L'Art

I've had visitors staying with me since Wednesday night, but at the moment everyone has set off on their own paths for the evening, leaving me with time to do laundry, make lunch for tomorrow, and write a quick post.

My visitors, energetic as they are, have encouraged me to take advantage of this city. I've been to the National Gallery of Art three times in the last four days -- seen the Toulouse Lautrec exhibit, the East Wing, and the West Wing. I highly recommned the Lautrec, though I think its misnamed. The show ought to be titled simply "Montmartre: A Moment in Time" or something to that affect, since it's much more about the spirit of the place and its inhabitants than about Lautrec's work itself. If you're going to the East Wing, I suggest that you take a few minutes with the Sargent's and the Whistlers, and the little anteroom that holds a few gems by Joseph Decker.

Looking at all of this artwork, in different mediums, by various artists, and created in a range of time periods, makes me want to take out my crayons, markers, watercolors, oils, and pencils. As a little kid, I could get lost doing art projects. My joy in creating was reinforced along the way. I remember how proud I was in nursrey school when Mrs. Findly said that I was the "class artist". And when we studied Rousseau in fourth grade, Ms. Cavalier gave me the artist of the month award for my rendering of animals in a forest scene. During my elementary school summers, I attended art camp until I was too old. Later, in high school, I got to dabble in jewlery-making, and oil painting lessons after school.

There aren't many things I can get lost in. Art was one of them, horseback riding was another. I don't do either of these activities any more. But this summer, I'm going to be unemployed as of June 24. Since drawing and painting are both less expensive and more accessbile than finding ridable horses in the city, I promise myself that I'll do a few art projects before the summer's over.