Art – Letters from Home

Two unforgettable paintings

This is a screenshot from a lecture on YouTube. It shows two versions of works by Van Gogh. The piece on the left was painted outdoors and analysis has shown his materials and the order that he added colors. Plein air painting has its drawbacks, including wind and changes in lighting, so he had to work quickly. Notice how vibrant the colors are on the left painting.

The painting on the right was done in his asylum studio, away from the elements, after the painting on the left was finished. The image on the right is more harmonious and less vibrantly colored.

I saw these paintings at the Met last summer displayed side by side and they are really memorable to me. I immediately liked the more brightly colored one and assumed that the more muted painting reflected the sadness of the asylum where he painted it. But that’s not how the artist saw things.

First: *Wheat Field with Cypresses*, September 1889

Van Gogh said that the less vibrant painting, the second version, was the definitive work. After learning more about both paintings, I can see that the more muted painting is more intentional and refined. The wind in the cypresses is more evident in the second one, too.

Second: *A Wheatfield, with Cypresses*, September 1889

With art, we can like what we like, but learning more about the artist’s process has helped me to appreciate the qualities of both versions.

Children’s Book Illustrator

Little Baby McLaughlin will be lucky to have Paige as a mom for many reasons. She knows how to raise boys, she is patient and gentle, she is a woman of faith, and she is an artist. It is fun for children to watch a parent draw something well. I bet he will ask her to draw all kinds of things and he will be delighted with the results. Lucky baby.

These children’s books were illustrated by Paige and they were privately published, so they are not available for sale. They were my Christmas presents. I am such a fan of Paige’s work. 💕

To see some of her work, you can look at her website, paigemclaughlinart.com.

They are stacking up.

It’s time to go shopping for frames for these tiny cross stitch projects. These are not gifts this time, but I am making them for our house. I would like to create a gallery in the narrow, framed-in panels of our stairwell.

Mark’s Medal

Mark has been preparing a piece for a piano competition since June. After his performance before the judges, we received a phonecall that he was invited to perform at the awards recital. Friends, we knew his effort, and we knew that his piece was amazing, but hadn’t considered that we would be coming back to see him receive an award. I don’t know, something about the musical community is just so intimidating. We were thrilled that he received recognition among really great musicians. Mark knows the first place winner through piano lessons, so it was so fun to celebrate both of them as they received their medals.

A glimpse of each day

Tuesday: A practice recital for an upcoming competition. Mark is playing a Chopin Impromptu. ❤️

Wednesday: I finished another one of these.

We are in a very full season of life with so much going on and so many things I could share, but I can’t seem to sort these things into words.

Wishing you the best,

-A

Sights of the week

I came across this model that Mark created of his old bedroom. The stacks of books, the curtains, and furniture placement are accurate and made my heart flip.

The eclipse wasn’t the most exciting thing to me this week, but the light was so eerie and we noticed how it made the air feel cold.

Some kids in the neighborhood have a jeep like Tim used to own. This scene reminded me of him. ❤️

I tracked the typhoon as it passed near Saipan thanks to live satellite images.

Richard and I were able to see Itzhak Perlman perform. We had wonderful seats and it was a remarkable experience.

Show and tell

This beautiful desk currently sits in our poorly lit basement, and that is no place to showcase something so special. Mark designed and made this for his dad! This corner cherry desk has carved details on both ends, with a monogram and a symbol from a favorite ski resort. Mark designed the desk to house Richard’s computer and monitors in a new home office. Today I am celebrating this quiet skill and Mark’s generosity.

A new piece of art in our home

Mercy Claimeth That Which is Her Own by Jonathan Linton, 2002; oil on canvas (This image does not show how beautiful this painting is in real life.)

What stands out to you in this painting?

For me, it is the woman’s sweet face and attitude.

Here is the artist’s statement,

This painting is a personification of justice being satisfied by the gift of Christ, symbolized by light, and of mercy claiming the penitent man. This stands for the grace extended to all such souls who put their faith in Christ. “For behold, justice exerciseth all his demands, and also mercy claimeth all which is her own; and thus, none but the truly penitent are saved. What, do ye suppose that mercy can rob justice? I say unto you, Nay; not one whit. If so, God would cease to be God” (Alma 42:24; 25). These figures are complex, multifaceted symbolical elements in the composition. Further elements include a large spacious field representing the world, the sunset representing the end of the earthly life that each person eventually faces, and the balustrade separating mortal life from the next stage of existence.
from the Church of Jesus Christ website

The original painting is on display in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, and I ordered a canvas print of it from the Church History Museum gift shop.

I love what it teaches without words about Jesus Christ, justice, and mercy.

New York City

I had never been to New York City, so Richard took me there this week. We stayed in an Airbnb not far from Times Square, but definitely on a quiet street. We could walk to our shows in about five minutes.

Vacations and major family events are tough to condense into blog posts. Trips planned by Richard are usually so full that it’s impossible to cover everything, and this trip was just the two of us, so it also feels more personal.

Still, I know that Paige will probably like to see her old stomping grounds, and the future me will like this place marker in time showing some of our adventures together, so here goes.