Magical Muse
Magical and enigmatic - - Nicola’s “Ultimate Muse” !!!
“Differente” JENNY
!
( - - - Jenny’s name for herself! . . . and she was
“different” ! - - -)
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Jenny kiss’d me when we met Jumping from the chair she sat in; - - - - Say I’m weary, say I’m sad, Say that health and wealth have miss’d me, Say I’m growing old, But add - - - Jenny kiss’d me ! Leigh Hunt (1794 – 1859) |
Few people are aware of the “Jenny Factor” in Nicola’s
life
- - - when Jenny came into our lives - - -
she became Nicola’s unique and special
MUSE . . .
and . . . . . HE was her HERO-
- -!
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A “magical” young person . . . with intense “Simbari” eyes, Titian-red hair, and freckles! . . . and an imagination to match Nicola’s !!!
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Inquisitive . . . Independent
- - she was the Challenge we needed . . . !! Born in New York, in a blizzard, she changed our lives forever . . . . . . and we loved it! detail
“Vicoletto”
oil on canvas ©Nicola Simbari |
- - - named ‘Jennifer’ after a song by Donovan “Jennifer Juniper” . . .
why?
It seemed as if he ‘knew her’ . . . “living on a hill” and “sitting
very still” . . .
“What you doing, Jennifer, my love?” . . . this was HER . . . a
“Dreamer”
-
- - with an exciting vision of The World about her - - - !!
When they were together they would tell exciting ‘stories’ about Fairies and Giants and Aliens from outer-space.
. . a character in her ‘stories’ . . . [her favourite ‘stories’ were
from “Pippi Longstockings”..by Astrid Lundgren] . . .
She traveled to
mysterious countries and had ‘special powers’ . . .
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Jenny was always going to be
an Artist . . . but . . . ‘doing’ WHAT !? dancer - - - story telling - - - poet artist - - - painter - - - writing photographer - - - designer acting - - - ice-skater - - - pilot Circus performer - - - Magician - - - the list is long! Poppy Nicola and Jenny - - (otherwise “Pippi Long-stockings”) - - and, of course - - ”Mitzi” Barbie . . . . . . nude!
Grottaferrata
1971-2
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A trip to Japan, in 1971, was magical, for me and for Jenny . . .
memories of
my young childhood, in Japan, prompted me to look here for an ’au pair’
to
join us on our travels . . .
We “adopted” wonderful Hiromi . . . and she took us to Yokohama,
to
meet her
family . . .
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‘worship’ of the Koi fish! in Kobe . . . Hiromi and Jenny
in Yokohama
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Adoring ‘Poppy” Nicola and ‘dolly’ . . . [and Mamma] The Artist at work
Grottaferata 1971
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Any wonder she was ‘different’ ?!!
Always independent and curious about everything, Jenny loved her visit to a Geisha House, where she was treated like a ‘princess’ and dressed in a beautiful kimono . . . and then, ‘home’, via Hawaii . . .
- -
-“blank” was always a constant companion even in Japan ! - - -
As Jenny became more ‘grown up’ . . . “blanket” (or “blank”)
disappeared . . .
but the many travels continued . . .
With ‘Poppy’ - -
to Naples, Capri, the Amalfi Coast - -Venice - - and
Brazil - - Greece or
SanTropez . . . Paris where Poppy had his new
studio and London . . .
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And at home - - -
Jenny spent hours in Nicola’s studio
‘creating master-pieces’ . . which were hung in our villa, with pride !
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Jenny (aged 5) with
her painting “Rainbow” on show in Chicago - - - and
creating “Rainbow in “Poppy’s” (Nicola) beautiful studio in Grottaferrata. . . . . |
Then, at the age of 5, she showed one of her “important” pieces
at Nicola’s Autumn Show! . . . in Chicago!
Chicago - - - - !
Nicola had ‘family’ here . . . so many new “cousins” to meet . . .!
It was all very exciting . . .
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Nicola
and Jenny
spent hours together telling fantastic tales . . .
. . stories of princesses and magic
were favourites, for the young “artist” . . . “Principessa” ©Jennifer Simbari |
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- - - Soon it was off to
Southern Italy (San Lucido – Calabria) with Poppy Nicola to visit “Nonna Rafaella” . . . Nicola’s Grandmother . there was a great “meeting of the minds”, between great-grandmother and great-granddaughter !!
“Jennifer”
oil on canvas ©Nicola Simbari |
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And then came the many visits to - - -
PARIS !
Oh! The excitement !
Nicola’s Studio in Rue
Bonaparte . . . the hustle and bustle of
Boulevard St. Germain . . . La Coupole . . . cafe Duex Magots
- - - sitting and ordering a delicious cake and ice-cream - - -
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or. . . . Les Jardins de
Tuilleries . . . - - - Feeding the fish in the ponds OR going on the double SWINGS and the Roundabout and, sometimes watching . . . ‘Punch and Judy’ . . . an EXTRA-ordinary city!
detail “Jardinsd des Tuilleries” ©Nicola Simbari |
Nicola’s Studio in Rue Bonaparte .
the hustle and bustle of
Boulevard St. Germain . . . La Coupole . . . Cafe Duex Magots
- - - sitting and ordering a delicious cake and ice-cream - - -
and watching everything - -
everybody!
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The Saltimbanchi and Acrobats performing in the open square . .
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. . . watching the ‘world’ go
by . . .
at ‘La Coupole’  Detail from ‘La Coupole’ etching Nicola Simbari |
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Jugglers and Mime Artists, and Magicians
* * *
Then, one Christmas, when
we were in Paris,
The Russian Circus
AND Le Cirque Ancien Grūs
were in “town” !!!!
We became “The Circus Family” - - - ?!
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“La
Famille du Cirque”
oil on canvas ©Nicola Simbari |
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So, Nicola painted ‘the family’ (us) with a Circus background !
As Nicola was preparing his (now) famous CIRCUS Exhibitions,
in Paris,
then New York, Chicago, Palm Beach and Los Angeles
his constant companion and “adviser”
was Jenny . . .
they loved the Acrobats on Horse-back (“Acrobats a Cheval”) . . .
the Tight-rope Walker in her ballerina dress . . . and, of course . . .
The Clowns! . . .
The EXCITEMENT of the “BigTop” . . . Nicola loved it . . . Jenny loved it !  “Acrobats
a Cheval”
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“Clown
au Saxaphone”
bronze statue ©Nicola Simbari  clowns and horses and 
“Danseuse au Cheval”
acrylic on canvas ©Nicola Simbari |
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“L’Ecuyere” Lithograph ©Nicola Simbari |
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Soon Jenny became a
‘sophisticated Gallery ‘goer’ . . . Excited to be ‘invited’ to the Opening of The Crazy Horse Shows in Paris and in New York . . . She knew all the beautiful young dancers by name, and they seemed to enjoy chatting with her . . . ! In her travels, New York and Palm Beach, Florida, were favourites . . . Central Park, to feed the squirrels and the ducks, and visit the zoo . . . Palm Beach was ‘freedom’ to run along the beach and go bicycling . - - - a morning’s ride along Ocean Boulevard, PalmBeach !
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“Lungomare” etching © Nicola Simbari  |
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Jenny ‘in training’ in Grottaferrata,- - - “Boy on a Bicycle” silkscreen print ©Nicola Simbari |
Over the years “Travels with Nicola” took us to Mexico, Brazil and Trinidad, Jamaica . . . Barbados, Nassau and Bermuda . . .
The “Adventures of being the Magical Muse” . . . !
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. . . sitting at a café in
Capri, or Mykonos, or Acapulco with friends . . .
detail of
“La Piazzetta” acrylic on canvas ©Nicola Simbari |
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“Barbados” acrylic on canvas ©Nicola Simbari |
I
see you walking
With ‘blank’ in hand, So wise and yet so young! Your coppered hair Shines in the sun, Your eyes are deep As mountain pools.
With
flashing smile,
You’re with me now, Just as yesterday; You make me laugh When I am low, With teasing, jaunty air.
You
bestow a unique Joy,
Unconditionally. . . Though you’re not here You’re with me still . . . You give your Gifts to me - An Angel by my side!
If
our Paths
Ne’er cross again, ‘Til I depart this Time, I am Rich, Beyond compare, With Memories of You . . .
©Elfrida
2002
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© Elfrida 2010
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