For me, visiting the Utrecht store on 3rd Ave. in Manhattan was like going to Disneyland. An entire store dedicated to art supplies! Utrecht along with Pearl and other independent icons like David Davis made New York City a mecca for working artists. Those days are gone. Pearl closed and when Utrecht’s founders, Harold and…
Today, I received the sad news that one of my teachers, Ray Must, died. I didn’t cotton to art school. I was a difficult student; actually one of the worst types: impatient, judgemental, and burdened with an extra-large dose of youthful angst. Luckily for me, Ray was an angst-ridden student whisperer. With his patience, kindness,…
My Ancestry DNA test contains few surprises. As expected, the results show I am mostly English and Scottish. Also expected is a Northern European connection, pointing to Northern France and Belgium. Family lore maintains that we have Native American ancestors which turns out to be true. But there are a few surprises. 3% Welsh? I…
In the U.S.A., Memorial Day is the day we set aside to honor those who died in the service of their country. In my family, my maternal grandmother King’s grandfather was wounded and left for dead at the Battle of Shiloh. He survived to tell the story to his granddaughter. My paternal grandfather, John Hudson,…
A reader, responding to a recent post, asked if my recurring problem with ‘seeing’ is physical. I do wear glasses these days but no. The seeing I’m describing is seeing with judgment. This is aesthetic judgment that engages beauty. Unfortunately, when most people hear the word “beauty,” they think of Playboy models. While this example…
I have been struggling with a painting for the past week. It was not going as I wanted and it was difficult to “see” it. This “blindness” happens to me periodically. The first few times it happened when I was young, it troubled me a lot. I thought I’d lost my talent. Sudden changes like…
Two Fridays back, I became tired and took a nap. I never take naps so everyone instantly knew I was sick. My body ached and I couldn’t get warm. I remained in bed from Friday afternoon until Monday lunchtime. I treated myself with ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine. By Monday afternoon, I was feeling better. If it…
As scholarship has become politicized, one would be foolish to continue trusting the translators or their translations. Why not read the original and cut out the middleman? Besides, learning Latin is fun!