So I watched Pretty in Pink last night and fell newly in love with Duckie. If you're of my generation, this probably means something to you. If not, well... As a child of the '80s I have always been taken with the films of John Hughes. Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast Club, Ferris … Continue reading Ode to Duckie
We've been in a rough patch. You. Me. Almost everyone. So it seems. (See here, here, and here for a few reminders from my perspective.) Over the past year and a half, I have often felt that the world is coming apart at the seams. Things are unstable and a cause for great distress. I … Continue reading Grateful for My Favorite Things
A couple of weeks ago, I visited the Frye Art Museum. I especially like the museum, because it's a great place for a quick pop-in with my young son on a rainy weekend day. Because admission is free and the museum is small, the stakes are low. I can get in and look at some … Continue reading In Which I Fall in Love with a New Painting
I adored Halloween as a small child. Then when I got a little older, my love for the holiday faded. By college, when Halloween had become "Dress Like a Sexy Zombie Day," I sort of hated Halloween. But even after my love of Halloween had faded, I always retained fond memories of what Halloween once … Continue reading Halloween Magic
It was recently reported that the Obamas have selected the artists to paint their official portraits. The former president will be painted by the celebrity artist Kehinde Wiley, and Michelle Obama will be painted by the less famous (but by no means obscure) artist Amy Sherald. I cannot wait to see how these portraits turn … Continue reading Painting the Obamas
In one of my graduate classes, Research Techniques in Renaissance Studies, I studied the history of scholarship and manuscripts. One of the things I found most interesting was the palimpsest. Since books were made from expensive parchment (animal skin), corrections were not easy to make. Images couldn't simply be erased with a rubber eraser, nor … Continue reading Palimpsest
A colleague and friend of mine, Christa, Irwin, was recently interviewed by The Wood Word, "Marywood University's Online News Source," about a work of art that helped to get her interested in art history. She chose the Nike of Samothrace, which also really got the wheels turning for me during my introduction to art history. … Continue reading Nike of Samothrace
Bless me Internet, for I have sinned. It has been four months since my last blog post . . . To be honest, I've had some trouble writing new posts lately. Since my blog is supposed to be art historical, I've struggled a bit. I feel like I should be writing about current events: art … Continue reading A Moment of Perfection
I think that classical radio hosts should give trigger warnings before playing things like Schubert's Ave Maria during the morning commute. No sooner had a buckled my seat belt after dropping my son off at school this morning, than out came the first bars of said song. The music hit me like a sock to … Continue reading Hail Mary, Full of Grace
Those of us living in Seattle just endured one of the worst winters on record for the area. We had day after dreary day of gray mist and low clouds. I think there were a couple of sunny days scattered in there, but I can't remember them. All I remember is endless damp and cold. … Continue reading Dappled Things
Ellen A. Hurst 