SPOILIN’ THE BROTH
Neighbor Grover sez old accountants never die, they just lose their balance.
Picasso, as art lovers know, had his style periods, but his genius was never doubted.
Story goes that Picasso showed one of his recently completed paintings to his friend Rodin, the master sculptor (think The Thinker).
“Do you like this painting,” Picasso asked. “I have not yet signed it, but I thought I would ask your opinion first.”
Rodin took the painting, turned it in every directions, and then, in a very serious tone, said:
“Whatever else you do, Pablo, I would advise you to sign it. If you do that, at any rate we will know which way to hang it.”
—bcI confess to loving the arts and continue to be blown away by the student art produced for the yearly shows on various campuses of the Rockdale ISD.
It’s been some 20 years, I estimate, since I grew weary of what was available in the way of editorial cartoons and art for the commentary pages of this community weekly newspaper.
At that time, we were subscribed to the work of an artist who had at some point moved to Alaska and his cartoons too often depicted anything but Central Texas issues and weather.
At that point, Michelle Fletcher was the elementary school art teacher and Faye Lee Cox was at the high school. I approached them about making some copies of their student art for use on our commentary pages. It was an immediate hit with readers, and especially with parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles of the talented students.
That art continues to grace this page as we speak.
—bc—
Here are a few more artsy items for your enjoyment:
• First, a bit of trivia. Anna Mathilda is the first and middle name of one of the most recognizable women in the world. Give up? It’s Whistler’s Mother.
• It is reported that the French painter Renoir, while he lay dying at age 78, said: “What a pity I should have to go now, just when I was beginning to show promise.”
• A wealthy Chicago woman sat for a portrait and when the artist was finished she expressed her displeasure. “I don’t like it at all. The last time you painted me, I was gorgeous.”
“Forgive me, Madame,” the artist said, “but when I painted that portrait I was 20 years younger.”
• Back to Picasso, a visitor to his studio was struck by the absence of his early paintings. The artist explained that he had been forced to sell his early canvasses for food money.
“What a pity you don’t own them now,” the visitor said, “as they must be worth a fortune.
“Yes,” Picasso noted. “When I painted them I could not afford to keep them, and later I could not afford to buy them back.”
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