On Tuesday, June 3rd 2008, The Supreme Court of Ohio hosted a Reception, titled “Ohio: The Law, the Land and the People”, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. to acknowledge and celebrate the contributors and contemporary artists whose work is at the Ohio Judicial Center. In a statement issued by the Public Information Office of The Supreme Court of Ohio,

“The Reception marked the official launch of an effort to raise awareness of the art, and thank the collection’s benefactors.”

Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer invited me to make comments on behalf of the artists as a part of the planned activities for the event. I arrived at 4:30 p.m. and met several of the contemporary artists who have work in the Supreme Court Building. We each posed for a photograph with Chief Justice Moyer in the Courtroom.

The actual Reception began with remarks by Chief Justice Moyer who spoke of the importance of public art. In a press release prepared by the Public Information Office of The Supreme Court of Ohio, Chief Justice Moyer made the following statement:

“Since moving into the Ohio Judicial Center four years ago, the court has acquired a large collection of new public art that reflects the work of the judiciary, and builds on the impressive existing collection of original art throughout the refurbished building. This collection further joins two disciplines that on their face may appear quite different, art and law, but at their roots are aimed at the same goal, finding truth.”

I spoke after he gave his remarks, and I spoke of the value of public art, and I acknowledged the contribution of the many contemporary artists who have created work for the Ohio Judicial Center. I was also invited to offer a few brief comments for the press release and I made the following statement:

“Speaking on behalf of the many talented artists who have created work for the Ohio Judicial Center, we are thankful for the opportunity that was given to us to help celebrate this historical building, and add to its beauty and aesthetics. It is our hope that our artwork, which depicts the rich heritage of the state of Ohio, will bring joy and inspiration to all who visit the Ohio Judicial Center.”

Following our speeches, guests enjoyed catered hors d’oeuvres and beverages in the Grand Concourse, and the self-guided tours began. The areas of the building open to guests for the evening included the 1st floor, the Visitor Education Center, the area that includes the reflecting pools, and several additional areas of the building where artwork is on display.

The contemporary artists who were honored include the following individuals: Ron Anderson, Dale Chihuly (with Lino Tagliapietra & Ben Moore), Malcolm Cochran, Debra Dawson, Paul Emory, Paul Hamilton, Nicholas Hill, Frank Hunter, M. Katharine Hurley, Katherine Kadish, Kojo Kamau, Joe Lombardo, Abdi Roble, Aminah Robinson, Rudolph Scheffler, Andrew F. Scott, and Rebecca Taft. The event was well-attended with approximately 250 or so guests in attendance.

The contributors were acknowledged early in the evening by Chief Justice Moyer, and include: Sheldon Taft, Denny Ramey of the Ohio State Bar Association, Linda Thompson Kohli of the Ohio State Bar Foundation, James O’Donnell who is a photographer, William Laidlaw, and Justice Herb Brown.

The Public Information Office of The Supreme Court of Ohio issued the following statement as a part of their press release:

“The collection includes more than 160 pieces of contemporary art and historic maps dating to the mid-17th century. Many of the pieces depict Ohio subjects from Hocking Hills landscapes to portraits of past Supreme Court Justices to photographs of Ohio’s 88 county courthouses.

The artwork reinforces the art and architecture of the former 1930′s-era Ohio Departments Building that was restored and opened in 2004 as the first building in the state’s history devoted solely to the judicial branch. Some of this original art includes murals, relief sculptures and mosaics depicting scenes and people from Ohio history, important Ohio industries and other subjects.”

Much of the art housed in the Ohio Judicial Center, was made possible by the support of the Ohio State Bar Association, The Ohio State Bar Foundation, and other art patrons. The printed program that was made available to all guests includes the following comments in the “Introduction & Welcome” section:

“:Both the law and art are fundamentally aimed at bringing order from disorder. The law does this for society, forming the very bedrock of civilization. Art does this in the physical realm, forming the basis of beauty:”All religions, arts, and sciences are branches of the same tree,” Albert Einstein once said. “All these aspirations are directed toward ennobling man’s life, lifting it from the sphere of mere physical existence and leading the individual towards freedom:”

I attended this event with my wife and business partner, Robin Anderson. Robin worked closely with the Court Relations Program Manager to prepare my personal guest list, and to provide additional administrative support. We invited several of my art patrons, and a good number of people from the arts community to attend the Reception.

We both remarked at the close of the evening how pleased we were to have had the opportunity to speak informally at such an outstanding event, with representatives from the Columbus Museum of Art, the Wexner Center for the Arts, The King Arts Complex, several local arts galleries, The O.S.U. Faculty Club, Experience Columbus, The German Village Society, Greater Columbus Arts Council, Ohio Arts Council, and to speak with many of my fellow artists and art patrons.

My artwork consists of six, 4-by-8-foot oil paintings that depict the evolution of law in Western civilization. The paintings are on the 11th floor in the Rule of Law Gallery, and the series is entitled “The History of the Rule of Law“. The artwork was commissioned by the Ohio State Bar Association, and is on permanent loan to the Supreme Court of Ohio.

Robin and I spent the last hour of the evening on the 11th floor, speaking with guests who came to view my oil paintings. I always enjoy sharing my artwork with the community, and it is a pleasure to hear questions about my paintings, and to share information about the artwork.

We also had the good fortune to meet two gentlemen from a local art gallery who invited me to exhibit several of my German Village plein air landscapes in a current exhibit at the Columbus Historical Society’s Gallery.

It was an extraordinary evening and I do feel that events of this nature that bring artists and art lovers together benefit all. I look forward to many more events of this type. There is an increased focus on the arts in Ohio, and I would love to see many more Receptions in our future to celebrate the artwork of our many talented local artists.

Jack London died at the age of forty. In this autobiographical work, London describes his life as seen through the eyes of John Barleycorn (alcohol). There is much controversy about the cause of his death just as there is about alcoholism and addiction. London’s brutally frank and honest analysis of his own struggles and bouts with alcohol was way before its time and more modern theories of addiction. With remarkable candor and insight, London describes the demons and gods he encountered through both friend and enemy, John Barleycorn.
(Summary by Peter Kelleher)

• Gutenberg e-text 318
• Wikipedia – Jack London
• Wikipedia – John Barleycorn
• Wikipedia – Jack London Autobiographical Memoirs
• LibriVox’s John Barleycorn or Alcoholic Memoirs Internet Archive page
• Zip file of the entire book 280.3MB

This book is a tribute to a young family member of hers who passed away way too early.

http://www.audiobookss.com/free/PB-QuestforFreedom-promo.mp3

Kidnapped. Enslaved. Trapped on an unfamiliar world far from home and forced to work in deadly conditions. Fifteen-year-old Janai, a healer’s apprentice, escapes her captors and volunteers to lead others to freedom. Will she succeed? Or is the free-zone merely a fanciful story spread by desperate children? Janai risks her life to find out.

This novel contains violence and mild sexual content.

http://www.audiobookss.com/free/minotaur.mp3

This is an exciting story of a duel between a monster and a man which took place in a dark underground labyrinth. It also has touch of a romance and the bitter after-taste of a betrayal. A little history about about King Minos of Crete is woven into the story.

Read by Natasha. Duration 16 Minutes.

A long time ago – almost before history began – King Minos ruled the lovely island of Crete. The father of Minos was none other than Zeus, lord of all the gods, and he made sure that his son’s wealth and power only grew and grew.

Minos built a navy, and his ships sailed far and wide, bringing back goods, taxes, and something even more important than those – knowledge. For instance, when Minos wanted to build a palace that would strike awe and wonder into all who laid eyes on it, he asked his sea captain :

‘Of all the palaces you have seen, on all your travels over the seas, which was the most magnificent?’
And the sea captain replied:

‘Your majesty, the palace of Aegeus , King of Athens, surpasses all others for its beauty and grace. It was designed by Deadalus and the Athenians boast that he is the most brilliant architect who has ever lived.’

When he heard this, King Minos ordered the sea captain to fetch Deadalus to Crete. The sea captain sailed to Athens and told King Aegeus that Minos had need of his chief architect – and as Minos was the most powerful leader of those times, King Aegeus could not deny him his wish.

And so Daedalus brought his knowledge and great skill to Crete, and there he designed a wonderful palace for Minos. It was built on three floors, which was very high for buildings of those days, and the bathrooms and kitchens had plumbing that was far ahead of the times. Everywhere you went inside, you saw the double headed axe of King Minos which was his symbol of power. Upstairs, the walls were covered with bright pictures of dances and festivities. On them, you could see the young men and women of Crete leaping over the horns of bulls. It a dangerous sport indeed, but the Cretens loved to show off their skill and bravery.

The happiness of Minos was almost complete – there was but one sadness in his life. His wife gave birth to a child that was strange and unnatural. Although its face was human, it walked on four feet with hooves. Horns came out of its head, and in time it grew into a terrible monster – half man, half bull. When it bellowed the whole land of Crete shook, the walls of the palace trembled, and there were storms at sea. The people gossiped about his strange child of the King, whom they called the Minotaur. Minos wanted to have it killed, but he thought the gods would be angry with him if he killed his own son. Instead he ordered Daedalus to build a maze, known as a labyrinth, where the Minotaur could live out of sight and out of mind.

Daedalus built a Labyrinth underground that was so intricate and cunning in its design, that even he himself had trouble finding the way out.

The Minotaur agreed to live in the Labyrinth, but he demanded that human beings be sent into his maze at regular intervals, otherwise he would rage with hunger even until the walls of the palace fell down. And so Minos ordered the kings of the nearby lands to send ships full of their young people to sacrifice to the Minotaur. Every ninth year it was the turn of Athens to send its human tribute to Crete. Twice, King Aegeus agreed to this – for he was still afraid of Minos and the power of his navy – but on the third occasion, his son, Prince Theseus said to him:

‘Father, this time, let me sail to Crete, and I shall kill the Minotaur and end this misery for our people. ‘
Aegeus was very reluctant to send his beloved son to chance his life against the Minotaur but, as he could see no other way out of the terrible situation for his people, he agreed.

It was decided that the ship of Theseus would carry two sets of sails. If the mission was successful, it would return to Athens under white sails, but if Theseus was killed by the Minotaur, it would sail back under black sails. That way, the people of Athens would receive the news of the outcome all the sooner.

Prince Theseus sailed to Crete and stayed with King Minos in his magnificent palace. There, on occasion, he caught sight of Princess Ariadne, the lovely daughter of King Minos. When Ariadne saw Theseus she felt great pity for him.

‘Certainly, he looks very nice,’ she thought, ‘But what a shame that his life is about to end so soon and so terribly ! For even if he succeeds in killing the Minotaur, he will never find his way out of the dark and winding Labyrinth.’

And when Theseus saw Ariadne he thought:

‘Surely the King’s own daughter knows some of his secrets. If only she could be persuaded to help me, I might stand a better chance of killing the Minotaur and escaping from the Labyrinth with my life.’
One day, when for a very short time Theseus found himself alone with Ariadne, he went down on his knees and begged her for any help that she could give him.

Ariadne promised to do what she could, and that evening she asked the advice of Daedalus, for if anyone knew the way out of the maze, it would surely be its architect. Daedalus too wanted to help Theseus – for they were both from the City of Athens. And so he gave Ariadne his secret plan of the Labyrinth – but she was dismayed when she examined it and saw the numerous twists and turns in the underground passage-ways. Even with a map it would be impossible to find one’s way through such a maze.

Later on, she found Theseus walking alone in the gardens, and she gave him the map. When he unfurled the map and saw its complexity he said:

‘Oh Princess. I trust in my courage and my skill with my spear and my sword, but doubt that I shall ever find my way out of a maze such as this.’

But Ariadne had thought of a second way to help Theseus. She gave him a ball of thread, and told him to unwind it as he went through the dark Labyrinth. And on the way back he should gather the wool up, and follow it back to the daylight.

Theseus was pleased with the plan, and he kissed the hand of the princess, thanking her for all her help. The next day he said to King Minos.

‘You majesty. I have been honoured to be your guest for one whole week. Now I am ready to complete my mission, and meet either death or glory.’

King Minos would have been happy for the foreign prince to rid him of the Minotaur – but he thought he stood little chance. He led Theseus to the entrance to the Labyrinth and wished him goodbye, for he never expected to see him again. Then Theseus ventured into the maze, and a little way in, he tied one end of the ball of thread a beam. He went further, and soon he was in complete darkness. He had to feel his way along the walls, and around the twists and turns of the Labyrinth. All the while he unwound the ball of wool that Ariadne had given him. Somewhere, deep inside, the bull was stamping and snorting, impatient to meet its latest sacrifice.

At last, deep within, Theseus could hear that the Minataur was close by. He found a passageway that led to a dead end – as many of them did – but what made this one different was that there was a sudden turning just before the end. He had seen this passage on the map, and it was just the place he was looking for.

Theseus hid himself around this final twist and called out to the Minataur – it heard him and came charging down the passage – but it could not slow down before the turning and charged straight into the wall. While it was still stunned from the impact, Theseus thrust his spear into the beast’s neck and killed it – though it did not let up its life before letting out a terrible bellow. The the walls of the palace shook and trembled, and King Minos said:

‘Thank Zeus ! It seems that Prince Theseus has rid us of the terrible monster. But he will never find is way out of the Labyrinth and will surely die there.’

But Theseus began to gather up the ball of thread, until at last he reached the exit where Ariadne was eagerly waiting for him.

‘Princess, how can I thank you,’ said Theseus, ‘For without your help I would never have found my way out of that terrible place.’

And Ariadne replied :

‘Take me back to Athens with you, and I shall be your bride.’

Now these were far from the words that Theseus had been hoping to hear. For although Ariadne was extremely beautiful, he was due to marry a different Princess his return to Athens. But he could not quite find the words to explain this to Ariadne, and so he replied in haste:

‘Come: we must leave right away before your father discovers the truth.’

And leading her by the hand he led her down to his ship that was ready and waiting.

They set sail immediately for Athens, and in her heart Ariadne was overjoyed because she would soon marry her hero – or so she believed. But he had different plans. On the way back, they stopped at the island of Naxos to gather supplies. Ariadne walked to the end of the beach, paddling in the waves, and Theseus told the sea captain to set sail as fast as he could. Poor Ariadne was marooned on the island of Naxos, abandoned by her faithless lover. She stood high up on the cliffs and watched his sail disappear over the horizon. As she shed bitter tears, Bachuus the god of wine heard her weeping and decided to cheer her as best he could. He led his procession to her – wild animals and dancing servants, banging on drums and sounding trumpets. He took her crown from her head, and cast it up into the sky – it soared up to the heavens and its jewels turned into stars and formed a constellation in the shape of a crown.

As Theseus sailed away, he was laughing with the sea captain about the trick they had played. But Poseidon, the god of the seas heard them and was angry with Theseus for his betrayal of the princess. He sent a storm to toss his ship. The white sales were ripped and torn and fell into the raging seas. The ship survived the storm, but the captain was forced to repair his ship and use the second set of sails – the black ones that were meant to signal failure.

As they approached Athens, they were spotted by fishermen who raced back home to report the dreaded news.
The ship of Theseus, the hope of Athens, was returning under black sails. When this news reached the ears of the old king he ordered his chariot to take him down the harbour to see the ship return. When he saw that it was indeed returning under black sails, he was filled with uncontrollable grief and threw himself from the top of the harbour tower and into the sea where he drowned.

And that is the story of how Theseus betrayed Ariadne who had helped him escape death in the Labyrinth of the Minataur.

Bertie says that if you ever visit the National Gallery in London, you can see a famous picture of Ariadne and Baccus on the island of Naxos – it’s by an Italian painter called Titian.

And that was not quite the end of the tale, because there is another story about what happened to Daedalus, the architect of the famous Labarynth. Bertie says it’s a much shorter story, but it’s a good one, with a moral to it.