Author:

Posted on

Italian Painter Becomes Hermit

Il Fatto Quotidiano (Italy) offers a report on painter-artist Gabriele, who was a “rising artist.” The article summarizes his artistic life:

“In 2006 Gabriele won the ManinFesto competition at the Villa Manin Contemporary Art Center. In 2008 he was among the seven winners of the Terna 01 award and in 2009 he qualified among the finalists of the second round. Thanks to this recognition he exhibited at the Chelsea Art Museum in New York. He has participated in art fairs in Bologna, Verona, Turin (Artissima), Karlsruhe, and the Pulse in Miami. A canvas of Gabriele appears in the Oscar-winning film La Grande Bellezza by Paolo Sorrentino. His works are part of important public and private collections .”

Then, one day, Gabriele gave it all up — and became a hermit. He became Friar Gabriele (Fra Gabriele) and moved to Romita di Cesi, in the province ofTerni in central Italy. Romita di Cesi was originally a medieval Franciscan hermitage, since long abandoned, only refurbished in 1991 by by its only resident, 83-year old Fra Bernardino. The hermitage today serves as a retreat house. Fra Gagriele lives an eremitic life there but regularlyvhelps Fra Bernardino with chores inthe garden and preparing firewood.

URL: https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2022/04/18/gabriele-era-un-pittore-in-ascesa-poi-e-diventato-un-eremita-una-vita-meditativa-ma-anche-faticosa/6555870/

Posted on

In Search of Guthlac

Current Archaeology offers an article titled “In search of Guthlac, Crowland’s early medieval hermit,” byline “Excavations in Crowland, Lincolnshire, are exploring the remains of a structure that might be linked to an Anglo-Saxon anchorite.”

While Crowland has been traditionally assumed to be Guthlac’s home, a nearby site at the suggestively-named Anchor Church Field is now the subject of archaeological attention, turning up remarkable ceramics and bone, plus evidence of a large structure.

URL: https://the-past.com/news/in-search-of-guthlac-crowlands-early-medieval-hermit/

Posted on

Women Hermits of NYC

An article by Xintiang Wang in a recent issue of The Daily Beast describes women hermits in New York City and around the world, living in congested cities but successfully and contentedly pursuing solitary lives and personal interests. The article title: “Meet the ‘Hermettes’: A Secret Society of Women Who Prefer to Be Left Alone.”

The article mentions The Book of Hermits. The book author exchanged correspondence with the article author, adddressing information about women solitaries in history and psychology. The article captures the eccentric flare and the single-mindedness of the “hermettes.”

URL: https://www.thedailybeast.com/meet-the-hermettes-a-secret-society-of-women-who-prefer-to-be-left-alone

Posted on

Aloneness – PsychologyToday

Three recent essays in Psychology Today constructively addess the subject of aloneness:

1, Choosing to Spend Time Alone;
2. Why Being (Alone) in Nature Is Good for You;
3. How Aloneness Can Lessen Loneliness.
URLs:
1. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/happy-singlehood/202203/choosing-spend-time-alone;
2. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/solitude-in-social-world/202203/why-being-alone-in-nature-is-good-you;
3. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-case-connection/202203/how-aloneness-can-lessen-loneliness

Posted on

Emma Orbach – update

The Independent offers this “Interview with Earth Prophet Emma Orbach.” The interview was conducted via mail, since Emma has no electricity or modern devices. From the interview:

“Over twenty years ago, Emma Orbach made the decision to leave the modern world behind.

She lives in the Welsh woodlands on her own land, at the base of the Preseli Mountains. 

She grew up in a ‘rundown’ castle and attended Oxford University to study Chinese. However, following her intuitive connection with the Earth, she chose to pursue a life entirely without electricity, modern technology, or furniture. 

For her home, she built a Celtic-style round hut from straw bales and horse manure, with a wooden reciprocal frame roof. Instead of electric lights, ovens and heaters, she has a fireplace. She collects fresh water from a stream, grows her own vegetables, keeps goats for milk and uses horses for transport.” …

URL:  https://www.indiependent.co.uk/an-interview-with-earth-prophet-emma-orbach/