Mission Statement

If anyone out there has taken an art history course, you probably felt one of two things for the class: you were either bored to death and struggled to stay awake as the lights dimmed and the pictures flicked across the screen before your heavy lids, or you were intrigued by the stories that unfolded as history was presented in a more tangible, fanciful form. I would side strongly with the latter opinion, as I pursued art history from my high school days into college to declare myself an Art History major. I have to give credit to my high school humanities teachers, not only for their infectious enthusiasm but also for all of those presentations we were forced to do. But the more I learned, the more I found I was genuinely interested. After I completed a couple of semesters of required general credits, I began thinking about what I wanted to focus on as my major. The chances that I would get a career based on my major seemed slight, no matter what I did. Wouldn't it be more practical to pick something I was good at and actually wanted to learn? So art history it was.

Now that I have graduated, I find myself growing apart from the art world. As I predicted, my career is not directly related to my major. However, as a flight attendant I have had the opportunity to see many works of art. Part of what I'd like to do here is describe those moments when they are fresh in my mind. The brushstrokes, the musty smell, the curves in stone; all of these things start to slip from my memory as time passes. So I'd like to have a place to document my excitement next time I come across a Bierstadt or an ancient mosaic. Also, whenever I read an interesting article or see an exhibition, I'd like to give a review. Anything to keep my mind sharp and focused and to prevent myself from growing distant again.

I strongly encourage anyone to post comments or pose questions they may have for me to explore. Or if you have any leads on a good exhibition, new artist, or fun trivia, I'd love to hear it!

In closing, I'd like to bring up a couple of upcoming exhibitions at the National Gallery:
Pompeii and the Roman Villa: Art and Culture around the Bay of Naples
Oct 19, 2008 until March 22, 2009.
Documenting Discovery: The Excavation of Pompeii and Herculaneum
October 20, 2008–March 20, 2009
Sounds neat! I can't wait to check it out!