) and William Culbert Booth, a daughter, Matilda Booth (d. 1970), and two cousins Amy L. Hepburn (d. 1966) and Dollie B. Hepburn (1891-1976), both of whom came to live at the house in their retirement beginning in the 1950s. (www.huguenotstreet.org).

Narrative –

 I cannot say I am too surprised at the short amount of information on Wikipedia written on the town of New Paltz. In my opinion, the town is not too known by residents of New York City and although the town is greatly unique in its own way, it is quite small and usually reserved compared to the busy city that I come from. I always found it odd that the “village” of New Paltz and the “town” of New Paltz are considered two distinct areas and the Wikipedia page does mention this fact. Another unsurprising statistic was that the racial makeup of the town was 73% white. Clearly the town is not too diverse in that sense but at the same time it differs from a segregated white town because the community embraces diversity in so many ways. Probably the most excited piece of information on the New Paltz Wikipedia page was: “New Paltz was the place in which the character Penny Johnson (Cynthia Rhodes) got an abortion in the 1987 movie Dirty Dancing, which was set in the early 1960s”. That blew my mind and now I must re-watch the movie to see if it’s true. The section on “culture” in the page listed several celebrations but had very brief descriptions on them so those could have been elaborated on in a bit more detail. I feel New Paltz does have a vast amount of transportation; being an upstate town. For example, Trailways bus station is incredibly convenient, there’s the New Paltz loop which is not listed but exists and the bus that goes to Poughkeepsie located in town is also great for those wanting to get to the Metronorth. Overall, however, the content in this page was not too impressive.

Now on to SUNY New Paltz’s wikipedia page which was lengthier and somewhat more informative with content that did surprise me. This page informed me on events that seemed quite bizarre to me, such as: “In the fall of 1968, students rallied in support of Craig Pastor (now Craig DeYong) who had been arrested by New Paltz Village Police for desecration of the American flag which he was wearing as a superhero cape in a student film directed by Edward Falco.” Even though the paragraph focused on “student lead demonstrations” in the 60s and 70s, it disgusted and appalled me to read a sentence describing such an event that took place on my campus.­­ Another section that negatively stood out to me were the events that occurred in 1997 that attracted media attention. The first one was a Feminist conference on sex and sexuality that included a workshop on sex toys. I’m all for sexual freedom but I feel a workshop on sex toys does not set the greatest example. The second was a seminar in which New Paltz resident Carolee Schneemann introduces viewers to Interior Scroll in which she takes a scroll from her vagina and reads it to her audience. Although the greater picture of this event was to address: “Lacanian semiotics, gender issues, Marxism, the male art establishment, religious and cultural taboos”, I am not sure if many people would consider this the most educational approach. I do not believe these events promoted educational or positive nationwide attention but rather controversial media attention. I suppose attention is attention but, again, these demonstrations did not stir up proud feelings within me. On the other hand, the statistics and rankings were quite refreshing so that was a plus to see. The page was also fairly detailed in the many buildings SUNY New Paltz has on campus and had photographs of some of the buildings as well. Finally, the Alma Mater was a pleasant surprise and a cute little poem to wrap up the rollercoaster ride that was reading this Wikipedia page. To me, alumni were nothing fancy (besides Joe Turturro of course!).  However I feel there are more positives to the town and SUNY New Paltz that could have been discussed in detail such as the restaurants, town-life, rail trail, MANY clubs on campus and the religious places of worship in town. Unfortunately I do not feel these pages did enough justice to my college.

“That damn thing didn’t work again!”. This obnoxious statement of frustration is one I hear oh too often during the phone conversations with my well-mannered and (usually) exceptionally patient mother. Ironically that “damn thing” she refers to is the golden ticket for arriving and leaving from any place in New York City.  The Metropolitan Transit Authority’s little Metrocard is a necessity in any city dweller’s life and serves as both a treasure and a burden. According to the Metrocard’s Wikipedia page:” It was introduced to enhance the technology of the transit system and eliminate the burden of carrying and collecting tokens”.  Overall that statement does hold much truth to it even though it may be arguable for some of New York’s natives (such as my Mommy).

The Metrocard is thinner than any paper card and made from a smooth and shiny plastic material. It is rougly 4.5 inches wide with a length of 2.5 inches tall; matching up to the size of a credit card. It fits comfortably within anyone’s wallet and is composed of two detailed sides. The first side has remained the same over the years of my being and recognizable to people all over the world. It states: MTA Metrocard and in a much smaller font states: < < <- Insert this way / This side facing you. It is a wonder how these clear directions always seem to be escape eyes of the thousands of tourists that scatter the city. The card is a dark, mustard color and the Metrocard logo is written in royal blue. There is a thick black stripe vertically crossing the card and this is where the power of the card comes in. If any bending occurs around that area the card most likely will not be readable by the bus and train machines.

The back of the card is black and white and always displays the card’s expiration date, and the extensive card number at the top left corner. Despite those details, the back of a Metrocard is always different and can display quotes, words, advertisements, information about the MTA and all other sorts of interesting tidbits. The back of my card has an ad for the New York Transit Museum  with an address, picture of a train set and a website title. Now that I think of it, that would be a great place for me to have ventured to before writing this post and perhaps I will go there in the future if this card continues to significantly hold my interest.

The Metrocard was created by a division within the MTA known as: Metrocard Operations and is manufactured by Cubic Transportation Systems Inc. The tiny card serves a simple purpose:  since 2003, it is the only method of payment (besides quarters) taken for public transportation among the five boroughs and some parts of Long Island. It caters to every form of public transportation system in New York City making it incredibly dependable for the millions of commuters of the city. The card was first introduced in 1993 and was a blue card that is now a collector’s item. The card replaced tokens in the late 1990s and its usage has been growing ever since.  As the Metrocard’s popularity grew, the benefits such as the free bus to train, bus to bus transfer, grew with it and have dramatically changed New York City’s public transportation system. According to a NY Times article: “It was not until free MetroCard transfers between subways and buses were instituted in 1997 and the unlimited-ride cards were introduced on July 4, 1998, that the passes fully realized their power to transform the transit system”.  Indeed  the card changed the way commuters go about getting from one place to another and  usually this card is reliable and fairly straight forward to work. However when the words: “Just used”, “Please swipe again” or “See agent”  pop up on a bus or train’s transportation machine, it can throw one’s entire day off and be the biggest inconvenience imaginable.

The history of the Metrocard is extraordinary and the technological advances that has come with it over the years displays the tremendous progress of the transportation system that makes up the industrial and greatest city of the world. Yet, as with any piece of technology, the card has its on and off days and can play a major role in influencing a traveler’s punctuality. Financially, the Metrocard is costly, as the pay-per-ride fare has increased from $1.50 to $2.00 to $2.25 over the last decade. The unlimited weekly and monthly cost of Metrocards have rose as well and increases in cost are currently under discussion and will probably be issued within the next months. In conclusion this little card plays a noteworthy role in possibly every single New Yorker’s life and though I currently live upstate, my wallet seems to naturally always carry a Metrocard which I use for my visits to my home. Whether this one decides to work will be my pleasant (or unpleasant) surprise.

tote bag with details resembling the music notes on mug

Psalm number

close up of the notes

As I reflect on my mug for a second time I will be paying more attention to the musical significance behind it; particularly, the psalm imprinted on the object and why out of all the Bible verses, this psalm was placed on this mug. Psalms serve tremendously within a Catholic mass; they are typically done as solos by a cantor (one who leads the music of the mass) and are done between the first and the second readings which occur early on in the mass. They consist of one refrain and several verses. They are sung very reverently and holy and make the mass all the more spiritually serene and lovely. The psalm written on my mug resembles a verse of the psalm with the refrain: Sing to the Lord a New Song for He has Done Marvelous Deeds (Psalm 98:1). As I researched where my mother bought the mug I came to realize that another object she bought for me (a psalm tote bag) has the same musical notes imprinted on it with the same psalm verse (along with the refrain that I just quoted from chapter 98). I cannot take a picture of the tote bag as it’s at home with my family but I will attach the picture of it from the website so you can get an idea of what it looks like. As I researched the origin of the psalm’s other verses I found the full piece as written according to the King James Bible Version:

 Psalm 100:1-5

100 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.

² Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

³ Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

⁴ Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

⁵ For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

These are the words of the entire psalm and now I moved to look at the musical notes on the mug. The music notes have a large range and its G-clef detail represents that is written for a female singer. However I could not mange to find a familiar tune to match up the notes with and so I searched the website in which the item was purchased (christianbook.com). Unfortunately, I could find no trace of the mug so I searched for the tote bag because it also has a musical staff on it and perhaps the description would have some information on the notes. Unfortunately the product description was not very informative and simply states that the bag’s detail has a G clef “against a musical score background”. Therefore I do not believe the music on the mug represents a particular song but rather music in general. This makes sense because psalms are written and sung in multiple ways in Catholic masses; traditionally they are sung slowly with organ accompaniment but others are sung with guitar or different types of musical accompaniment at a faster pace. Therefore, the significance of the musical background is simply to stress that one should sing praise to God through music. After reflecting on the words of the psalm one can sense the urge for people to be joyful because God is our creator and everything about Him is good. On a personal level this psalm is comforting to me because it pushes me to be happy even in my greatest struggle because I can be assured the Lord will not betray me – his mercy is everlasting. I believe my mother chose this object with these words for several reasons. First, and perhaps the most obvious reason is because I am a singer and it serves as a reminder to never stop praising or in my case, never stop singing. I have been singing for over ten years and music has made me particularly involved with my faith and so my mother uses this verse as a message to never lose this involvement and never stem away from your faith. I believe my mother also chose this object to serve as a representation for those memories of rehearsals, church concerts and first solos that I underwent throughout my time of church singing in my home parish. She wants me to have a reminder of all the happiness I have endured through my music ministry and to never forget that God gave me that talent. Psalms are the most holy part of the mass and they are the time in which the cantor truly can give thanks in her own personal way. When a psalm is sung it should be sung for God since it typically is coming from one voice, the relationship between God and the singer becomes that much more intimate. These words and the music on the mug represent a form of praise and thanksgiving and serve the psalm justice in a beautiful way.

One of my objects that I hold close to me is one of my mugs. Although I have several because tea and coffee make up the only beverages I consume (besides water), this mug is particularly special to me. The mug is white and made from ceramic materials and seems to be about six inches tall and four inches wide. It can hold a decent amount of coffee or tea and seems a bit bigger than an average-sized mug.. Running horizontally across the mug there are four music staffs; three of them have only music notes and the fourth one at the very bottom of the mug has words written across the staff instead of music notes. These staffs run around the entire mug thus, making the details impossible not to see. To my current knowledge the music notes do not represent one particular song but just the beauty of music in general. However I have not played them on the piano yet so that may be something I will do in the future. The music is written under the treble or G clef which gives viewers a better idea of how the notes should be played. There is one sharp shown next to the treble cleft which represents the music’s time signature so Westerners (mainly) know that the notes should be played in the G major scale. Thus, when playing the notes out, one should play F sharp instead of F (unless a note is specified sharp within the music). There is also a ¾ in the time signature which represents the note value within the bar. Dating back to my music theory times I believe this signifies that there are three notes per measure and that the quarter note gets the beat. Music theory can be complicated and I doubt that many people would attempt to play the musical notes written on the mug. However, although I believe they are just there to display the importance of music, I think it is interesting to discuss them in deeper detail.

As stated earlier there is written text on my mug and the font is a bolded black cursive type. The text writes: “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord!” then in very small letters it states Psalm 100:1. Clearly, this message narrows down what type of music may be recorded or represented on this mug. Now the viewer can understand that the written notes most likely represent the music to a hymn or a Christian song. Music serves a great deal in Christian services and this message persuades it’s drinkers to perhaps speak to the Lord through music. The message is written at the very bottom of the mug which may even suggest that all these notes in the staff represent the Lord’s music and we should be using his music only to serve Him. When observing the mug upside down I see from this angle that its edges are fading into a light brown around the circular bottom. However the black staff, notes and text are still very visible to the viewer and this mug has been in use for over a year now so that’s pretty great. There is no descriptive label present on the mug despite the Bible verse acknowledgement. Yet I believe my mother purchased this mug for me off of a Christian website online. The mug feels cool to the touch and if one closes his eyes he can feel the lines of the staff when running his thumb up and down of the mug. These lines stand out tremendously and make the message all the more significant. In conclusion, this mug represents my love of tea-time that I spend with my mother, my love for the most important person in my life – my mother, and my love of singing not only for myself but for my faith.