Finally I've some time to blog about my Trip to Paris. My first stop is no surprise -the Louvre. Do you know it used to be a fortress, back in the 12th century. And then it was just a place for King Louis XIV to keep royal art. Well that's what I read in one brochure. I looked around & try to imagine the place back then, a few nobles & curly wigs wandering leisurely among the statues. Now it's mobbed with tourists with backpacks, cameras & hand-phones all there to see some of the most famous paintings & sculptures in the world.
The first one I recognized was
Venus de milo. Heard she originally had arms but they broke it off!
Winged Victory of Samothrace is missing a head. Piage who was with me commented that, that must be worse than not having arms ... we silently laughed ! We make our way to the
Mona Lisa, which is surprisingly tiny for such a famous portrait.
Then its on to the Musee d' Orsay, a former train station that is now home to lots of paintings by legendary impressionists. We found Monet's famous water lilies. I imagine diving into the cool, light dappled water. I think it's interesting that Monet had a Japanese garden. Piage said we have something in common as we take Japanese food all the time ...lol.. Very little people know that he was going blind, that's probably why his paintings are so blurry. He saw the world differently & yet his unique vision made things beautiful.
We study his blossoms for a while , then move on to Dega's ballerinas. Piage didn't like the ballerinas too much. She said they reminded her of things she could never do with her chubby legs...lol.. We spent hours looking at all these beautiful Art. Felt so reluctant when it's time to go.
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| Musee d' Orsay |
curves.
And you don't even need a perfect straight line or a perfect circle or
curves. You don't need to learn to draw lines & curves, any more
than you need a lesson on how to boil water or put on your clothes
right? It's a combination of those parts (lines & curves) that makes
the idea of sketching a little challenging yet most satisfying. Just a
little challenging, definitely doable no matter who you are. All you
need is to change your thinking. Art is not about perfection, we are not
drawing up a blue print for a building, we are not trying to be an
architect or engineer.
Like a written diary, through art, you could also be recording your life. A small sketch in your sketchbook transform those everyday moments into something significant. What you eat for breakfast, the view outside your window, your beloved pet or even your own selfie! Your sketches will give you perspective on what really matters. You'll never be bored again. Waiting for something be it for the bus, mrt or your dentist, in between commercial breaks when watching lousy TV programs, taking a 3hour flight to Hong Kong- sketch something. Make these 'lost' moments count. Make it more interesting & worthwhile. Overtime you will build up a book of memories, a true record of what truly went on in your life.
