Category: Ten on Tuesday

Two weeks ago I visited the New Britain Museum of American Art to see their Elizabeth Gage exhibit. After the dizzying glory of stunning jewelry, I took a turn around the permanent collection and was reminded of many American artists I admire. Carole‘s prompt to share ten American artists or paintings I liked is perfectly timed! Here’s a short list, in no particular order (not all of them are in the museum’s collection!).

John Singer Sargent: Oh, the stories his portraits tell!

Andrew Wyeth: so many of his paintings leave me feeling serene.

Willem de Kooning: his work scares me a little, like art should at times.

Linda Jean Fisher: Linda Jean’s work is incredible. Her dedication and precision amaze me.

Jackson Pollock: what he does to make chaos visual rocks my world. I get lost when I look at his paintings in person.

Michael Patterson: Michael’s style, so full of motion and great character development, transports me to the scenes he portrays.

Cy Twombly: the curves, the colors, the letters. Swoon!

Sol LeWitt: this conceptual artist’s work made me understand line in a way I never had before. Plus he was a Yankee, just like me!

Mark Rothko: just as Sol LeWitt made me understand line, Rothko taught me how color can come to life.

Cindy Sherman:  Her portraits provoke me!

How about you? Who are some of your favorite American artists?

 

Carole asked us to create a list of ten things to do in a waiting room. Here’s the thing: sometimes it’s no big deal, hanging out in a waiting room. Sometimes, though, it is a really big, nerve wracking deal.

1. Read. I always have a book on me, even if it’s on my phone. If I anticipate being anxious in the waiting room, I bring a super engrossing book.

2. Knit. Duh.

3. Crochet. This is easier for me to pick up and put down, and if I’m working on something with motifs, it’s extra-portable, too.

4. Write letters. I’m a fan of hand written letters. All too often I fill my days with other activities, though, and miss the opportunity to write a letter, fold it, put it in an envelope and make a pal smile when she opens her mailbox. Writing a letter takes my mind off worries, and it makes me happier.

5. Work. During the semester, I’ll often bring papers to grade or a novel I’m editing for a client.

6. Sketch. I haven’t done this yet, but waiting rooms offer a perfect opportunity to practice sketching faces. I’m taking a few online sketching classes, and I’m inspired to use waiting room time this way.

7. Mind map. Even though I have apps for that, I prefer good old pen and paper (I’m noticing a theme). Whatever problem in my creative or teaching work needs a solution, well, waiting room time is a good time to explore it.

8. Practice breathing. If I’m waiting to go in to something that scares me (MRIs shake me up for days ahead of time), inhaling deeply, feeling my breath circle around inside my body, and exhaling while I pretend I’m an ocean wave helps. Of course, this might freak out your fellows in the waiting room. But isn’t it better to be relaxed?

9. Edit pictures. I don’t have any fancy editing programs on my computer, so if I’m going to edit, a lot of times, I’ll use an app on my iPad or iPhone. This has double benefit–I’m using time productively, and I get to smile when I see the things I enjoy in pictures.

10. Day dream. Why not embrace the inability to be any where else and day dream? I like to imagine what ifs–what if I moved back to New Mexico? What if we sold our house and drove cross country in an RV? What if we move to Maine? What if I change careers? What if we build our addition? What if I rearrange my studio?

I’m heading to the doctor today to get checked out; I arrived from Paris with some kind of lingering ick. My plan is to bring crochet, a book, and my sketchbook, just in case I have a long wait.

What do you like to do to amuse yourself in a waiting room?

I can’t wait to see what every one else responding to Carole’s request for Last Ten Books Read lists. I’m building up my summer break reading list!

Here are my last ten books read (I’m not including work-related books):

1. Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell. This is sweet without being saccharine. As a graduate ca. 1987, the cultural references made the book nostalgic for me, too. I would have worn this out when I was in middle school.

2. Noah’s Compass by Anne Tyler. Well, I’m listening, and I’m not quite finished. It, not surprisingly, reminds me a LOT of her The Accidental Tourist, only with older characters. I’m not wowed by it, but the story telling is solid, and I’m interested in what happens to the characters.

3. Beautiful Wreck by the beautiful Larissa Brown. Read my review on Goodreads here. And read this book. I love it.

4. Song of the Lark by Willa Cather. I confess to being a HUGE fan of Cather’s. Shoot, I planned a trip around seeing her house (do you like going to writers’ homes? My number one favorite touristy thing to do!) This book made me weep. I mean, the last page had me sobbing. There were sentences that made my heart beat faster.

5. How Animals Grieve by Barbara King. I’m not usually a big non-fiction fan, but this was one of the best books I read in 2013. I gave it to several people after finishing it. Fascinating subject, and an excellent model of research engaging the reader. My Goodreads review.

6. Dog Shaming by Pascale Lemire. It’s cute if you like funny pictures of dogs.

7. The Silver Star by Jeannette Walls. I enjoyed this, but I found it predictable at times. Still, the writing is enjoyable, and the characters about which we care the most are portrayed effectively.

8. The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. It’s a good reminder to just get your damn work done.

9. Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini. I listened to this while I commuted and hiked my dogs. The writing left me cold, and I’m no history buff (at least of this period), so my indifference may be that I’m not the audience for the book.

10. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman. I’m cheating. I read this last summer. But I loved it so much, and I want you to read it, too!

What have you been reading?