By DEVENIE GRAHAM, Ranger Reporter:
On Thursday, September 22, the The Amarillo Museum of Art welcomed Dr. George Shackelford, deputy director of the Kimbell Art Museum in Ft. Worth.
Becoming Monet was the title of his presentation, which was part of the Ladd Lecture series featuring experts from across the nation.
As the lecture started, the audience silenced into an intimate viewing of the early life of French impressionist artist, Claude Monet. Shackelford whispered, “We are in the presence of a very prolific man,” as the first painting of Monet received “ah’s” from the crowd.
According to Shackleford, in 1857, at only 17 years old, Monet was painting more proficiently than his mentors. Each piece created a rhythm of color as the stroke within stroke contributed to the reflections of landscapes within the water.
Shackelford explained that Monet’s pieces demonstrated the struggles of a young man and offered insight about the world around him.
The paintings also demonstrated Monet’s persistent attitude. Legend says when winter hit “it was cold enough to split rocks. Yet, there was Monet, painting in the snow,” Shackelford said.
The speaker’s passion for art rang clear as he displayed pieces found from around the globe.
Monet’s work will be the focus of an exhibit opening at the Kimbell in 2017.
Leave a Reply