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Marijana - Seasons and Holidays

Marijana - My People's Painter exhibit

Seasons

There are always paintings being painted in my mind.  I love the change of seasons.  After the passing of some years I must paint the four seasons in a different way,but its always Strawberry Hill—Marijana Grisnik

This online exhibit includes general paintings of the seasons and the holidays within and two of Marijana's series paintings.  One is in the shape of the hill and the other is in a basket.  Each contains many details so be sure to look at the images carefully.

 

Winter Season

It is obvious that Marijana's favorite season is winter. 

 

Cats and snowman

Marijana and Friends

I love cats and snowmen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grandma in Winter on Strawberry Hill

WinterStrawberry Hill

Grandma with Christmas bread and decorated tree.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Winter on Strawberry Hill (basket series)

Winter (Basket series)

Marijana has painted many events that take place in winter into this basket.  Study it closely and see how many you can identify.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Houses blanketed in snow

Going Home

Neighbors walking home during a cold snow storm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shoveling the snow from the sidewalks

Shoveling Snow

These houses were on Third and Barnett.  Everyone kept the sidewalks clean.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Winter on Strawberry Hill

House on Strawberry Hill

Looking outside at everyone having fun in the snow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The children of Strawberry Hill playing in the snow

After the Big Snow

The Zupanac house was on Fourth Street.  Children came to play in the snow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sledding

Sledding

The people from the street department set up barriers and smudge pots on the top of the Hill on Thompson Street.  The children sledded down, but had a long walk up.

 

 

 

 

 

"Let it snow."

Snow, Snow, Snow

Coming home after sledding.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Winter storm is ending

Winter Storm Is Ending

A cat sits on the railing on Mrs. Plesa's porch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Painting titled Winter Evening with snow covering the Strawberry Hill neighborhood.Winter Evening

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring Season

Spring on Strawberry Hill

SpringStrawberry Hill

Grandpa is watering his garden.  Macka, my cat, who sat under my easel for many years while I was painting, passed of old age while I was doing this painting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring on the Hill (basket series)

Spring (Basket Series)

See how many details you can identify in this basket.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summer Season

Summer on Strawberry Hill

 

SummerStrawberry Hill

Mother and child with flowers and chicken.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summer on Strawberry Hill (Basket Series)

Summer (Basket Series)

Look for the games children are playing and the various kinds of work the women are doing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Autumn Season

 

Autumn on Strawberry Hill

AutumnStrawberry Hill

Father with his tamburitza bass and wine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Autumn on the Hill (Basket Series)

Autumn (Basket Series)

Why is the woman upset with the man burning leaves?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Raking leaves

Raking leaves

Everyone raked leaves in the autumn. The old people always said,  "Those aren't our leaves."

 

 

 

 

 

Holidays on Strawberry Hill

Winter

St. Lucy's Day

A tradition carried from the old country was St. Lucy's Day, December 14.  This marked the end of the old year and the beginning of the New Year on Strawberry Hill.  On this day the women put grain into a saucer and watered it.  If the wheat grew well by Christmas it meant that your family would have health and prosperity in the new year.  If the wheat did not grow you were going to have misfortune in the coming year.

 

Christmas Traditions

 

Christmas foods

WinterStrawberry Hill

The traditional foods of the season are Christmas bread (Bo?i?njàk), Sweet nut bread (povitica), fried cookie (pohanse), dressing (nadjev), sausage (kobasica), cabbage rolls (sarma), and plum brandy (sljivovica).

This painting of winter on the Hill shows some of the traditions related to Strawberry Hill.  The church is in the honored place at the top of the Hill.  The houses are nestled in a blanket of snow.  Grandma is sitting at the table.  The wheat she planted on St. Lucy's Day is on the left of the table.  It is growing well indicating the family will have a prosperous new year.

 

Buying the family Christmas tree

Buying Our Christmas Tree

Christmas trees were sold at Jaksa Yarmek's grocery store on Fourth Street.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bringing home the Christmas tree

Bringing Home the Christmas Tree

Everyone had a small decorated tree in their home at Christmas.

 

 

 

 

 

Marijana's House on Christmas Eve

Our House on Christmas Eve

Neighbors coming to visit and bring gifts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Santa Claus is coming

Santa Claus Is Coming

The children inside the warm houses on the Hill are dreaming of Santa.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Opening gifts on Christmas morning

Christmas Gifts

The family opens gifts on Christmas morning.

 

 

 

 

 

Spring

Easter Celebrations

 

Easter foods for Holy Saturday

Easter Table

Traditional foods women take to Saint John's Church to be blessed (Blagoslov) on Holy Saturday.

 

 

 

 

 

Going to Church in Easter Hats

Going to Church in Easter Hats

Barnett Street across from the church.  The old widow--the young girl (Marijana), Mother, and little sisters (JoAnn and Barbara) are going to church in new Easter hats.

 

 

Summer

Fourth of July Celebration

 

Samskey's Barber Shop on the 4th of July

Samskeys' Barbershop

The barbershop was always busy.  On the 4th of July the children had fun with small fire crackers, snakes, and caps in toy guns.

 

 

 

 

Autumn

Halloween—Trick or Treating

 

Halloween on the Hill

Halloween on the Hill

Trick or treat on Fourth Street.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Masquerading on the Hill

Maskare (Masquerade) on Strawberry Hill

The children made their costumes from an old sheet, Mother's dress with a mop for hair, Grandpas old suit, or underwear stuffed with a pillow.

 

(Select each painting to see a larger view. The words in italics are directly from Marijana.)

 

 

 

 

 

  1. Introduction
  2. Traditions of the Old Land
  3. Marijana's Childhood
  4. Women of Strawberry Hill
  5. Business and Homes of Strawberry Hill
  6. Religious Influence
  7. Seasons and Holidays on the Hill
  8. Ending