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| This is what a few Russian Lacquer Boxes look like. | This is a picture of the box that was given to President Bush by Putin when President Bush was in Russia May 25, 2002 |
Tom's Trip to Russia
Tom got back from Russia Saturday afternoon, June 1, 2002, after a 13 hr. flight. He is so excited--just like a teenager who got to spend time with their favorite movie star! The tour (6) spent 10 days in Russia and he has story after story about their experiences. They got to go to museums for the Russian Lacquer Boxes, got to meet the artists, and have meals in their homes.
Most of the villages are way back into the hinterland--a 6 to 8 hour drive on rough roads. The villages have dirt roads and most of the homes are small and compact. They are very poor by American Standards.They live very simply. They were very friendly and would have given the shirt off their backs. They are very warm and friendly people and a pleasure to be with. They treated Tom like a dignitary--and, of course, he loved it.
The hotels in Moscow were nice and the city is beautiful, but the "hotels" in the villages, if they had one, were run down with no heat or hot water or even toilet seats.
Tom doesn't drink but he had to chug 3 Vodkas one afternoon as they toasted whatever they could think of. He tried sipping, but they wouldn't allow it. He survived!
They talked about religion and found that the Russians for the most part, especially in the villages, were Christian and were amazed to find so may similarities with the Americans.
Tom got to buy boxes straight from the factories and straight from the artists, and got to see their personal collections. For a collector of Russian Lacquer Boxes, that was a dream come true. He is ready to go back next year!
Tom was given, by the artist who painted the box, a picture of the box that was presented to President Bush by Putin the very next day. See a picture of this box at www.treadleart.com.
Tom did send me one e-mail while he was gone but I deleted without reading it because the subject line said "Feeling fine and in great shape" and had a strange return address. Porno? :-)
Tom really liked their food. He said their potatoes are to die for, very buttery tasting. They had unusual food and desserts but everything was good. They used the shish-ka-bob a lot.
Tom brought me a doll called a Baba Yaga. She is a character in their fairy tales with a big nose--sort of like our Halloween witch. She is cloth and hand made.
He also brought some lapel pins that are intricate scenes hand painted. He only paid $10 for each of them. We have some lucky friends getting these. I wish he could have brought more, but they only had 8. Behind all the beautiful art, they had embedded a safety pin!
He also brought one of the papier mache' boxes that would be ready to go to the artists to paint. They are made of some kind of pressed cardboard and are very hard.
The trip was very intense and physically demanding. Everything was up and down steps, doorways had "surprise" boards up and down, they had to walk to and from many places in the villages since there is no transportation. Beds and bathrooms were a real trial. The paths were strewn with foliage so they wouldn't get muddy. He said it was an experience of a lifetime.
You can see more pictures of the Russian Lacquer boxes at http://www.sunbirds.com
For more Russian Lacquer Box Art see:
http://catalog.instaplanet.com/
TREADLEART, 25834 Narbonne Ave, Lomita, CA 90717
310-534-5122 - e-mail treadleart@treadleart.com
1-877-570-8083 toll free FAX number.