Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Plein Air Convention, Part 2: Bacon, Beach Boys, Monet

This morning was Breakfast with the Beach Boys. It took me several cups of coffee and a free breakfast - coffee I had to pay for - before I could venture up to the 8th floor garage parking and drive anywhere.

Before I left, I checked back at my room to see if the 'to do' list which included a burned out bulb, broken hair dryer and a clogged sink had been resolved. Voila! Everything had been done.

I drove to Bellagio, which is hosting a Monet exhibition. Eric Rhoades arranged for participants of the Plein Air Convention to get a reduced entry fee. $10.00 instead of the regular $15.00. 28 Monets and works by his contemporaries: Troyon, Pissarro, Boudin, Daubigny, and Signac. I took my time, and one of the guards handed me some extra literature, I suppose because I looked interested. He turned out to be a very nice guy, and we shared each others favorites in the show. One in particular, an early one by Monet entitled, "Rue de la Bavole", sparked a discussion on the huge shadow in the painting and whether Monet got the drawing of it correct. We stood looking at it and discussing that the shadow is cast by a building not visible in the painting. It was pleasurable talking to this man and watching the happy expressions on his face. Wonderful to see how the art had touched him and made him stop and think.

No comments: