This is a very personally felt theme for me - I grew up in South America, and essentially, every Christmas for me felt like July! For me personally the contrast was heightened when I moved up here and found Christmas in winter, after all. But I will never forget the bizarre retailing fiction so elaborately set up to hoodwink people into buying into a climatological condition they would NEVER, most likely, come to know - commodity fetish at its best.
Shop sales and Christmas retail decorations - including fake pasted snowflakes, styrofoam snowy covers, green conifers and Arctic Santas - all showed up in the context of 90 degree heat and summer vacation! A typical Christmas celebration included opening up presents, then heading for the beach.
This seemed an odd incongruity that the commodities market imposed on us south of the Equator dwellers - this fixation on winter weather in the height of summer - and all attendant imagery - and it's a form of cultural schizophrenia which has, if anything, gotten worse. But you know, when you're a kid, all you care about is loot so we didn't mind too much :D
So that's why I chose to draw what i drew - a memory of a typical storefront in a context of summer haze. As well am trying out a loose form quick sketching style - I have always admired those who can quickly (like newspaper or magazine cartoonists - draw something quick. So am trying it out.
On another note, I actually participated in a crafts/flea market fair titled 'Christmas in July' this past weekend!
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10 comments:
a quick sketching style...you did it perfectly! Love your drawing with the fakey cold holiday store fronts. ha. Your write up was wonderful, too, alicia! :)
I love this quick sketches that put so much personality and detail in them.
Interesting how you grew up with hot Christmases. We've had some pretty warm ones here in Southern CA too.
Yes, yes, Alicia, your Christmases south of the equator sound just like the ones my mother describes. bizarre imagery in jungle or hot climates and so on. You've captured this perfectly here as do you in your words. So love this: "commodity fetish at its best" and the schizophrenic culture. brilliant drawing. This style, like your rabbits one too, TOTALLY works for you. I love it. Great interpretation and a fascinating read. TY! So, tell us, how do you like xmas in a true winter climate like NC?! :)
this is a lovely interpretation Alicia!
thanks :D christmas in winter - I have to admit it feels more natural LOL since I've had it drummed into my cerebellum that its supposed to be cold LOL - though I have to say I have still, after over 20 years in this country, to see a White Christmas. Even living in Ohio and now Appalachia. Strange, no?
we have fake storefronts snowflakes here too. it rarely seem to snow on christmas but it's nice to see those storefront displays now and then.
this is a lovely interpretation.
I love the style and it really does feel summery...well done!
What a great post! Love the drawing!
Nice sketch
terrific boardwalk/plaza scene and the personal tale is fantastic. Always enjoy when people share stories from their own lives. Great job thanks
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