Saturday, February 25, 2012

A Day at The Getty


Right now I should be up at Santa Barbara with my new pastel group for my first plein air "paint out" with the other artists, doing pastels all day. Unfortunately, I woke up last Monday and could barely lift my arm. By Wednesday night my neck was so stiff I couldn't turn my head! It's not serious, like bone spurs or a slipped disc, but rather, "left overs" that pop up occasionally from a series of crazy car accidents in the 1990s. (And one in 2003) I have been to the acupuncturist and the chiropractor (going again Monday) and at least now I can sort of lift my arm a little. (Enough to type obviously! :) How many Advils can you take in a 24 hour period?

I am not supposed to be at the computer for hours on end, so I will refrain from my general ramblings, except to say that last Saturday was a beautiful day at The Getty Center in West Los Angeles. And, after all the years that my friend Erin has come to visit me from San Diego, we realized that she'd never been to there! Unfortunately, the beautiful gardens designed by Robert Erwin were closed, but that gives us a huge excuse to go back! (Especially because she is such a green thumb!) As you can see, her five year old, McKenna, was a trooper!

The Getty Center is sometimes known more for it's architecture, views and gardens, than for its collection, but as you can see there is a huge variety of beautiful works of art! It's one of my very favorite places to be in this city.

Upper sculpture garden and seating area ...


McKenna enjoying the central fountain and magnificent views ...


Covered Goblet with Mythological Scenes
German, about 1680
Balthasar Griessmann


Erin and Mackie checkin' out the stained glass


Dish with Saint Clare (Santa Chiara di Assisi)
Italian (Faenza), about 1535
Bladassare Manara

tin-glazed earthenware


The Virgin and Child with Saint Elizabeth
and the Young Saint John the Baptist
Benedetto Cervi

Marble 1520s-30s


The Coronation of the Virgin (detail)
About 1420
Gentile da Fabriano

Tempera and gold leaf on panel


Yep, Van Gogh's Irises
1889

It's so beautiful! I can't wait to read the new biography about him! It's called Van Gogh: The Life by authors Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith. It's been called the most comprehensive overview of the painter. After exhaustive research, they maintain he did not kill himself. There were great interviews on 60 minutes and Charlie Rose with the two authors.



Vase of Flowers (detail)
1722
Jan van Huysum
Oil on panel



Wheatstacks (Snow Effect, Morning)
1891
Claude Monet

oil on canvas




Modern Rome - Campo Vaccino
1839 (February at a neighbors farm in Giverny)
Joseph Mallord William Turner
oil on canvas


Mischief and Repose
1895
John William Godward
Oil on Canvas


Amazing views from places all over the museum! Inside and out.



There's a kid/family space where the kids can make mask's ...


And they can recreate an outdoor sculpture ...


And here's McKenna (a.k.a. Medusa) in the gift shop ...


An understated French bed ;)
(Thanks McKenna, for giving us a sense of scale!)












The day was capped off by fantastic, fresh, sushi in West Hollywood at our new find Yoshi. It was a perfect day. Thank you Erin and McKenna for driving in traffic for 5 hours on a Friday to see me!!! You guys are more fun than a barrel of monkeys!

To see my other Getty posts including the gorgeous gardens, click HERE.

To visit the Getty's website and find out more, click HERE.

To see the fascinating Charlie Rose interview with the authors of Van Gogh: The Life, click HERE.


If you look at a thing 999 times, you are perfectly safe;
if you look at it for the 1000th time,
you are in danger of seeing it
for the first time.

~ G.K. Chesterton



Hope you are all enjoying your weekends!
Get out and go to you favorite place in your town, if you can!
And enjoy the Oscars!




12 comments:

Merisi said...

Thank you for these gorgeous visuals from your visit to the Ghetty Museum! That last one, in black in white, is worthy of a place of its own in there!

Looking forward to see the gardens, next time,
cheers and get better soon,
Merisi

P.S.:
Are you still driving? ;-)

rjerdee said...

Oh, wow...thanks for taking me along on this fabulous visit to the arts! You picked out a lot of my faves to photograph. Van Gogh and Michelangelo, my loves...but no Matisse, another.

Too many accidents!!!How does this happen?

jane said...

feel better soon!
god! i love the last shot!
x

Loree said...

GWS. Wow what a lovely place and such sublime pieces of art. That bed though would give me nightmares if I slept in it.

Fernando Santos (Chana) said...

Belas peças...Espectacular....
Cumprimentos

Kerry O'Gorman said...

How beautiful...all of it! Hope you are healing quickly and get to do more lovely pastels yourself.

Cobalt Violet said...

Thanks for the comments!
Merisi~ I am driving to the chiropractor but not much else!
Beckie~ I think think there are just too many people on the road and too many distractions!
Jane~ Thanks so much and as for you other comment-I wish we lived closer too!
Loree~ Yes the bed is very over the top, I can't imagine sleeping in it either. I'd probably have nightmares too!
Fernando~ Gracias!!! :)
Kerry~I am feeling a little better today. Keeping my fingers crossed I will be totally healed soon!

Kerry O'Gorman said...

Hey Lucinda...I will definitely check out that book by Jane Goodall. I think I should be able to get it at our library. Thanks for the offer to send it to me...sweet of you! Glad you're feeling better.

Victoria said...

Wow..another gorgeous post...beautiful photos..such a sweet little girl..
Love everything..I am dazzled by that magnificent French bed and the color is amazing( I love French fabrics etc)! And such a treat to see all that art up close!
Thankyou Lucinda( I was about to call you "Violet"..how funny!)
Wishing you a fabulous day and a beautiful March!
Victoria

Victoria said...

Wow..another gorgeous post...beautiful photos..such a sweet little girl..
Love everything..I am dazzled by that magnificent French bed and the color is amazing( I love French fabrics etc)! And such a treat to see all that art up close!
Thankyou Lucinda( I was about to call you "Violet"..how funny!)
Wishing you a fabulous day and a beautiful March!
Victoria

Tammie Lee said...

i love that quote at the end, wonderful.
i sure hope you have your body feeling good again, that sounds like no fun at all.

looks like you had a wonderful and artful day with your friends.

Leovi said...

Yes, very interesting, I love this magnificent museum, the photos are beautiful, the former has an exquisite play of light and shadows. Greetings and happy week.