Feel

I cannot represent myself as someone who knows art in any but the most cursory manner. I know what I like, what makes me feel, and evokes thoughts and emotions, so I suppose I simply know art when it comes to myself only.

I love drawing and painting, the results of which I've not felt comfortable sharing here so far, and love to play around with either when the time permits, which is not all that often, and I also like visiting art galleries.

My guy and I have travelled to many places around the world including Paris many times - we love it deeply - and have visited many art galleries on our travels. We always find so much to love and in Paris it's easy to spend an entire day in the Louvre, musée de l'Orangerie and other places admiring amazing artworks such as the one above by Henri Matisse called, "Femme au canapé ou Le Divan," which he painted in 1921.

It hangs in the musée de l'Orangerie in Paris and I find it to be so lovely.

It conveys a sense of happiness and contentment, tranquility almost, as the lady sits relaxing beside the open windows with a vibrant blue ocean beyond. I see the outline of a person on the divan, hands behind the head...maybe the woman's thoughts projected there, the shadow of a memory perhaps. It reminds me of times in which I've done that on the French Riviera and other places, sitting by the open window looking out at beautiful scenery; the painting takes me back to those moments.

That's how it goes when I look at art, it triggers me, makes me feel, and whether the artwork is good or not in the estimation of an educated art critique just doesn't matter in the least bit. If I feel it, then it's good.