MILDLY AGORAPHOBIC AUTODIDACT MISSES "THE MONK" --- AGAIN

Signed Oil Linen Painting Landscape Birches Lake Boat  (Please click here to see updated results)

The cold wet gloomy New England winter day could not keep this near recluse away from a "date" with The Monk, the object of my first love affair with one of the 19th century American landscape painters.  

Because of that painting, the Americans, the tonalists and the Hudson River Valley landscape painters became alive to me.   Sadly, not having had a formal art education, silly me I thought the 19th century belonged solely to the well celebrated European painters.   Who knew?

Even the best of days can be filled with anxious moments for someone who does not relish venturing out, but this was really special...worth tackling a few phobias...finally a long awaited feast for my eyes. He was due to be on display only for a few more days, not to be seen again until who knows when!  

Only my favorite fiber art - by moi - ensemble, careful maquillage, leopard print cane ...to assist with my right missing ACL... and a hat would do.  You'd think I was having tea with the Queen. It was time to muster up the most energy possible to visit the Addison Gallery of American Art at Phillips Andover Academy.  

This little gem of a museum of American Art, which owns thousands of works, is a delicious cozy place to visit and view at one time or another works by Eakins, Copley, Homer, Church, Bierstadt, Durand, Bellows, Calder, Nagy, Cassatt, Cropsey, Whistler, Marin, Sloan, Heade, O'Keeffe, Dove, Hartley, La Farge, Hopper, Sargent, Thayer and Stella, to name just a few.  

At long last George Inness's moody tonalist landscape was mine to see.   Aaah...the mystery and "the why" to discover...

There is nothing American about the painting, in fact it is set in Italy and painted during Inness's second visit to Europe, but it was painted by an American.  That is what most matters to me.  Feeling just plain giddy, I could not wait to get up to The Addison's home collection where he has been displayed, depending on tours, since he was acquired in 1956. Then a tall gentleman with a British accent approached us and said, 'I am sorry but The Monk is not here...'.  

What...but the website said so and the museum's brochure said so.  I whispered excitedly,  'Oh no...not again!   Where is he...is he out on loan again?'   He carefully added, 'well he is here, just not here on display'.   Imagine, a grown woman feeling like a disappointed kid again, wondering when will I want to get out again?  My disheartened look was evident.  It was time to regain some composure already... with a sigh...followed by a quick smile and...'well then, I shall drown my sorrows in a cup of hot tea!'

As it turned out, it was a cup of hot cocoa and a deadly heavenly doughnut that did the trick.

Later, still sorry that viewing the elusive painting was not to be, the paint brushes danced with the oils on my palette producing this WIP, a place to ponder, to visit, to hope and wonder when...when.  Colorful, some solace, and a complete contradiction of the moody tonalist capture in The Monk.  Until we finally meet...

All images design concept content text are original and solely owned by Mimi Dee and may not be reproduced in any form.  March 2013

EXHIBITION HISTORY:  This and two other oil on linen paintings were exhibited at the Reading Art Assn 2013 Fall Show and Sale and can now be viewed by going to www.mimideeartwear.com and searching: #1191173 to see it framed with changes.