QUESTION FOR THE NEXT ISSUE:
“What is your favorite saying, quote, or expression, and why?”
We want to hear from you! Please email your answer (150 words maximum) and a photograph of yourself (digital photos must be in jpg format, minimum 300 dpi) to Laura Cole in the Office of Alumni Relations at ljcole@rollins.edu or 1000 Holt Avenue-2736, Winter Park, FL 32789.
Deadline: Friday, August 17, 2007.
Note: Rollins reserves all editorial rights and final decisions for inclusion of Q&A submissions.
Joan Bucher Gowell ’57
jobigo@earthlink.net
One of my favorite paintings is Children Playing At The Seashore by American artist, Edward H. Potthast. It brings back so many happy memories of days at the beach with my own children, and of the joy, wonder, and innocence of childhood. I grew up on beaches in New Jersey, “at the shore,” and on beaches in Florida where my family visited as often as we could. My husband and I spent our earliest years together on the beaches in West End on Grand Bahama Island. My son is still a beach bug, and he and his wife spend as much time there as their busy schedules allow.
Libby Daniell ’60
ldaniell@earthlink.net
I would walk into April Gornik's The Fall. It's a golden field with a pathway, and a beautiful tree with the sunlight blazing through the canvas like a perfect Sunday for a walk into this airy, spacious, lush green, yellow, and blue sky world—where there seems to be no end to a day. It's frozen in time, the sun overhead, casting shadows into the yellow field of hay. And lighting up the arms of the lush green tree that almost seems to be blowing in the breeze. It's not hot. It's not cold. It's not summer, it's not fall, it's not spring, it's all of them in one. No end of day. No specific time—it could be early morning or late afternoon. The path beckons you into the field. With all the colors of Van Gogh but none of the mad swirls of paint and none of his tortured pain. Just peacefulness, yet totally bursting with energy. The sun is in every leaf, every branch, every stalk of hay. There's a reality to it that is almost surreal. In its total embrace of nature's amazing ability to find the gentle peace that comes after a storm. After summer is still here, yet not in full bloom. April Gornik has also painted looming clouds, swirling seas, and lonely rocks, but this painting above all others has captured life as I would like it to be. Colors Ablaze. Sun warming the cool green leaves. A path that beckons. Everything seems to be in perfect harmony. A moment that is fleeting, yet frozen forever in the perfect strokes of paint. That's why it's my favorite painting. It's also about 10 feet by 8 feet, And there's no way you can walk pass it by without wanting to step inside.
Phyllis Zatlin ’60
pzatlin@hotmail.com
What painting could be more inviting than Diego Velazquez’s Las Meninas (1656)? Cervantes and Shakespeare made effective use of metadrama; Velazquez experiments brilliantly with metapainting, putting within his canvas himself, a reflected image of the king and queen, and members of the court who watch the painting in progress. Moved by the power of Las Meninas, Spanish playwright Buero-Vallejo was inspired to write his provocative play of the same title (1960) in which he brings the painting to life. In Madrid’s Prado Museum, Velazquez’s masterpiece is now displayed in a large room to accommodate the crowds, but when I saw it years ago, it was by itself in a small room. Because of a large mirror on the opposite wall, viewers could place themselves within the painting and place themselves in the court scene. Now, through imagination, I am able to relive that magic moment.
Catherine Hewitt Susko ’76
cathysusko@comcast.net
Since I was an Art History major at Rollins, this question was perfect for me. My love of art was enhanced at Rollins by Bob Lemon and Hallie Lu Hallam. Through them I learned to love the Renaissance (though I always misspelled it on exams), but go into a Renaissance painting? What if I got caught in some sort of Art Time Warp and could never get back? Or even worse, caught in this moment and place, hanging on someone’s wall for ever! The Renaissance was probably a thrilling time for the privileged class, but for the masses, it must have been lots and lots of drudgery. Instead of dancing in the palazzo of Lorenzo Il Magnifico, I could be on my hands and knees scrubbing the palazzo floors for eternity. No thank you! Instead, I’ll take Still Life in the Studio, Nice (1923) by Henri Matisse. The room is alive with color and pattern, a record player sits on the side board, fruit is on the table, and a fabulous sunny day waits through the window. Eternity spent in a sunny day in Nice? Much better!
Carol Graham Beck ’79
CGBARTS@aol.com
As a former Art History major, this was an easy pick! Sandro Botticelli’s Birth of Venus is one of my very favorite paintings. I first saw it at the Uffizi when I was twenty. I was bowled over by its scale, the sheer beauty of Venus, and Botticelli’s exquisite draftsmanship. It seemed as close to perfection as an artist could paint! Little did I realize that nearing age 50, I’d simply long for a little pampering, such as our goddess enjoys. Former Rollins roommate Mardi Gradolf ’79 will attest to how frequently she’s heard me say that too much work and not enough pampering do not a goddess/queen/princess make! Truth be told, whenever I am by the ocean, it’s not unusual for me to throw modesty to the wind and whip off my suit—far out in the ocean blue! Though I’m a far cry from a Botticelli babe, I can dream.
Bobby Davis ’82
bobby@crowsegal.com
Hieronymus Bosch’s Hell because I deserve severe punishment for my sinful ways.
Sarah Miller ’89
sem@tc3net.com
I would choose a painting by Jackson Pollock, particularly his later drip paintings because of the action of the moment in which they were created. Contrary to popular belief, Jackson Pollock's drip paintings were not just organized chaos. Through computers, curators were able to strip away the 'drip' works to the earliest marks, and they were figurative based.
Todd Tindall ’91
toddtindall@msn.com
The artist in our family is my seven year-old daughter, Savannah, whose favorite artist is Pablo Picasso. I asked her what her favorite pictures were by Picasso, and she named Guernica, Spanish, and the Three Musicians. Since she also enjoys music, dancing, and playing the piano, the obvious choice was the Three Musicians. Being a quantitative money manager, I also appreciate Picasso’s geometric patterns in this cubism style painting that Savannah also seems to be fascinated with as well. The scene seems to be playful and reminds me of when our family enjoys time together out in the local south Tampa restaurants listening to the musicians entertain. Savannah and I recently attended her Girl Scout’s father-daughter dance, and if we stepped into the painting, I could see us right there dancing and having a great time. The bands playing on the Sandspur, at Harpers, or at the ATO parties also come to mind and stepping into the picture and going back to my Rollins days to relive the great times and experiences would be a blast as well.
Alexa Motley ’94
pacifoxy@sbcglobal.net
In response to the question, I would choose Claude Monet's impressionist piece, The River, from the mid 1800s. It shows a woman who has rowed across the stream from her village and sits in the shade of a tree to enjoy the view from the other side. It is serene, and reminds me that every now and then, we should all find a "shady tree" to take a breather, to count our blessings, and to gain peace. It could also be seen as a painting of isolation, depending on the eye and the mentality of the viewer. It is subjective. In the new world of strip malls, concrete, and deadlines, I see it is a piece of calm in the day to day drama we all live.
Dexter Zaring ’94
dexterzaring@hotmail.com
I would certainly walk into The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch, which is a favorite painting of mine. I feel like it depicts the roller coaster ride that I pass through every day: a nice and serene start in the morning where I get my job(s) done, a rowdy dinner and happy hour after work is over, and an increasingly bizarre and distorted world that exists in my dreams when I pass out!
Mariana Lobon De Boulton ’04
wenonahna@yahoo.com
I would choose Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss. The sweet sincere embrace is so simple and human in the protection of both man and woman. The kiss complements the moment as a sign of affection, and respect. If we could all feel the safety, release, and love that this painting shares, the world would be a very different place.
