Monday, November 24, 2008



Last week I introduced you to Esters love of Matisse, one of reoccurring themes. This week the French artist is mentioned again for a parallel in his art and the decor of her friends home. On the back of this post card is written:

Matisse painted a Red Room
Mr. + Mrs. B. , had a red living room, 
white curtains and the 
bricks of their fire place 
are blue. 
DAV
This job-talking man near me
looks like the Bizzare (sp?) Food
Explorer.
I watched him last night.
Very interesting, seeing people
thru what they eat. 

She frequently writes about people she knows and uses just initials as though to hide their identity. This is one of the things that tells me that she writes these things for general viewing of other. Why would she think anyone would be interested in the decoration choices of anonymous strangers? She makes no value judgments on the fact that the room is red the curtains white and the bricks blue, they just are as such. I frequently find myself less interested in the content of her notes so much as the motivation behind leaving them. 

The most interesting thing about this item however is very small. I overlooked it at first- not even seeing it. There is a sort of correction made to the title of the photo displayed on the post card. "THE KATZES (WITH MOE AT CENTER). 1981. PHOTOGRAPH BY TERRY DEROY GRUBER" However, she has struck out the "S" and written below it "R" changing the word to "Katzer" This changes the word from the German word for cat to a surname. 

Why?

Maybe it's a clue. 

Monday, November 17, 2008

Lives Lived Artfully


If there are two things Ester loves it's travel and art. If there's a third thing it would have to be PBS programing. 

She has left several clippings related to Matisse and numerous art magazines open to articles about him or about artists who draw inspiration from him. I myself find art very interesting. 

On this clipping she has written:

A conversation
between Charlie Rose 
+ Peter O'Toole:
Venus,
Flesh becomes word

I am always over-
whelmed by POT <- mastery of the word

I'm not sure what her comments have to do with The Joy of Life by Matisse. The reverse side has a portion of an article about sculptures with one underlined: Standing Youth by Wilhelm Lehmbruck. In an attempt to understand her notes, to make some connection between even her own comments I watched the interview with Peter O'Toole. O'Toole is a splendid old man; I love his attitude about life and the things that have happened to him.  At the end of the interview Charlie Rose asks O'Toole about his epitaph which he got from a note pinned to his dry cleaning it said: "It distresses us to return work which is not perfect." I always appreciate humor in areas which are usually wrought with sadness. 

I think POT refers to Peter O'Toole however if anyone thinks it stands for something else please feel free to leave a comment about it.