A Lovely Letter
This letter was written by Connie Adams, my Grandmother-in-Law, for her granddaughter. I thought it was so touching, and really spot on to my Art-World-View that I just HAD to share, and keep here in my website for posterity.
My Favorite Artist
In art history, my favorite artist will always be Claude Monet. I can appreciate and wonder at the work of many others, but few of them provide me with a pleasurable experience. I am a mundane person, and in addition, I am quite old. While I am, like it or not, still affected by works of honest and talent-driven art, I choose not to be moved to anger in a righteous cause, to weep with grief at the sad state of the world, or even to respond to an intentionally joyous outburst that is to me a raucous assault on the senses. In contrast to so many other artists, classic or modern, Monet’s work is muted to just the right degree: the light, the color, the subject matter. In addition to adding beauty to my life, his work is a metaphor for the world view that best supports an aging spirit.
In the time where I live, however, my favorite artist is my daughter-in-law, Laura, who is married to my husband’s youngest son. I admire this woman for the way she sees the world around her, particularly the world of nature, and for her ability to make art from the tiniest morsels of life. In recent years, for example, she has acquired an underwater camera and used it to capture the beauty of sea weed and tiny aquatic creatures. The wood surrounding her house is full of surprises, sculptures or installations that complement and sometimes make silent comment on the natural environment. Her work is not only astonishing on its own, it inspires me to look more closely at my own surroundings and open my heart to wonder.
Part of Laura’s life is a joyful scavenger hunt in which found items become decorative pieces or useful everyday items – most often a blend of the two. Driftwood from the ocean shore collected over a number of years and pieced together like a puzzle became a wall in the loft of a cabin in the Maine woods; an innovative art form blended naturally to serve everyday need. From the scrap pile at a wood shop came curiously shaped pieces of plywood that I saw and thought, “What a waste!” while Laura saw them put together to form patterns reminiscent of flowers or stars, painted with vibrant colors, and offered as decorative pieces to liven up an unadorned wall indoors or out.
Also to be admired is Laura’s confidence and courage. This week she may be experimenting in the realm of printmaking. Another time, she may be working with clay; a series of tiny clay pots sculpted by loving fingers and fired with earthy colors was one of my favorites. The medium of the moment varies; this artist is always trying new methods and techniques, and as she does so, she fills the world with gifts from her unlimited talent and her gentle soul.
My Favorite Artist
In art history, my favorite artist will always be Claude Monet. I can appreciate and wonder at the work of many others, but few of them provide me with a pleasurable experience. I am a mundane person, and in addition, I am quite old. While I am, like it or not, still affected by works of honest and talent-driven art, I choose not to be moved to anger in a righteous cause, to weep with grief at the sad state of the world, or even to respond to an intentionally joyous outburst that is to me a raucous assault on the senses. In contrast to so many other artists, classic or modern, Monet’s work is muted to just the right degree: the light, the color, the subject matter. In addition to adding beauty to my life, his work is a metaphor for the world view that best supports an aging spirit.
In the time where I live, however, my favorite artist is my daughter-in-law, Laura, who is married to my husband’s youngest son. I admire this woman for the way she sees the world around her, particularly the world of nature, and for her ability to make art from the tiniest morsels of life. In recent years, for example, she has acquired an underwater camera and used it to capture the beauty of sea weed and tiny aquatic creatures. The wood surrounding her house is full of surprises, sculptures or installations that complement and sometimes make silent comment on the natural environment. Her work is not only astonishing on its own, it inspires me to look more closely at my own surroundings and open my heart to wonder.
Part of Laura’s life is a joyful scavenger hunt in which found items become decorative pieces or useful everyday items – most often a blend of the two. Driftwood from the ocean shore collected over a number of years and pieced together like a puzzle became a wall in the loft of a cabin in the Maine woods; an innovative art form blended naturally to serve everyday need. From the scrap pile at a wood shop came curiously shaped pieces of plywood that I saw and thought, “What a waste!” while Laura saw them put together to form patterns reminiscent of flowers or stars, painted with vibrant colors, and offered as decorative pieces to liven up an unadorned wall indoors or out.
Also to be admired is Laura’s confidence and courage. This week she may be experimenting in the realm of printmaking. Another time, she may be working with clay; a series of tiny clay pots sculpted by loving fingers and fired with earthy colors was one of my favorites. The medium of the moment varies; this artist is always trying new methods and techniques, and as she does so, she fills the world with gifts from her unlimited talent and her gentle soul.