SARGENT: Portraits of Artists and Friends

Hi Beautiful People!

 SARGENT: Portraits of Artists and Friends exhibition at the The Metropolitan Museum of Art  will be showing until October 4, 2015.

John Singer Sargent, a celebrated American artist and genius of the nineteenth century, spent most of his life living and training in Europe. Art and illustration was a family heritage for him. Sargent, born in Italy to American expatriates, is known for his oil and watercolor paintings, sketches, and charcoal drawings.

Group with Parasols (Siesta)_72

John Singer Sargent (American, Florence 1856–-1925 London) Group with Parasols (Siesta), around 1904–5 Oil on canvas 22–3/8 × 28–9/16 in. (56.8 × 72.5 cm) Private Collection

Here is an excerpt from the Metropolitan Museum of Art website:

“Throughout his career, the celebrated American painter John Singer Sargent (1856–1925) created exceptional portraits of artists, writers, actors, dancers, and musicians, many of whom were his close friends. As a group, these portraits—many of which were not commissioned—are often highly charged, intimate, witty, idiosyncratic, and more experimental than his formal portraiture. Brilliant works of art and penetrating character studies, they are also records of relationships, influences, aspirations, and allegiances.

Sargent: Portraits of Artists and Friends brings together ninety-two of the artist’s paintings and drawings of members of his impressive artistic circle. The individuals seen through Sargent’s eyes represent a range of leading figures in the creative arts of the time such as artists Claude Monet and Auguste Rodin, writers Robert Louis Stevenson and Henry James, and the actor Ellen Terry, among others. The exhibition features some of Sargent’s most celebrated full-length portraits (Dr. Pozzi at Home, Hammer Museum), his dazzling subject paintings created in the Italian countryside (Group with Parasols [Siesta], private collection), and brilliant watercolors (In the Generalife, The Metropolitan Museum of Art) alongside lesser-known portrait sketches of his intimate friends (Vernon Lee, 1881, Tate). The exhibition explores the friendships between Sargent and his artistic sitters, as well as the significance of these relationships to his life and art.”

Here are some of my favorites portraits from the Exhibition.

Dr. Pozzi at Home_72

John Singer Sargent (American, Florence 1856–1925 London) Dr. Pozzi at Home, 1881 Oil on canvas 79–3/8 × 40–1/4 in. (201.6 × 102.2 cm) The Armand Hammer Collection, Gift of the Armand Hammer Foundation.    Hammer Museum, Los Angeles

The red robe in this portrait is striking against red background and his hand on his hip expresses that he really is a man of character. Dr. Pozzi also appears very comfortable in front of the canvas.  I wonder what he’s thinking about with those wayward eyes? He looks to be deep in thought.

John Singer SargentAmerican, 1856-1925The Fountain, Villa Torlonia, Frascati, Italy, 1907Oil on canvas71.4 x 56.5 cm (28 1/8 x 22 1/4 in.)Friends of American Art Collection1914.57The Art Institute of Chicago

John Singer SargentAmerican, 1856-1925 The Fountain, Villa Torlonia, Frascati, Italy, 1907 Oil on canvas71.4 x 56.5 cm (28 1/8 x 22 1/4 in.) Friends of American Art Collection 1914.57 The Art Institute of Chicago

This relaxing portrait above has such a beautiful backdrop with the trees and the architectural details.
The artist looks intently at her subject while her companion is offering his critics of the work.

John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) Robert Louis Stevenson and His Wife 1885 Oil on canvas
John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) Robert Louis Stevenson and His Wife 1885 Oil on canvas

This interesting portrait of Robert Louis Stevenson and his wife gives the impression that the artist is a voyeur and should not be there.
Stevenson’s wife looks like she has other things on her mind then her husband. Stevenson appears to be walking away with a perplexed look on his face and wondering why wife is so uninterested, or maybe why am I, the viewer of the painting, is looking at him.

If you live in the New York area or are planning a trip to the Big Apple, a trip to the Met to see this exhibition needs to be on your to-do list.

JTwisdom signature

Reflecting on Sixteen Years: Part 1

Hi Beautiful People!

Blessings to you!

My hubby and I are celebrating our sixteenth wedding anniversary. He is just as handsome as when we first met as he is right now. We first met at work and we were friends and the friendship blossomed into marriage. Now you think I would create this facade by writing imagery of everything is wonderful and we have the perfect marriage.  Well, I don’t want to bust your bubble; but I want to let you know that no marriage is perfect. The best marriages require two people communicating with each other to make the marriage work.

Me and my hubby at our wedding!

Me and my hubby at our wedding!

The hubby and I learned early on that we had to make the effort to talk to each other and listen to each other. Sometimes I feel I have so much to say and he takes the time to really listen to me. And the most important part of our marriage is putting God first as our center because without Him we know our marriage will not work.

Our Pastor is teaching this month on Believing God.

 I read this morning a Joyce Meyer Devotional and the scripture reference was Joshua 1:5&6
…As I was with Moses, so I will be with you: I will not fail you or forsake you. Be strong (confident) and of good courage.

Believing God in this world is so important because that is where our strength comes from.
I appreciate and am thankful for the man that God has given me as my husband. He serves the Lord, loving, kind, a provider for our family and truly loves me for me.

On our 15th wedding anniversary we travelled to San Francisco and road-tripped to the Four Corners to celebrate. However, this year we planned a staycation for our anniversary. It is special because we are getting to spend quality time with each other.  We have some goals for ourselves and we are planning and spending time with each other is one of them.

 One of the highlights from this year’s staycation has been going to the Japanese Festival, which occurs every year at the Missouri Botanical Garden. However this was our first time that we going. It was such a cool and meaningful experience.

While there, we saw the Kimono fashion show where the models showed designs of various styles of kimono, including some that were over one hundred years old.

Kimono Fashion Show

Kimono Fashion Show

 And, I had the opportunity to see my name written in Japanese and learn the significant meaning. I will write a post on this because it’s so special.

Planning Goals

It is important to create goals so you know where you are going and what things we need to pray about and then cross off of our list once they have been accomplished.

Reflections

I am reflecting and thanking God for sixteen years of marriage. And In Jesus Name, we have many more prosperous and joyous years Praise God!

JTwisdom signature

This post is linked to Visible Monday.

Made for Sound: Bose Soundlink Bluetooth Speaker III (Product Review)

Hi Beautiful People!

As many of you know, I love music.

JT with Bose Soundlink II

For me, it is uncool listening to music from my computer or my tablet and the sound quality does not live up to my expectations. Listening to music on these devices alone are okay; but I like to use a portable sound speaker system to take the music to a higher level.

I recently had the opportunity to demo one of these portable speakers, the Bose Soundlink Bluetooth speaker III, courtesy of Verizon Wireless. I have seen Bose speakers and stereo systems advertised in the past, but I never had an opportunity to try one for myself. Let’s just say, I am sold on Bose. This speaker definitely takes sound quality to the a higher level.

IPAD with Bose

When I took the speaker out of the box, the setup was so simple and quick. I turned on the speaker and it paired via Bluetooth with my computer almost instantly. One great feature about this Bose speaker is that remembers up to six devices and will pair with it automatically when Bluetooth is enabled on the device. To put the speaker to the test, I opened iTunes and choose Thousand Foot Krutch and Skillet. The sound coming through the Bose speaker was so true and clear. It sounded like the bands were playing a live concert in the same room with me. I did not have the Bose speaker set to its highest volume. I cannot stop raving about how great this speaker sounds and how easy it is to set up.

  • Product Features, as listed on the Verizon website:

    • Experience the best-performing mobile Bluetooth® speaker from Bose.
    • Bose® technologies help reproduce music with the fullness, clarity and depth you might not expect from a mobile Bluetooth speaker this size.
    • Connects wirelessly to your smartphone, tablet or other Bluetooth device.
    • The lithium-ion battery lets you share your music for up to 14 hours without recharging.
    • Curved edges and thin profile make it easy to grab and slip into a bag or backpack, so you can take your music wherever you go.
    • A silicone button panel protects from dirt and dust, while a wraparound metal grille adds to its durability and resists fingerprints.
    • Optional accessory covers let you add color to reflect your personal style.
    • Car charger available for convenient charging while traveling.

    How does the Boise Soundlink speaker III perform?

    I had been using a similar, but smaller speaker prior to using this Bose speaker. It is not a Bose; but one of its competitors. It has good sound quality; but it was not loud enough when I workout or when I watch a movie on my iPad. Using the Boise Soundlink speaker III with my Zumba workouts is awesome. I can clearly hear all the instruments playing and that bass. I want my music to be pumping when I workout and this speaker takes it to another level. I did not need to have the speaker set to the highest level. Although I want the music to be pumping; I also want to protect my ears.

    Sounds like a private Sound System
    Watching movies with the Boise Soundlink speaker is like surround sound at your finger tips. The bass is awesome and it mades me feel like I am at the movie theater. The sound fills the room.

    Does the Boise Soundlink III speaker move around?

    Working out

    No! No matter how high the volume or how deep the bass, the speaker does not move.  This is vitally important to me because when I am working out, the last thing I want to do is to keep the speaker from falling on the floor due to the pumping of the music. With my own speaker, I had to pause my workout in order to pick up the speaker from the floor.

    Is it heavy?
    No! It weighs less than 3 pounds and easily transports from my office, to the workout room, to the piano with no problem.

         I would hear people talk about Bose and how great its products are. Well after experiencing one for myself, I can honestly say that this speaker is a complete home run. I recommend this portable speaker to anyone who wants a rich and full sound. Whether you are listening to your favorite music, or catching up on your favorite television show; or working out to the latest Zumba video, the Bose Soundlink III pulls you into the experience.

JTwisdom signature

*Disclaimer: This review was my honest opinion. I had the opportunity to demo the Boise Soundlink III for three weeks and after that it was returned back to Verizon Wireless.