THREE THINGS Issue 11

  Christmas is coming so be sure to read THING THREE



THING ONE

Set in The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC (aka The Met), All the Beauty in the World is a book I thoroughly enjoyed. Patrick Bringley tells his personal story of taking a hiatus during a difficult period in his life to work in the most beautiful place he knew. Overwhelmed with the young death of his brother and his writing job at The New Yorker, the author secures a position as a museum guard and ends up spending 10 years surrounded by the beauty of art. In this engaging and brilliantly written story, Patrick conveys "the peculiar power of art" that he communed with every day on the job.

I appreciated his slow art approach as he explains "the first step in any encounter with art is to do nothing, to just watch, giving your eye a chance to absorb all that is there. Art needs time to perform its work on us". I think this book is definitely worth a read for Patrick's true story, the art stories and the impact art can have.

            
                       


QUICK KID TIP: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler is an engaging novel for young readers that is also set in The Met. The story follows a sister and brother duo who run away from home to take up residence in the museum and discover a mystery in the process. A Newberry Medal winner from 1967.

                                     

                                                                    

THING TWO

      

A couple of months ago, author of All the Beauty in the World, Patrick Bringley, started a series on his Instagram he calls #myfavoritepicture. He posted an interview with yours truly (me!) in September and I thought you might be interested in reading it .  

Today we hear from Glenna Lundberg of Abbotsford, British Columbia @gigiartist  who has chosen Emily Carr’s “Church at Yuquot Village” (1929) at Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Canada.

Q: Who are you, in a sentence or two?
 
I’m a late blooming artist with a Social Work background. I have recently combined the two fields by teaching art to kids with special needs and advocating the practice of slow art.  I have raised 4 children and am now attempting to make a go of an art business with my paintings, teaching, and curriculum writing. I’m a creative, bleeding-heart type of person, who is a homebody with travel spurts.
 
Q: I asked you to choose any picture in the world. Why this one? 
 
First and foremost, I just love looking at this painting with it’s rich, deep greens, the motion of the forest and the contrast of the white church against it. As well, I resonate with Emily Carr as a Canadian, living on the west coast, female and being a bit quirky (although I don't own a monkey). In my own art, I love painting both trees and churches. I also admire what she accomplished a hundred years ago by making her way into a man’s world and becoming known to the “Group of Seven”.
   
Q: What significance does this subject have for you — the Mowachaht Village of Yuquot on Vancouver Island? 
 
I’m fortunate to have the beautiful old growth forests of BC within easy reach and believe in the power of time in nature to improve our health. As a spiritual person, I see the church as a symbol of this even if people choose other ways to worship.  Although I’m not familiar with the Mowachaht first nation group, I have a strong interest in the needs of our indigenous people of Canada.
  
Q: What do you find yourself involuntarily thinking or feeling as you look at the picture?
 
There is a stillness and peaceful feeling I experience when engaging with this painting. A pleasant coolness and a sense of calm take the edge off of the hectic pace of life. In general, I am a big advocate of slow art and the benefits it can bring and this painting is particularly rewarding to me in that way.
  
Q: Has this picture inspired you in some way? Or might it, moving forward?
 
I’d like to experiment in my own artwork with the somewhat abstract style of the trees Ms. Carr paints. There’s an evident freedom in her paintings that I would like to acquire.          

      
 
THING THREE

With less than 8 weeks until Christmas, I thought I'd let you know that I will be taking orders for cards if you're interested. See below for options/prices.
I will be putting in the order on   November 8   so please contact me by then if you'd like any cards.  Also, if you're interested in giving the gift of a painting this season, check out my website for options or dream up your own idea and commission me!

Well, that's it for this issue. Have an outstanding November 

 
 Artfully yours,
Glenna