Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day everyone. I hope you all had a wonderful day. This is the first year that I have had someone to celebrate with. Too bad most of the day was spent either at school or working on homeowrk, but that's what happens on a school day. Well I just wanted to say Happy Valenine's Day to you all and now that I've done that, I guess I need to get back to the important things, like homework (and TV).

Olympics Figure Skating

I’m sitting here watching the Olympics on TV and listening to the commentators critic the pairs of figure skaters. I can’t help but thinking that these disembodied voices are too harsh. Have they ever gotten out there on the ice and tried the various jumps and twists that they talk about should have been easy? Just watching them, I can see that they are rather complicated, especially the tosses and throws that require a trust in your partner. And here these people sit, saying they can't think why that team didn't land this particular jump or that spin.

Just now, the Chinese couple in white is performing. She missed a horrible landing and hurt her knee, but they decided to go ahead and finish the performance. Right after that, she landed the next two jumps perfectly. That takes determination because you know her knee has got to be killing her. I know they probably won't win, but they deserve to because of the willpower and desire in them. Even with the injury, she skated wonderful. They earned a well deserved standing ovation. They were just announced the silver metal.

I wish I had that kind of determination to do anything but I honestly don't know what I would have done in a similar situation. Of course, I can't ice skate let alone do any of that fancy stuff, but the point is still the same. That is a strength of character that few can match.

Trip to the Museum

Thursday I went to the Kinbell Art Museum in Fort Worth for a class field trip. I was so glad that one of my favorite pictures was on display. Check it out:

http://www.kimbellart.org/database/index.cfm?detail=yes&ID=AP%201981.20

The first time I saw this image from a distance, I thought it was a picture of little kids playing dress up, but obviously I was mistaken. The painting, by James Ensor, is called Skeleton's Warming Themselves, which in itself is an ironic title because skeleton's cannot feel heat.

I have to write an image analysis for my class, but I haven't decided whether I will use this image or another one I like just as well. I really need to decide soon though so that I can get started on that paper. Our rough draft is due this week.

If you have never been to the museum, I highly recommend you go soon. I never realized how many well known pieces the small, local museum actually owns. There were several pieces on display that I have seen in my art history books. As an added bonus, the permanent collection exibits do not cost, so take an afternoon and check it out.

The one thing that gets me is the fact that the Kimbell often has a large number of ancient artifacts on display. I've always had difficulty viewing such items as art when the original creators created the pieces for very practical purposes. Why should a simple bowl be viewed as exceptional artwork? This always makes me wonder what people in the future will choose to display as "art" that we used everyday. Do you think they will walk into a museum and see a computer or better yet a textbook and think "wow now that's artistic"?