“The Touch of Color” at the National Gallery of Art
This blog was conceived during my recent visit to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. My husband and I rode the metro downtown to see the exhibit of pastels, called “The Touch of Color,” which will run until January 26, 2020. Pastels are a mix of pigment, chalk or clay, and a binder all mixed together into sticks that look like chalk as we know it.
The artists blended nuanced colors to create masterpieces that took my breath away. How does an artist create a face that tells a story? Or, paint what appears to be a 3-D work of art on a flat canvas?
The original Head of a Bearded Man by Benedetto Luti (1715) is an example. I saw such kind eyes and wanted to reach out and smooth his ruffled, soft hair. In the Bust of an Old Woman Wearing a Head Scarf (Lagneau, 1625), an old lady is just about to tell a story—she looks sad, thoughtful, but determined. I was most intrigued with the Grocery-wrapped Pears, Janet Fish (1971). I kept staring at this work, done with pastels on canvas. I was sure the shiny cellophane would crinkle if I touched it. It was hard to believe it was only 2-D.
The Veiled Nun
Also at the National Gallery is a marble bust called The Veiled Nun. It is a marvel. How did the unknown Italian artist in the mid-1800s carve into marble a face covered by what appears to be a transparent veil?
Just like with the pears, if you get too close to this lady, you lose the truth of what you are looking at. The magic of the cellophane and the veil are lost. Kind of like not seeing the forest for the trees. Fr. John O’Donohue, esteemed Irish poet and philosopher, said: “There’s great wisdom in perspective and distance. it is usually when we are myopic and close up to a thing and we can’t see its contour at all, that it totally imprisons and controls us. Whereas sometimes when you step back, you get another view, and you pick up a way of relating to the event or the situation which frees you predominantly.”
To be honest, I am very surprised by my reaction to these paintings. I was enthralled. I wondered how the artists did it? Who were the models? What were they thinking? These questions arise from curiosity, which is usually a good thing. But, even more importantly, I think my reaction stems from my awe or my wonder at the human capacity to create. Einstein called this “holy curiosity.” It feels good to wonder, to ask, to feel awe. Better yet, it is a positive emotion that contributes to stress reduction and better health.
How to Feel “Holy Curiosity”
So, if you don’t feel anything like “holy curiosity” and you would like to, what can you do? The number one thing is to give yourself quiet time. Silence. Here are some ideas for you: try more or different prayer, especially a meditative prayer like Centering Prayer; walk in nature; watch or play with a baby, child, or puppy; do a breathing practice; read sacred words in the bible or poetry. For Christmas, my daughter gave me the book Walking in Wonder by John O’Donohue. He said, “When our eyes are graced with wonder, the world reveals it wonders to us. ”
SUGGESTIONS:
1. Do one new and different thing from the above list.
2. Share your experience with others. We desperately needs ripples of wonder in our world.
3. Einstein’s full 1955 quote about curiosity is: “The important thing is not to stop questioning…Never lose holy curiosity.” You might be interested in this very creative 3-minute graphic video:
Are You Choosing Curiosity Over Being Right?
“May you experience each day as a sacred gift woven around the heart of wonder.”
- John O’Donohue, To Bless the Space Between Us
God bless.
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Dr. Donna Chacko promotes health of body, mind, and spirit through her website (serenityandhealth.com), her blog, and programs at her church. She is the author of the award-winning book and Amazon best-seller Pilgrimage: A Doctor’s Healing Journey (Luminare Press, 2021). You can read her full bio here.
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