Hit the Witney this past weekend. They were advertising for Edward Hopper exhibition.

I liked it. He's real, but open, there are shapes and definitions, but he's not confining. he lets the space tell they story. I appreciate that. In the couple of works I've painted, my second hits me in this way. I'm far from a professional painter, so exactitude is not one of my strengths. I'm more into representation. anyhoo. it was good stuff. I like two things in addition to some of the Hopper.

1) River Rouge Plant by Charles Sheeler. This was in the room of other industrial-type works of the period. I'm really loving that era in between the wars. and even the wartime artwork (The Guggenheim had a between wars exhibit a few months back. Striking. Thomas Hart Benton's Poker Night from A Streetcar Named Desire showed at the Whitney, and he also had produced war time work, which I think is so passionate.

Scheeler called this monument to American Industry and the modern equivalent of the cathedral, "our substitute for religious experience."

2) The other think about the Whitney is obviously it's contemporary work which features jasper johns, andy Warhol, and Matthew Barney among others.

Some thoughts, collections and observations from the 4th floor:

Johns on his 1998 Manet saying to the effect, painting can be conversations with other paintings or with oneself.

Agnes Martin's 1960 Rain: "Art is the concrete representation of our most subtle feelings." not a specific response but that quality of response from people when they leave themselves behind, often experienced in nature - an experience of simple joy....the smile, direct going into a field as you would cross an empty beach to look at the ocean."

The net for me when hitting art is just to feel it. it's lively, energetic, passionate. I'm jealous, but inspired and motivated when i leave. it's exciting.