Celebrating the quest . . .

I begin this new journey/blog celebrating the birthday of artist John Singer Sargent (January 12, 1856 - April 14, 1925).  See my other blog for more info, entry date January 12, 2009.

Why study art? My mother studied art in college. The image to the left is the two of us.  I love her dearly.

As a child, my grandmother told me my mother majored in art at college (my parents met, romanced, wed and started a family in college). It seemed strange to me, for my mother was not an "artist". She did not draw, she did not paint, no easels, no brushes, no sketchbooks - she gardened. Granny added this tidbit of information: "Your mother stopped when she became pregnant with you - she changed her major to business". What is this I say, what have you done, what is this little mustard seed you have planted in my youthful brain? Am I the reason why?

I have never really had the nerve to ask my mother, WHY? We have danced around the subject and in the past few years she gave me a fleeting glance of some sketches from college hidden away in her attic.  Am I the reason why? How do you stop? How do you turn it off? Why wasn't I her muse? 

In this strange way, I have been fascinated with art, artists and art history. So let us celebrate the quest, tip our brushes to John Singer Sargent (Happy Birthday!), the journey has begun . . . Why Study Art?