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!