Lucy Nemics

Lucy Nemics whilst studying ideas! Photo by Nigel A JAMES

 Lucy Nemics

A Propeller Powered Dream!

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When Lucy Nemics was young she was young, and, in 1937 whilst at primary school in Vienna she went on a school-trip with a difference. It was exciting, unique, a little bit scary, and an experience that has always stayed with her. It was up in the air, it was fun, and all part of the system.

Air travel was young in those days, and the Viennese city council in their wisdom had decided that these super new silver machines of the sky could be usefully used for more than just getting around in the sky, and, so it was agreed that air-travel should be air-education as well. And that's why, one day in July, Lucy found herself on the way to the airfield!

And she remembers it well. The sky was blue, it was hot and just right for flying. There was a chorus of unstoppable childish excitement on the Post bus that had been hired to take the children out to to Aspern where the airfield was, and the children were dressed in their very best Sunday best for this very special occasion.

And there was the plane. It was a Junkers. It was big, powerful, impressive, solid and, not only waiting to fly, but waiting for the children as well! And then, on board came the taste and feel of the best and most luxurious way to travel. This was the future and every child's dream, and for Lucy and her class it had come true!

And the dream, at first slowly and then after gathering speed took off. The children were thrilled and enjoyed a splendid summer view of Vienna. And, in the half an hour or so that they were up in the air they learned much about their capital city. The city council had been right, a bird's eye view is a great way to learn and lots of fun, too!

But, Lucy remembers the brown paper bag! Before boarding, every child was given one. And it wasn't full of sandwiches – it was empty! It was for emergencies, it was the so-called “just-in-case bag”, and, thankfully nobody needed to use theirs. And Lucy also looks back upon the seats. It wasn't so much because of their size and comfort, but more, because they had no seat belts at-all! In those days they were not even thought about! That was in 1937, the year that Lucy went up in a plane with her class! A ride and a time she will never forget!

Picture Post

This is where hundreds of people used to earn thier

living - Vienna - January 2014

This market still has one more hour before opening!
Vienna - 2014

On the way to school!  A father helping his daughter with

her homework.  She had forgotten to do it the night before!

He was "not ammused".   Vienna - January - 2014

Vienna's famous Ring!  A Friday at 10.am. January 2014

Derelict waiting!  Vienna -January 2013

All photos by Nigel A JAMES

www.diarieye.blogspot.com

Bianca Gadnik

Bianca Gadnik by Nigel A JAMES

Softly New Looking

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There's a certain freshness about someone who's just started out on their journey through life. And, it's even better when the person concerned is able to direct her own individual talent in a direction that speaks only from her. And one such young lady is the Viennese photographer Bianca Gadnik.

Her pictures, in their soft Austrian way contain not just a blend of pure human form, but also the right shades of colour which go from the heights of pure light to the depths of natural black! And, not only that! Her works also fully include the feelings of those in the picture. And, this is her secret! Her pictures are not only unique, but, more importantly, avant-garde, too. And, they have been coming for a very long time!

When she was just six years old her mother gave her a very simple camera. And Bianca did more than just play. Her very early shots were not cheese, they were, instead, clear indicators of the force of creativity that was growing within her. And this was her way, and not the well set path of uniform oneness. And, brushes, too, were part of her route to where she is now.

Being the daughter of the artist Brigitte Gadnik- Jiskra, Bianca's early influences were not those of conventionality, they were instead, paints, colour and paper. And, so it was that her gifts of seeing, retrieving and expression were able to grow and develop and come to fruition as a student of graphic arts. And, it is from art school that has recently graduated as a class A photographer. And, thankfully, her works are not staying hidden!

Starting this week on Tuesday the 21^st of January at 18.30 is an exhibition of Bianca's work at the VHS in Hietzing in Vienna. This exhibition will not only provide a valuable opportunity of seeing some of her work, but also the chance of getting to know her personally. And, once known, she will not be forgotten!

The future is hers, and there's something about her photos that realistically suggests that her style with its Viennese freshness will continue to lead and take others along in its wake. The past has now become now, And what we have is something exciting, a new way of looking that' s cutting with beauty by using that which has always been here. Light, colour, people and focus. New eyes are open, and this is simply the start!

Please see VHS for details!

http://www.vhs.at/13-vhs-hietzing.html

Picture Post

Dawning in Vienna - January 2014

Horses Resting or Waiting!  Vienna January 2014

Town Hall - Vienna  - Jamuary 2014

10 am Shadows - Vienna Jamuary 2014

Crossing the Line - Vienna January - 2014

All photos by Nigel A JAMES

www.diarieye.blogspot.com

The Hochsteinalm

Sabine Ammering - photo by Nigel A JAMES

“Brad'l in der Rein”

Sepp and Sabine Ammering and the Hochsteinalm

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The Austrian mountains are full of surprises, and the best ones of all are the ones reached by ways of expected suspense. It was just after Christmas. We were a small group of 5, and the sometimes hard - and sometimes easy - one hour upward winding trek through the cold winter darkening forest provided just the right feeling of thrill for where we were going. And the magic arrived at a turn in the forest!

By now we had switched on our torches and lamps. The darkness was total, and the going, because of ice under foot was slow and we had to be careful. But then came the lights of a hut! Like welcoming beacons, they were shining out from the darkness and calling us on! And there was our goal, the Hochsteinalm and its hut - and only ten more minutes to go. And, thanks to the trek and the cold mountain air we were hungry. And it was worth every step!

One can only reach the Hochsteinalm by foot, and this is its charm. Being away from the smell and the noise of everyday life it has all that everyone needs. There is the peace of the forest, there is the calm of the silence, and, at the hut there is food! And this is sensational!

Whilst Sepp Ammering the land-lord was busying himself with his guests, his wife Sabina whose mother was a cook before her was creating incredible food in the kitchen. And, that which we chose was sensational. It was a typical Upper-Austrian dish called “Brad'l in der Rein” which roughly translated means pork, potatoe dumplings, and cabbage all roasted together in the same dish in the oven. A dish just right for the fine cosy atmosphere of this hut. Of course, there isn't only roast pork, there are other things too, but, whatever your choice, everything is good, and the Schnaps that round off the evening are just the right thing for the going back down the mountain. And, here, too, there's a choice. If there's enough snow you can either go down by sledge or carefully walk, and, if you're too tired or simply too lazy, there are comfortable rooms to be had, too.

But, of course, there's much more to the Hochsteinalm than just fine mountain food on cold winter nights. It's not only a wonderful place for hiking in summer, it's also home to an assorted menagerie of interesting animals. It has something for everyone and especially for children. For them there's something behind every tree! The Hochsteinalm near Gmunden and Traunkirchen in Upper Austria is a great place to go! Maybe, one day we'll meet on the Alm!

Brad'l in der Rein - by Nigel A JAMES

For more details,- www.hochsteinalm.at

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Picture Post

(for full size -  please click onto picture)

Mountain track with the Traunstein in the backgound.
Salzkammergut - Austria  - January 2014

Cycling Home - Oberweiss - Salzkammergut

Freddy's Farm House near Oberweiss.

Maxi waiting for dinner at the Hochsteinalm!

Hochsteinalm Tradition!

A Sunny High-up!

All pictures by Nigel A  JAMES

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My Sister Vanessa!

A Flower - by Nigel A JAMES

Invisible Treasures

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I've got three sisters, and the one who lives in Devon in England is a patchwork artist, and, the beauty of her pictures is in the simplicity of their making.

To begin with, Vanessa chooses a piece of flowery material and then cuts it up into lots of different sized patches - and then - so as to make a patchwork picture she sews them all back together again! And the result – as you well can imagine- looks amazingly just like the original piece of material did before she cut it up – which of course poses the question: why bother?

But bother she does because it is art – and art – as we all know - has to be seen to be admired, and to be seen it has to be framed - and this is the job of her husband (my brother-in-law) Mick - and each and every time he manages to find just the right shade of wood for each waiting picture. And sometimes, and very rarely, and quite unbelievably, his frames manage to look even better than the pictures do themselves. And that's life! But of course, the moment that everyone loves and looks forward to is the hanging, and this always takes place on a Sunday.

Everyone is there. The children – the grandchildren - the neighbours – friends and whoever else may be passing – and then against a background of good cheer and loaded expectancy the picture is carried in from the garage where Mick has just finished its framing, and then amidst a great hoo-la-laa it is proudly hung on the living room wall. And the compliments continue until the usual awe inspiring magical moment starts magically happening. The picture – like all of my sister's pictures before – starts vanishing away into nothing.

The wall with its almost identical flowery pattern has swallowed the picture alive, and, all that is left is yet another what appears to be empty frame just hanging on the wall – another invisible artistic gem on the wall of invisible treasures – my sister's living room – the flowery Bermuda triangle of Devon. But, there's good news, too! Once every year in the summer, this trap for fine art gives up one or two of its victims for an afternoon trip to the vicarage! An afternoon-out with a difference! But, of course, this story will have to wait in the wings for a not too distant time in the future.

And my other two sisters! They have stories, too -but they're for much, much later – a time that's waiting and still out of sight!