It's a Classical Life

  Although my love for art has predominantly been early Italian Renaissance art, I have developed a deep appreciation recently for the Dutch classics. Today I want to share with you one particular artist, and in fact, one particular paintings of his - The Night School (sometimes called An Evening School) by Gerard Dou.  Source This painting is on display at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The information I am going to share with you about Dou also comes from the Rijksmuseum website. Dou was born in 1613 in a family of glass engravers. However, when he was only fifteen years old he was apprenticed to Rembrandt where he learnt the technique of chiaroscuro   for which he is renowned.  The reason I chose this painting to share with you was because of that technique. This painting spoke to me with its darkness and four points of light. Our family has been going through a dark time this last week and I have been trying hard to keep some points of light in my thoughts and my ...

  I absolutely love this quote and when I came across it again recently in my reading I knew I wanted to share it for Advent. Even if you aren't a follower of an organised religion or have a deep connection to a spiritual journey, I think there is much to be said about this time of year of peace, hope, waiting, and love. We can get caught up in all the bad things that are going on in the world but Advent and Christmas are meant to be times when we can focus on love, beauty and hope for the future.  The smallest acts of hope and kindness can mean the most to those who are suffering, especially at this time of year. I have just come back from a shopping trip on the other side of town and I was impressed by how kind and helpful the shop assistants were. There was no panic, no rudeness or impatience. One shop attendant even chatted with me about the weather! I was on a mission to get my shopping done and had to slow myself down to appreciate the moment for what it was - a blessing...

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,                                                                     When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill, When the funds are low and the debts are high, And you want to smile, but you have to sigh, When care is pressing you down a bit, Rest, if you must, but don’t you quit. Life is queer with its twists and turns, As every one of us sometimes learns, And many a failure turns about, When he might have won had he stuck it out; Don’t give up though the pace seems slow- You may succeed with another blow. Often the goal is nearer than, It seems to a faint and faltering man, Often the struggler has given up, When he might have captured the victor’s cup, And he learned too late when the night slipped down, How close he was to the golden crown. Success is failure turn...