Monet, Picasso, Koop

I have seen my first Monet.
I have seen my first Picasso.
I have made yet another Koop.

The last few days have been filled with art, walking, volleyball, and painting/drawing. Two days ago (ish...?) I went to Te Papa for the 3rd time and saw its European Masters exhibit. They had 70 different works by quite a few famous artists. I was most excited to see Picasso, Monet, Renior, Cezanne, and van Gogh. It was really impressive getting to see in person art works that you have studied in school by artists whose names are known world wide and across time. I won't bore you will all the details of my emotional ups and downs, my whirlwind of thoughts, or my stunningly profound realizations (they weren't stunning or profound... le sigh). I'll just give you a list of my most favouritest peices and let you google them and have your own ups and down, thoughts, and realizations. So! In no particular order...

A Painter at Work on a House Wall -- Adolphe Monticelli
La Liseuse (Girl Reading) -- Peirre Auguste Renior
*Houses on the Bank of the River Zaan -- Claude Monet
*Le Verger (The Orchard) -- Claude Francois Daubigny
Walchensee Im Winter -- Lovis Corinth
Portrait of Roman Woman on a Roof Top in Rome -- Max Klinger
View of Ulten valley -- Louis Eysen
*The Avenue in the Park of Saint-cloud -- Henri Rousseau
Last -- Max Sievogt
*Pieta -- Franz von Stuck
*The Jealous Lioness -- Paul Meyerheim
In the Bar -- Edvard Munch
*Portrait of Fernande Olivier -- Pablo Picasso
The Synagogue in Frankfurt am Main -- Max Beckmann
*Self Portrait (1905) -- Max Beckmann
Water Tower in Hermsdorf -- Max Beckmann

Max Beckmann had his own little section which is why he appears a couple times. Hope you had a good time googling. If you didn't both to google, your loss. Haha.

After revelling in the European Masters I wandered around and enjoyed the harbour. It's one of my favourite places in Wellington. Always super windy, and always bustling. There was an art installment along one walkway with 5 or 6 interactive or performance peices on display. That was pretty cool. There was a local market set up one day, the circus was in that area as well. It's got a lot going on.

Hmmmm. I've also been to a play since arriving here. I went to see A Winter's Tale in the Botanical Gardens. It was put on by the university drama department. My my they have some talented little ones running around this university. The cast was about 15 people, and the stage was a tiny little amplitheatre. There was a two person "band" as well that did some sound effect type stuff and general pre/mid/post show entertainment. The show itself was great. The actors playing Leontes, Polixenes, Perdita, Hermione, Florizel and Autolycus were all fantastic. I was very much sucked into their performances. Mind you, I'm generally just a sucker for Shakespeare... It rained a little during the performance, but it was more of a mist than a rain and I didn't even really get damp. I also didn't get mugged on the walk home at 10:30 at night through the dark and deserted Botanical Gardens. I was pretty stoked about that. I didn't expect to get mugged as Wellington is a superbly safe city, but you know, just thought I'd throw that out there to make everyone nervous. Bahahahahaha. Mom, you might not want to read that part to Grandma and Grandpa. Oh! That reminds me. Everyone. My Grandma and Grandpa Augustine have just celebrated their 60 wedding anniversary. I give them props. You should too.

Right. I went to church and volleyball yesterday. Both activities that I haven't done in too long. They were both pretty sweet. Church left me feeling happy and volleyball left me feeling sore. Both feelings that I am very ok with. The volleyball club has graciously allowed me to play with them for free and there is even talk of me participating in a couple tournaments around New Zealand if I stick around in Wellington long enough. I'd say the church was letting me attend for free and was planning on taking me around New Zealand but that's only half true. Their going to take me around but they are charging an arm and a leg for a Sunday service. Just Kidding! Hahaha. I'm hilarious... ... ...

I also bought some art supplies in the last couple days. I've now got a sketch book, an eraser, a sharpener, a pencil, 12 watercolour pencils, and a paintbrush. It's been a long time since I did any art (besides the painting I made in Urenui) and I'm definitely rusty. But it's been really fun to try to get back into it, and I'm planning on keeping the train rolling. Ps. Watercolour pencils are super cool. And old ladies who wander in rose gardens are full of praise for less than talented artists.

Signing off.
Julia