Steins Exhibition Inspiration

Two paintings remain with me from the day I went to the Steins Show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. One was Picasso's portrait of Gertrude Stein and the other was Matisse's portrait of his wife, Amelie Matisse, Woman with Hat.

I can just imagine Gertrude literally coming off the canvas, grabbing my hand and the both of us taking flight over Manhattan like Raymond Brigg's Snowman. We sail the open sky. Soon we find ourselves over vast forests away from the curling wide Hudson. We land in my studio. She hands me a brush and gives me that "get it done" look. Outside, Amelie Matisse is jumping on a trampoline which is delicately placed on fresh cut grass. Amelie is holding onto her hat. She's laughing. Her dress billows like a parachute. She doesn't say a word. But I know her message: "Don't forget to have fun!"

Here's my quick study of each of the paintings:

So what is it that I am working on? What shall I have done? What shall I have fun doing? Well, that's another post!

A bientot.