Will, Maynard, Dorthea, Frida, and Diego…

Author/dentist—Will Lillibridge (great-granduncle) wrote the book Ben Blair. It was published by A. C. McClurg & Co., Chicago, 1905. This was the same year Will’s older brother, Lowell Stanton Lillibridge (my great-grandfather) helped settle the town of Burke, South Dakota where I grew up.

I recently discovered that the cover art for Ben Blair was done by artist, Maynard Dixon—he was married to depression-era photographer (and one of my heroes) Dorthea Lange. Only recently did I learn that Dorthea photographed churches in 1938 near Winner, SD, 39 miles west of Burke.

Three Churches of the High Plains, near Winner, South Dakota; Dorothea Lange (American, 1895 – 1965); negative 1938; print 1940s.

Dorthea Lange & Maynard Dixon became friends with Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera in San Francisco in the 1930s. Maynard at first disliked Diego (as many people did).

A few weeks ago I toured Frida and Diego’s home and studio in Mexico City. Being in the presence of these rooms, the light, shadows, color, collected objects, art, videos, and photographs was…well, Guau (wow).

Seeing where Frida and Diego lived, worked, fought, loved, and entertained made me long for an old-timey, bohemian life without so many modern-day distractions.

Their home museum is located in Coyoacán, a village on the outskirts of Mexico City.

The photos below were taken at the Museo Casa Estudio in San Angel, also a village on the outskirts of Mexico City.

You deserve a lover who takes away the lies and brings you hope, coffee, and poetry.
―Frida Kahlo

Thank you, Uncle Will, Maynard, Dorthea, Frida and Diego!

Three Churches of the High Plains, near Winner, South Dakota; Dorothea Lange (American, 1895 - 1965); negative 1938; print 1940s; Gelatin silver print; 25.6 × 27 cm (10 1/16 × 10 5/8 in.); 2016.150.1; No Copyright - United States (http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/)

the necessity of play.

Over the weekend, my husband and I dressed up as Mexican artists, Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera for a Halloween party.  We weren’t necessarily in the mood and it would’ve been easy to stay home.  A few hours before the party I thought about the opportunity to walk three houses down, see costumes, have a few beers, eat some chocolate and talk to a bunch of interesting people. When I thought about it, well, it would’ve been really stupid to stay home.  Culturally, I think we sometimes consider PLAY as frivolous or unnecessary.  NOPE.  It’s really necessary. I know that play makes me feel more creative, relaxed and better able to handle setbacks.

I’m pretty sure I’ll remember dressing up like Frida & Diego for a Halloween party more than another night on the couch watching a movie. GO FORTH & PLAY, YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT.

I haven’t had the pleasure of visiting Frida Kahlo’s home in Coyoacán, Mexico, but I can pretend I have with Photoshop.  Don’t you love my cigarette spoke.  I think Frida probably could do things like that with smoke.lisa-lillibridge-fridaFrida is worth knowing more about.  She had a remarkably interesting life. Her paintings, clothes and attitude really speak to me and provide inspiration. http://www.biography.com/people/frida-kahlo-9359496

PLAY—verb (Merriam Webster)

1. engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose.  YUP, and frequently.