Piano

I have been looking and considering purchasing a keyboard piano since last year and finally purchased one a week ago. I took yesterday off as it was being delivered and Michael, of course, came right down after work to help me put it together.

Michael and I both took paino lessons as children from Mrs. Howell. She passed away from cancer and I transferred to a different teacher. When we moved to Utah I never took it back up.

Mrs. Howell was probably looking down from heaven shaking her head and hoping never to have to listen to me again. She was a very strict teacher (probably why she was so good). I remember once having not practiced a piece in one of my books and purposely leaving it in the car. When she asked me to play it I told her all innocently that I had left it in the car. She got up and went into her back room and brought out a copy of my book. I think she had every piano book available stored back there. I learned quickly that they did not work.

My mom is wanting to learn and is going to come down and use it and Michael may play on it as well. I need to find my old book. I kept it because I really like it and have seen it somewhere I just can't remember where. I also need to stop by Deseret Book and buy a hymn book. I'm excited - As a child I did not appreciate it as much as I do as an adult. I find it really relaxing.

Carl Bloch Cont.

Here is the painting that I purchased to go into my library. I couldn't wait to get home last night and hang it.

Carl Bloch Visit

Wow! I just got back with a friend from work from the Carl Bloch exhibit. It is amazing and such a wonderful spirit. I loved every one of his paintings and had no idea about the artist behind such well known paintings in the LDS community.

My favorite painting is the Women at the Well (which I have a copy hanging in my bedroom). I would love to visit Fredricksborg Castle in Denmark where the original is located. There are so many that I enjoyed seeing. Just a few - Christ being wrapped lying below the cross with Joseph of Aramethea holding a lantern. I love the contrast between light and dark with the shadows and the lantern's brightness. Christ in Gethsemane - gained new understanding of this life saving event and the suffering of the Savior. I can't think of the name but of the girl lying dead and Christ entering to raise her. Carl Bloch captured death so well in this one, the body reflecting no spirit. It really reminded my of my niece Kate. What I like most about his paintings is his ability to see things in the scripture that is deeper than the surface meaning. I see deeper reflection in his work and that is very much how I am in reading the scriptures. What is truly astounding is his ability to paint the Savior and show humanity and compassion in a face that is typically portrayed in an unpleasant manner.

Afterwards we stopped at the gift shop - you know I can never pass up a chance to shop and although not planning on purchasing anything, I made a large purchase (how typical). Another painting I love was of an old women feeding some birds and I purchase a copy because I thought it would look perfect in my library and also as a token of this wonderful experience that will never happen again.

Carl Bloch

I finally got around to getting tickets for my family to the Carl Bloch exhibit at BYU on Thursday but am going with a co-worker tomorrow. The BYU website writes:

The BYU Museum of Art welcomes the works of renowned artist Carl Bloch for the first time out of their native Denmark. His thoughtful depictions of the Savior have had profound influence on the lives of Christians all over the world. Bloch's portrayals of Christ possess a unique and timeless quality. They pull viewers into their story by engaging directly with the moral conflict and humanizing their characters'struggles. They affirm Christ's mission of salvation and challenge the viewer to contemplate what it means to have living faith, a principle the artist lived his life by.

Bloch was born in Denmark in 1834. He was born and raised Lutheran and practiced their faith for the duration of his life. After discovering and pursuing a passion for art in his youth, Bloch attended the prestigious Royal Danish Academy of Art in Copenhagen. Though a faithful Christian, it was not until later in his career that he began painting the Savior. Because of his acclaimed work, Bloch was later commissioned to paint twenty-three depictions of the Savior's life in the Frederiksborg Castle. Later he was commissioned by various congregations in Denmark and Sweden to create religious altarpieces, several of which will be featured in the exhibition.

While respected by many Christian faiths, Bloch's work has come to be particularly meaningful to Latter-day Saints. Though during his life Bloch was considered a master at his craft, he was largely forgotten after his death and the rise of the Impressionist movement. Half a century later and half a world away, LDS people in the Salt Lake Valley discovered and developed a love for his artwork. From then on, it has been used to beautify many Church publications, LDS meetinghouses and temples throughout the world.

The Museums miraculous acquisition of Christ Healing the Sick at Bethesda in 2001 deepened the Church's connection to Bloch. Now, after several years of negotiations with many of the churches and museums in Denmark and Sweden, nearly forty of Bloch's works have traveled to the Museum of Art to be seen together for the first time ever outside their homes.

Through Carl Blochs masterful paintings, visitors will come to recognize the hand of the Savior in their lives. Come experience these powerful works of art in their originality.

If you are in Utah you should get tickets and see it. The web address is http://carlbloch.byu.edu/index.php

Peter Pan

I got some tickets from work to Peter Pan being performed by the Utah Regional Ballet. Michael and Mutti went with me. It was being performed at the Covey Center in Provo. I ran into one of my old bosses (Lynn Bradford) there, which was kind of fun to catch-up.

The composer, Silvio Amato, was there and did an amazing job with the music. It was beautiful and very enjoyable to listen to. He is from Italy and his biography states that his mother was not a fan of classical music. His father purchased a piano to fill space, but Silvio became obsessed with playing and taught himself despite his mothers constant pleas "I beg you Silvio, please, please, please stop playing". He has written soundtracks for movies and is completing Illuminessence, an interfaith oratorio that will be performed on September 11, 2011. He and his wife were seated right next to us, so my mom can say she sat right next to him.

We had an enjoyable evening and enjoyed the performance. The costumes and staging were amazing and they did a great job.

There were some paintings on the wall of the Covey Center and we recognized Rothenberg o.d. Taube in one of them. Mutti was quick to point out the hotel they stayed in and Michael to point out the street where we always get a sausage - LOL!

What's New

Things have been very quiet lately. I'm still getting over a cold so decided not to workout this week at the Rec Center, which has been good as I have a lot of reading and assignments to do with my doctorate. I started my first research class so the structure has changed a little. It has been @ 10 months since I started the program and am looking forward to having my first year completed. I really would like to begin my dissertation but realize that I need to wait. We are hoping that I go to California again for my Year 2 Residency so we can plan another trip to Disneyland. Otherwise I do not get much free time so vacation planning is difficult.

Tyler is doing really well on his mission and am so proud of him. He is learning a lot about himself and is really growing spiritually. He has decided to come home a month early so he can begin school Fall of 2012 and is still deciding on his major, although he continues to want to do something in the medical field. So maybe two doctors in the family? (Did you ever see that Friends episode where Ross keeps insisting to Phoebe that he is a real doctor? So Funny).

I was released as Gospel Doctrine teacher, which I believe I had done for one and half - two years. I've been called as the Welfare Specialist over Education. I'm not completely sure what I will be doing but need to stop by the Employment Center at DI.

Jax

My mom is dog-sitting for Kristina after her mother-in-law bailed on them again. Not sure how Kristina spells his name but that puppy is so cute but a handful. He jumps around like a crazy, drugged puppy and goes wild. He jumps all over you. He is not trained yet and has been making a mess and chewing everything.

My mom got really sick on Monday and called me that morning @ 9:30 a.m. to see if I could come home as she did not want to be alone. So I decided to let JAX out in the back so he could get rid of some excess energy. Of course it was wet and he got in to all the beds and was covered in dirt. So I had to give him bath. We were not sure how he would take to the water but he loved the bath and being blown dry.

He always give you this look, where he tilts his head like he is so innocent and coule never have pooped on the couch or the other many places where he goes instead of on his mat. Really naughty....lucky for him he is cute.