Birchlane.net
September 2009
Wednesday 02
Yesterday's Sunset.
"It is the form the idea takes in the imagination
rather than the form as it exists outside."
~Arthur Dove
The photographer Sally Mann has said:
"It never occurred to me to leave home to make art."
Tuesday 01
Place. Susan and I spent a day in Berkshires on Saturday. As we drove along the Massachusetts Turnpike and then Route 7 north toward Williamstown, we were quiet, listening to Senator Edward Kennedy's church service on NPR.
We were moved by the words from the Bible and the words from those who came to pay tribute. I was reminded of my Dad's Memorial Service. At that service, I said:
My sister Michelle spoke of The Perfect Child. I think in my father's heart, in his soul and spirit, Michelle, Darlene, Dennis and I are all The Perfect Child as you, too, his family and friends are The Perfect People. Darlene spoke of The Lucky Ones. Yes, we four are lucky to blessed with a father filled with such unconditional love, a man who never spoke an ill word of anyone, his heart always filled with love for his neighbor. And Dennis spoke of our Dad as The Greatest and certainly he was for who could say what I want to say to you now, who could say this of their Dad, how many children could say that when they made a new friend, when I made a new friend, I always said to this friend, I can't wait for you to meet my Dad, you are going to love him, and invariably, she or he did love him, and my Dad them and he would then always inquire about them, their day, their joys, sorrows, dreams. Thank You for joining my brother and sisters, thank you for joining us today.
There is a William Wordsworth quote in honor of Kennedy on the Kolo Blog, Koloist. It reads:
"As tempted more; more able to endure,
As more exposed to suffering and distress;
Thence, also, more alive to tenderness."~ William Wordsworth
I felt a certain sense of peace listening to the service. I felt re-born; inspired by the example set by Kennedy and my Dad; service, love of family, love of strangers.
At the Sterling and Francine Clarke Institute, which was crowded with a adults and children, we saw the "Dove/O'Keeffe: Circles of Influence." The gallery space was packed with people which made viewing the art difficult and reading the placards nearly impossible. But I was inspired by Dove's paintings and watercolors and left feeling rather invigorated.
We then took a ten minute walk through the woods to the new Stone Hill Center; a new building on the grounds which was designed by Tadao Ando. There we saw a beautiful exhibition; "Through the Seasons; Japanese Art in Nature."
Before we left the grounds I went outside and photographed a mountain in the distance.
"Here it is - right now.
Start thinking about it and you miss it."
~Huang-po
We then visited the Williams College Museum of Art where we saw two exhibitions: "Prendergast in Italy," "Edward Steichen: Episodes from a Life in Photography" and "Edward Steichen: In High Fashion, The Condé Nast Years, 1923-1927."
We were soon tired and stopped for a glass of wine and hamburger at the Water Street Grill before driving home. It was a great day. We were both happy and inspired. And I left the art behind in the galleries thinking how favorable my art compares with what we had seen.
