Looking Forward
We took a walk this morning. We put not quite 2 miles on our feet and it was a fairly easy walk. We passed this little plaque halfway there. It is an unobtrusive little sign. I believe we have passed it a couple of dozen times at least without ever noticing it. It kind of smacked us both between the eyes.
Our destination was the Ashmolean Museum. It is a lovely museum, free to the public. We went in and wandered through the sculpture casts of ancient Greek and Roman art. I don't know what it is about that art that speaks to me. I love sculptures of humans.
We made our way to European art from 1600 to the present. There were six fairly small galleries and they had a modest collection of some of the most famous French Impressionists. Going further back in time, we saw other art that we enjoyed. I was excited to see that they had a gallery full of work from the Pre-Raphaelites, artists who paid meticulous attention to realism in paintings, with subjects of chivalry and romance and heroism. Here is what the Encyclopedia Britannica has to say:
(This group of British artists formed and immediately began) to produce highly convincing and significant works. Their pictures of religious and medieval subjects strove to revive the deep religious feeling and naive, unadorned directness of 15th-century Florentine and Sienese painting.
They did not like the artist Raphael and were specifically identifying themselves as artists whose work was more closely aligned with the art before Raphael. After a couple of hours, we left and returned home. We both agreed that it is a phenomenal blessing to have an excellent museum within walking distance that is free. I remember going to the Met in New York and wearing myself out touring the place because that day was all we had to see it. Here in Oxford, we can go for a half hour, enjoy a few pieces and leave feeling great.
This evening we had our mission conference call with President and Sister Checketts. As a mission, we didn't accomplish our goal, but President handled it beautifully. He admitted that perhaps it was too ambitious, but he congratulated everyone on the superb work they have done, in December especially. He talked about the many great things ahead for us. I think at the end of the call, we all felt like this will be a great year - 2020.
The conference calls are an incredible gift for missionaries. Once a week, we call in, plug in the pin number and then listen to all of the announcements, the inspiring messages and helpful information. It lasts a half hour, but it is always an excellent half hour and well worth being in place to listen. We are all muted as we call, but before we are connected, a disembodied voice announces that if we want to say something to push specific buttons.
No one ever chimes in. I guess we are all content to listen. He outlined several things which will be working in January. It is going to be a great year!
Our destination was the Ashmolean Museum. It is a lovely museum, free to the public. We went in and wandered through the sculpture casts of ancient Greek and Roman art. I don't know what it is about that art that speaks to me. I love sculptures of humans.
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| Reputedly Alexander in the throes of death, this is amazing. |
We made our way to European art from 1600 to the present. There were six fairly small galleries and they had a modest collection of some of the most famous French Impressionists. Going further back in time, we saw other art that we enjoyed. I was excited to see that they had a gallery full of work from the Pre-Raphaelites, artists who paid meticulous attention to realism in paintings, with subjects of chivalry and romance and heroism. Here is what the Encyclopedia Britannica has to say:
(This group of British artists formed and immediately began) to produce highly convincing and significant works. Their pictures of religious and medieval subjects strove to revive the deep religious feeling and naive, unadorned directness of 15th-century Florentine and Sienese painting.
They did not like the artist Raphael and were specifically identifying themselves as artists whose work was more closely aligned with the art before Raphael. After a couple of hours, we left and returned home. We both agreed that it is a phenomenal blessing to have an excellent museum within walking distance that is free. I remember going to the Met in New York and wearing myself out touring the place because that day was all we had to see it. Here in Oxford, we can go for a half hour, enjoy a few pieces and leave feeling great.
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| It's a great-looking museum...I missed the steps up, which add to its dignified appearance. |
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| Joining the throng of holiday shoppers on George Street. |
This evening we had our mission conference call with President and Sister Checketts. As a mission, we didn't accomplish our goal, but President handled it beautifully. He admitted that perhaps it was too ambitious, but he congratulated everyone on the superb work they have done, in December especially. He talked about the many great things ahead for us. I think at the end of the call, we all felt like this will be a great year - 2020.
The conference calls are an incredible gift for missionaries. Once a week, we call in, plug in the pin number and then listen to all of the announcements, the inspiring messages and helpful information. It lasts a half hour, but it is always an excellent half hour and well worth being in place to listen. We are all muted as we call, but before we are connected, a disembodied voice announces that if we want to say something to push specific buttons.
No one ever chimes in. I guess we are all content to listen. He outlined several things which will be working in January. It is going to be a great year!
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