Art

It was a cold and windy week, which kept me indoors much of the time. For my book group I read a memoir titled All the Beauty in the World, written by a young man who worked for ten years as a security guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The book is beautifully written, focusing both on the museum and on his experience of working there during a time of grief in his life. His choice to leave a high-powered career with the New Yorker to stand (mostly in silence) among beautiful artworks was an act of resilience. I lost my eyeglasses a week ago, and the 20-year-old pair I have been wearing (with an outdated prescription) made reading challenging, so I listened to much of his story. He was an excellent narrator.

Our book club member who chose this title for us is a docent at the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, Massachusetts. So, instead of meeting at her home to discuss the book, we went on a road trip to the museum. Ellen, our docent, gave us a tour that focused on works of art that included two people. These subjects were engaged with each other in one manner or another, and it was our task to discuss what we saw. I go to the Clark once or twice a year; it’s a gift to have this museum, which is chock full of world-class art, just an hour and a half away. So, first I got to read about art this week and then I got to not just view some famous paintings but also discuss them with friends. We also had lunch and discussed the book. What a fun day.

my favorite John Singer Sargent (What is their relationship? What are they discussing in this alley in Venice?}

Long on my list of movies to watch has been This is a Robbery, which is available on Netflix. It is a four-part documentary about the 1990 art heist at the Isabel Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. I was last in that amazing venue in the mid-1980s, before the theft, but I remember it well. Actually, I remember the beautiful interior of that museum more than particular artworks. I wish I could remember the Storm on the Sea of Galilea, the only seascape Rembrandt painted. There are many excellent close-ups of the painting in the documentary. Finally watching this mini-series this past week allowed me to immerse myself in all things art museum. What fun. I recommend both the four-part movie and the book. And there is nothing like visiting an art museum if you are interested in immersing yourself in beauty.

The sun is shining in Southern Vermont today and the temperature is hovering right around freezing, balmy by this month’s standards. I can’t remember when it was last this warm. As much as I enjoy sitting in a sunny spot on my couch, reading and writing, I am going to head out into the woods for a long walk. I will post this when I return.

Look at how low in the sky the sun is at 3:00 in January.

What do you do to keep your spirits up when it is too cold and windy to play outdoors? I will be doing something different next time around, so I welcome any suggestions you may have.