Comments on: Life Is Beautiful and I Have Proof

By: Alyson Stanfield

Wed, 08 Aug 2018 14:54:33 +0000

Thanks for reading, Leona.

]]>

By: Leona Dillon

Tue, 07 Aug 2018 19:29:38 +0000

There is something so magical with art whether creating it or viewing it. It awakens all our senses, questions our Being, there is more to life and living. It is going to another place mentally and emotionally. Thank you so much for sharing your experience.

]]>

By: Alyson Stanfield

Mon, 23 Oct 2017 16:46:23 +0000

In reply to Annehilda Wright.

This is beautiful, Annehilda.

]]>

By: Annehilda Wright

Sat, 21 Oct 2017 07:09:34 +0000

I did so enjoy the story you told and can relate to how you feel about humanity as it is today. I have found more often than not it’s a matter of one’s attitude towards others. I belong to an artists’ group and we’re all very sensitive and a little crazy but the thing that gets me emotional is the love and care, encouragement and support we all have for each other and that, in particular, love is a very powerful commodity.

]]>

By: Alex

Tue, 06 Jun 2017 17:39:10 +0000

It’s nice to read about moments like these where the worry of a lacking relationship between artist and observer (and the docents of course) disappears. In my opinion, the interest in art and the willingness to interpret art pieces is rather a role one can take than a matter of intelli-gence. It’s not like people are too dumb to “get it”, but more a confusion when being asked what to think of an art piece. Where can one start? I think a certain mindset needs to be es-tablished, a rule of thumb when critiquing art to clear out confusion. Your husband is a good example, he sure is smart and emotions don’t require intellect, but he probably couldn’t con-nect to this scenario like you did, because linking all these factors requires a different (contex-tual/analytical) mindset.
I can’t list how many times I was touched by music and feeling conformity between me and an artist. I like to think of Jacques-Louis David’s “The Death of Marat” as an aesthetic repre-sentation of life’s beauty within suffering. After questioning many times why Marat would smile after being stabbed in his bathtub, spilling blood and coloring the water red, I thought of his last moments as a rush before confronting death. Enjoying the remaining moments of his life once again so intensely that no amount of suffering could surpass his enjoyment. The in-tense feelings that come with that thought and the aesthetics of the painting make it an all-time favorite for me.
Another experience I had was when listening to “Deathconsciousness” by Have A Nice Life, which fittingly featured “The Death of Marat” as its album cover. As a listener, I was taken through so many forms of beauty by calm, chilling, nerve-wrecking and noisy sounds, being surprised on how many ways of delivering emotions there were. Combined with my previous-ly crafted love for this painting and the contextual link between these two arts, I just was satis-fied and filled with love and passion beyond belief. A moment consisting of art pieces which would just fit together that good.
I sure wasn’t “intelligent” enough to experience this beauty but rather passionate enough to find these links and meanings with ways of analyzing art that’s beyond basic observation for myself. When confronting art, everyone must find a different way of how to approach mean-ing when wanting to discover the beauty within the meaning. The beauty in the link you were able to find between the artists, the passionate and the interested probably was a little art piece by life itself which you were able to interpret by your way of approach.

]]>

By: Marta Brysha

Mon, 05 Jun 2017 23:50:56 +0000

Your husband should have touched the Richard Serra – his work is meant to be touched. In fact, in MOMA there is a work of his on the floor which is meant to be walked on as you explore it. It’s kind of funny watching people avoid stepping on it, even though there is a sign inviting people to walk on it!

Re the docent experience, I accidentally had one of my own.

I was at The Met at an exhibition of embroidery and textile through the ages. There was a magnificent large piece of Chinese double sided embroidery. While I was looking at it there were a couple of women wondering how it was done, especially as the embroidery on each side appeared to be in different colours. This is an area I know a lot about, so I told them that these embroideries are created with one embroiderer standing on each side of the work who pass the needle back and forth to each other. The reason why they thought the threads were different colours was due not to the thread, but to the different colours of the background fabric. I then gave them a quick and concise lesson on colour theory a la Joseph Albers. On the tail end of the conversation another group of people came up who, similarly fascinated, asked me if I could repeat what I had said to the other people.

The next question: do you work here? Ah, no, I’m just a punter like you.
How do you know so much about this stuff? I think I said: long time held interest of mine, but I could just as easily have said, “book learnin'”! 😉

]]>

By: RamPach

Sun, 04 Jun 2017 16:21:57 +0000

Every one has a gift, if you don’t find it, what is the purpose of having it.

]]>

By: Stephanie Berry

Wed, 31 May 2017 14:54:11 +0000

The right docent is invaluable. Because we live in Maine, we’ve made a few trips to the Olson House where Andrew Wyeth painted so many of his amazing works. The first time we went they didn’t have docents but more recently they have. They DO open your eyes to so much more and enhance the experience tremendously.

]]>

By: Sue Sehr

Wed, 31 May 2017 13:53:22 +0000

I once had an experience of going to the Seattle Art Museum with an art historian from the U.K. He went through the exhibit and selected 12 works of art. He then took our small group of 6, who were his students through the museum. He stopped at the selected paintings and lectured on each painting. The man in the Rothko photographs remind me of my instructor and his enthusiasm. The museum guards followed us, seemingly at first, to be sure he did not touch the paintings. As we progressed through the exhibit it became clear they were as mesmerized as we, his students were. At one point I turned around and there were about 30 people who had joined our group.
How I wish art history was taught this way all the time. It was unforgettable for all of us I am sure.

]]>

By: Michelle Andres

Tue, 30 May 2017 15:18:06 +0000

I’m so glad you had this experience and wrote about it. Yes, art is a powerful way to share our “common thread of humanity,” and I use that fact in my work. Arts education is an invaluable tool to bring people to this conversation. I urge everyone to support arts education, both in our schools and in the public. Talk about art, invite conversation, educate, so we may all experience it’s healing power together. Thank you, Alyson…Bravo!!! Life is, indeed, beautiful!

]]>