Pastel Painting: Leading the Sheep Through Dobroselica

 My newest pastel painting, "Leading the Sheep Through Dobroselica."

Dobroselica, Serbia

©2021 Melissa Enderle

It's a glorious early spring day. The last of the snow has finally melted and the grass has begun to green up, much to the delight of my sheep. I'm even seeing a few buds on the plum trees. I hope we'll have a good harvest this year, as I sure love to drink rakija. My sheep and I make our way towards the grazing land just past the wooden church. We'll be there for several hours, so my wife has packed me a lunch including her homemade bread, ajvar, and some cheese. The sheep begin to munch on the grass alongside the weathered road as soon as I pause to chat with a neighbor. They're content and I'm in no rush. The simple life in rural Serbia.

See more of my artwork on my website

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My latest Artwork: Announcement at Ulica 16 Kumanovska

 My latest color pencil drawing Announcement at Ulica 16 Kumanovska. Vranje, Serbia ©2021 Melissa Enderle

It is customary for death notices to be posted on doors as well as public display areas. The highly textured, colored weathered door, along with the announcement, immediately attracted my attention while walking through the town. I had just held a solo art show at the town's American Consulate.

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Upcoming Exhibit - you're invited!

If you're in the Madison, WI area, come to the opening reception of my art show. At 6pm, I will be delivering a presentation on my artwork and travels. Fresh homemade cookies will be served and Michael Sullivan will be performing live music. 

The art show will be up from November 1-30 at the Lakeview Library. 

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A Two Day Journey Around the World

This afternoon, I went to the Seoul Friendship Fair. Held since 1996,  this fair is celebrates the sister cities of Seoul from various places around the world. Considering my love of cultures, the lure of traditional music, costumes, as well as traditional food and handicrafts was too much to pass up. For a few hours in the afternoon, I sat on the grass by Seoul City Hall in the bright May sunshine and soaked up not only sun rays, but some wonderful performances.

Belarus
Their costume and singing reminded me of some of the performances I saw in Serbia. Some songs were very happy and one was more somber. The accordion player was very energetic and the roh player was able to get a variety of tones out of the animal horn.

Japan

The Shamisen player from Japan played a few lively, energetic pieces. Two puppeteers also performed a few skits, including one with a lion and some butterflies. The lion reminded me of a larger version seen in some Korean performances.

Lion and human marionettes manipulated by a skilled Japanese puppeteer

Uzbekistan

As there was no shade on this very sunny day, I didn't want to push being too long out in the sun. However, when I saw the beautiful costumes from Tashkent, I decided to stick it out a bit longer. We had to wait for the drumset and other instruments to be assembled and set up, but it was worth it. A clarinet player myself, it was fun to hear the different tones and melodies produced from such common instruments. The male singer was both forceful and tender. The dancers, however, stole the show. In the four or five pieces, different costumes were worn for each one. The dancing and music had a more Middle Eastern feel to it. The dancers were very particular with their hand and arm positions, and their twirling and footwork was great. Imagine twirling and dancing in high heels! 

Each of the dancers had their hair in long braids, which twirled like ribbons as they spun around.

It was an enjoyable afternoon at yet another Seoul festival! #visitseoul

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Travel Thankfulness

Seonunsa - South Korea

School is out for the rest of the week - I finally have a chance to take a breath. I am sitting in my cozy warm apartment just steps away from my classroom. With the cold wind and even a few flurries in the air, I was thankful for such a short commute. Our faculty Thanksgiving lunch was started with a prayer and Thanksgiving song, sung first in English and then in Korean. This evening I'll attend another one with some friends, and yet another one tomorrow. So wonderful to be in the company of colleagues, celebrating a holiday where we just begin to touch on the many blessings heaped upon us by our Lord and Creator.   

The Great Wall - China

I'm in my 16th year teaching internationally. What incredible places I've had the opportunity to travel in and to teach. I'll never tire of the incredible beauty that God has created - such diverse landscapes, how He faithfully causes the seasons to happen each year, providing renewal in so many ways. 

Shekhawati - India

Angkor Wat - Cambodia

To explore incredible man-made wonders with friends - and even have a little fun.

Kashmir - India

To meet locals and put a personal side on travels, even if we can't speak the same language.

To witness such generosity and hospitality, freely giving and sharing what little they have. 

Timbuktu, Mali

To witness far-flung places at a time when it was safe to do so. 

Sirogojno, Serbia

To shop with friends and share new experiences.

HaLong Bay - Vietnam

To be able to fly during holidays, transported to a new world and arrive back at school, refreshed.

Taj Mahal - India

To see some Wonders of the World and UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Penang - Malaysia

To view unique crafts being created, including those that are slowly disappearing.

Ella - Sri Lanka

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March 24, 2014: An Anniversary

March 24, 2014 was a beautiful spring day in my life. The warmth of the spring sun invited early blossoming and birds to sing. On that day, I was in Seoul, South Korea, enjoying my first day of spring break. For residents of a place I called home for four years, the day was a reminder, not of rebirth and renewal, but of the start of events that forever changed their lives. March 24, 2014 was the 15th anniversary of the NATO bombing campaign in Serbia. For 78 days, bombs and missiles fell in Serbia as well as Montenegro, particularly in the Serbian capital of Belgrade.

Even when I was there from 2005-2008, reminders of the bombing were very prominent. On the same street with so many embassies (including the US Embassy), were these bombed-out shells, remnants of what used to be governmental buildings. Graffiti covered remnants of a former TV station where young people senselessly lost their lives. Far from being a clean-cut attack on the government, the citizens were profoundly affected. Over 2,000 civilians lost their lives, including 88 children. My colleagues who lived through the bombing described giving birth without electricity (one maternity hospital was actually bombed), the piercing noise of the missiles whizzing by and then lighting up the sky, seeking shelter during the raids and then observing the damage the following day, and much more. One friend, an excellent photographer and blogger, wrote a book from her perspective and experiences. She also talked about the everyday hardships, such as food and petrol shortages, wondering if the bridge would be there to get to school, how the International School of Belgrade dwindled down to a few students and teachers during that time, how a chemicals from a bombed factory in a nearby town flowed into the river, poisoning all the fish, and so much more. Through talking with her and others, it was powerful reminder of bias - the news media, government, etc. There is always more of the story we don't hear, and perspectives that are not shared - either by choice or neglect.

Below is a documentary of the bombing campaign which seeks to tell the story from some people with direct experiences. Not collateral damage or terrible accidents, but tragic events that forever changed their lives. When watching TV reports (or reading on Flipboard) of news events such as what is currently happening in places such as Syria, let us remember the human side of the events.

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Twisted Beauty

Up on a hill near the Bongjeongsa Temple, I spotted this beautiful twisted trunk. Combined with the contrasting yellow hues, this nature scene possessed grandeur. The twisted tree reminded me of those I saw at the Lazarica Church in Kruševac, Serbia. According to the legend (described further on my blog), the twisting of the plum trees was caused by motion of Prince Lazar's soldiers marching around, praying for victory in Kosovo.

Twisted tree by Lazarica Church, Serbia

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He is Risen!

A blessed Easter to all. On this day we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. His resurrection is proof that God accepted Jesus' payment for our sins and that one day we too will be with God. 

This angel fresco is found at Mileševa in Serbia. This Monastery was founded around 1234 AD.

Hallelujah! He is Risen! Christ is risen indeed!

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Bosnia - 20 years Later

April 6 marks a grim day in the lives of citizens in Bosnia. Twenty years ago, civil war erupted in this former province of Yugoslavia. In the following 3 1/2 years, over 100,000 people were killed and nearly half fled their homes. The picturesque city of Sarajevo faced a particularly brutal siege, with over 11,000 civilians losing their lives.

While living in Serbia, I visited Bosnia twice. The first time was with my housekeeper, who took me to her beloved city of Mostar. Tanja, a Bosnian Serb, showed me where her home once stood, from which she fled before it was burned by Bosnian Muslims. Other places also showed violence, drawn on ethnic/religious lines. (Read more about this on my 2006 blog post on Mostar and Nevesijne). In 2008, I visited Sarajevo (read more in my June 2008 posts) and couldn't help but be moved by the many reminders of the brutal war that took place there. The white gravestones (Muslim and Christian) dotting nearly every green plot of this hilly town was particularly poignant.

An article I read this evening wrote from a very biased view, painting the Bosnian Serbs as the sole perpetrators. Realize that all sides were guilty of terrible things during the Bosnian War, as well as the general fighting that took place in former Yugoslavia. Nor did the Bosnian War occur in isolation.

Standing on a hill high above the old town section of Sarajevo or by the former Olympics grounds, I can't help but be moved. 

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Trip to North India - Dec 2010

In December of 2010 I met three of my friends in Delhi to start our trip through Northern India. Two came from Serbia and were former colleagues of mine, and the other flew from Wisconsin, a former art professor and elementary art teacher of mine. Our journey would take us from Delhi to Dharamasala, back to Delhi, on to Udaipur, then to Jodhpur via Ranakpur, Jaipur, Shekhawati region, back to Jaipur, then on to Fatehpur Sikri, Agra, and finally back to Delhi. In this series of blog entries, I will attempt to highlight some of our experiences.

You may find more of my photos on my Flickr site.

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Purple Labryinth

Purple Labryinth, originally uploaded by melissaenderle.

Another monsoon day in Chennai enabled me to work on this pastel painting of a tulip.

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Roma - Europe's Ostracized

I'm making a switch back to Serbia for today's blog post after reading my friend's post and referring article about the plight of the Roma living in Belgrade. While living in Belgrade, I had written about the Roma on numerous occasions. So often I had looked down below the Gazella bridge in Belgrade at the large Roma settlement below while riding across this major bridge in the comfort of a car or bus. Below I saw tiny shacks made out of cardboard, scrap wood, tin, and other recycled items. Mud and garbage was ever present. Smoke often emanated from the shacks, sometimes wafting past satellite dishes. For the Roma living there, it wasn't much, but it was home.

Now it is home no more. Prompted by a planned upgrade of the bridge, the Roma were evicted, with some given as little as 20 minutes to gather their meager possessions and leave. Some were given "alternate housing" of metal containers located outside of the city. For a population that makes its living from recycling what others throw out (as well as other small things such as washing windows of cars at stoplights or playing the accordion/violin on the streets or buses), this was a move that posted major hardships. And that was for the "lucky" ones that actually were given housing.

The over 12 million Roma (otherwise known as Gypsies) of Europe face similar hardships. In addition, they are the continued subject of discrimination throughout the area. Even people who wouldn't consider saying racist remarks about others feel perfectly comfortable saying derogatory generalized remarks about the Roma. For the 500 years that the Roma have been in Europe, they have always been on the outside of mainstream society, with many Roma not learning the local language, going to school, and typically living in separate, squalid communities. Like the Roma living under Gazella Bridge, many don't have the proper identity cards that would make them eligible for the country's medical care and other services. Due to the continued acceptance of discrimination and desire for countries to beautify or modernize, the Roma get pushed farther and farther out of society and what they call home.

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Missin' the Colors

Soon it will be fall. I hear descriptions by my family members in Wisconsin and friends in Serbia about the leaves that are beginning to change colors. Visions of leaves aglow in the Kalemegdan Fortress of Belgrade pass through my mind, reminiscing about the wonderful walks I had in Serbia during the fall. Here in the South Indian city of Chennai, the only thing that really marks a change in season is the growing puddles (or floods) in the roads from the start of the monsoon. The colors of monsoon are drab or downright disgusting; brown mud, tar black puddles just waiting for a large vehicle to splash you while traversing in an open rickshaw. 

How I miss the colors of Serbia...and my dear friends.

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He is Risen!

This fresco (copy at Belgrade's Fresco Museum of the original at Mileseva Monastery as seen below) depicts a most joyous message - the Easter announcement by the angel to the women that Jesus had arisen. Death could no longer hold the triumphal Savior who had successfully atoned for our sins and had victory over Satan. The angel is pointing to the tomb and linens which had been wrapped around Jesus' crucified body on Good Friday.

The most celebrated fresco in Mileseva's Holy Resurrection Church, the White (or Belo in Serbian) Angel is a revered symbol of Serbia and an emblem for the United Nations. 

Read more about Mileseva Monastery on my blog. 

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My Serbian Friends in India

One of the wonderful things about teaching internationally is meeting others who are not only talented, dedicated teachers and wonderful people, but also share a fascination with other cultures and places. Two dear friends of mine from Serbia came to visit me this past Christmas break, enabling us to engage on new adventures through South India. Come join Pat, Olja, and me as we travel through Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, as presented through a series of blog posts.

In the photo above, Pat and Olja pose in the waters at Marina Beach in Chennai.

You can also find more photos on my Flickr site.

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Barn Chores (Color Pencil)

At first light I rise and put on my woolen socks, and shajkaca hat, stretch rubber goulashes over my shoes, and then head out to the barn. I have two cows there, but only one is currently milking. With my wide, strong hands, I expertly pull the cow’s teats, extracting enough milk for the day. After a hearty breakfast and cup of strong Turkish coffee, I head back out to the barn and begin my chores. First I scrape the old straw and manure away. Then I use a pitchfork to spread fresh bedding for my cows. The aroma of fresh straw mingles with that of the cows, a comforting, familiar scent to me in this place where I feel I belong.

Artwork available for sale. 
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Hauling Hay (Pastel)

It’s hay season again and time to gather what my brother and I cut yesterday with a sickle. I’m grateful that my brother could help me, as my lame knee makes it painful to bend in the swooping motions needed for efficient cutting. Today I’m all alone on this slightly marshy piece of land. I use my cane to walk over to a patch of dray hay and stab the cane into the soft ground. Then I use the pitchfork to sift and gather the hay together until I have a large enough load. Hobbling over to reach my cane, the load now feels more secure on my shoulder as I slowly make my way over to the small, mounded stack. It’s tough work for an old man, but I love being outdoors. Besides, it’s the only way of life I know.

Artwork available for sale. 
Blank greeting cards can be purchased at Zazzle

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Violin Player, Subotica (Watercolor)

I have been a street performer since I was a little boy, accompanied by my father on the accordion. Now that I am an old man and on a meager pension, I once again find myself needing to play my violin on the street, hoping for some dinars so I can buy enough hleb, cheese and sausage for a meal. My favorite spot to play is next to the café on the pedestrian street. Whether it’s locals or visitors who come see this picturesque town with Hungarian-style Art Nouveau architecture, people here just seem to have more time to sit down and savor the moment. I like playing the slow, melodic songs that my father taught me, but the crowds seem to prefer the fast-moving Hungarian tunes better. Well, at least that’s what their coins tell me.

Artwork available for sale. 
Blank greeting cards can be purchased at Zazzle

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Gypsy Dancer (Color Pencil)

Serbians love to dance. We Roma like to dance as well. While their dances tend to be more constrained, circular dances, our Roma dances are wild by comparison. I love swishing my colorful skirt back and forth, then working up into a twirl so strong that my skirt hem rises nearly to my waist. At such moments I am lost to the world, immersed in a feeling of eternal bliss. Dancing makes me forget all the hardships and discriminations we as Roma face on a daily basis. In addition to our brass bands and this dancing, we have our own language and culture, which we staunchly seek to preserve. Recently I was asked to perform as part of the Serbian dance group Kolo. Some members of my Roma community under the Gazelle Bridge didn’t want me to join, but I see it as an opportunity to show those Serbs and others that our dance and culture is just as beautiful. Perhaps then when Serbs see our cardboard homes with plastic tarp roofs, they will see beyond our economic poverty and look at us as a real, vibrant people.

Artwork available for sale. 
Blank greeting cards can be purchased at Zazzle

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Elderly Farmer, Aranđelovac (Watercolor)

It’s been a long spring, made lonely by the passing of my beloved wife this past January. If only I had had enough money to buy her the needed medicine for her pneumonia, she probably would be here with me now. She made the best kaymak, which I loved to place on freshly baked bread. Now I am alone on this farm with my animals, a few chickens, three pigs, and two cows. My daughter tries to visit me when she can, but I usually have to be satisfied with her phone calls. She always brings some food I can warm up in the oven and remarks at how thin I’ve gotten since Mamma died. Indeed, as I look down at my hands, made wide from years of hard physical work, I see how thin the skin has become. I will need to gather strength in order to harvest the hay.
Today I had some visitors. Why God had blessed me with visitors today, I’m not quite sure. After showing them my barn and summer kitchen, we entered my house. I felt so ashamed that I didn’t even have some rakiya to offer these guests to drink. They just repeated that they wanted to hear about my farm and me. I showed them photos of my wedding, a picture of me as a young boy, and my parents as well. After I explained that the certificate on the wall was for my service as a chetnik fighter in WWII, they insisted that I stand next to it and be photographed. Before they left, one of the American visitors gave me a strange blue cap and insisted that I try it on. It was much too big and not nearly as comfortable as my trusty old shajkaca. Once again, tears streamed down my eyes. I wished I had something to give these kind visitors. Now they too are gone, exploring more of rural Serbia. I hope my daughter calls tonight, for I can’t wait to tell her about my American guests.

Artwork available for sale. 
Blank greeting cards can be purchased at Zazzle

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