This Thanksgiving Day I count the great blessing of the Georgia O'Keeffe Abstraction Exhibit at the Whitney Museum in NYC. Last Sunday afternoon I roamed the O'Keeffe galleries--often in tears--amazed and overwhelmed by the 120+ paintings on display.
On our drive to NYC, I voiced my great desire to Cherrie that my favorite painting, "59th Street Studio," (1919) might be included in the show. I have only seen this painting in O'Keeffe's Catalogue Raisonne, only imagined its true size--and effect on the viewer. The charcoal and watercolor galleries held early works that hinted of what would come from O'Keeffe. Paintings from 1917-19 revealed the depth of her genius.
I saw it from afar, and was so EXCITED! I worked my way through the gallery in chronological order, like a child opening the small gifts first on xmas morning to get to the last giant box. The pastel, "Blue Flower," with its intensity reminded me of a blue flame pilot light, delighted me yet again. Then I was face to face with a painting I never thought I'd see. "59th Street Studio" has been in a private collection, never exhibited, for decades. Maybe because this show was in NYC, the city of birth for this painting, the owners allowed it to be included?
With the gallery docent free, just for a minute, Cher photographed me with my favorite painting (NO Flash! Don't worry).
Today I give thanks for Georgia O'Keeffe's grand vision, for her perseverance, for her determination to have her say--and for sharing her art with the world.
I saw it from afar, and was so EXCITED! I worked my way through the gallery in chronological order, like a child opening the small gifts first on xmas morning to get to the last giant box. The pastel, "Blue Flower," with its intensity reminded me of a blue flame pilot light, delighted me yet again. Then I was face to face with a painting I never thought I'd see. "59th Street Studio" has been in a private collection, never exhibited, for decades. Maybe because this show was in NYC, the city of birth for this painting, the owners allowed it to be included?
With the gallery docent free, just for a minute, Cher photographed me with my favorite painting (NO Flash! Don't worry).
Today I give thanks for Georgia O'Keeffe's grand vision, for her perseverance, for her determination to have her say--and for sharing her art with the world.
Glad to visit here. Nice to think of Georgia and you looking at her paintings ad to the visuals here.
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