MoMA is great, and so is Colin Firth

John Silvis, the director of the NYCAMS program, is a professional networker. He has the magic talent of knowing people who are worth knowing, and because of this ability, he was able to get us a private tour of the MoMA conservation lab. I saw works of Matisse, Duchamp, Andrea Zittel, and Marden undergoing restoration. Our guide began his undergrad as pre-med with a minor in studio work...so odd. But this led him into a career in conservation, which sounds romantic and wonderful to me, however an extensive knowledge of chemistry is needed and unfortunately I fail in that department.

The tour ended, and Jennifer Mills (a fellow student) and I decided that we should get tickets and walk around the exhibits. Students at NYCAMS are required to get a museum membership card ($35) which allows us free and unlimited access to any museum in New York and even across the country. Each member is allowed one guest, so being the thoughtful girls we are, we decided to allow some unsuspecting person a free ride to the MoMA. We found our targets but when we offered them a free ticket, we received the oddest looks. Their english was broken and they didn't understand. I thought the word "free" was pretty universal. After we gave them their tickets, they didn't follow us through the guards, but looked as if they were going to stand in line for tickets!! I don't think our good deed was appreciated.

I was able to finally stand in front of Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon which was an overwhelming experience. There was a room full of his works and it was full of admirers. I am the type of person that does not appreciate crowded museums. I enjoy being able to take my time in front of a painting or work and not feel interupted, but with many of the museums here in NY, you have to be patient with crowded rooms. Please do not take the latter as complaint, because i feel so lucky to be here and have hundreds of museums and galleries at my fingertips. I was thinking today about the ability to create and engage in a visual dialogue that covers issues that are essential to what it means to be human....and once again I was affirmed that being involved in the visual arts is what I was created for. In the film Chariots of Fire, Eric Littel makes the remark to his sister, "I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure." I feel God's pleasure when I engage in the creative process. Although I may become discouraged or frusterated with a project, I cannot imagine doing anything else.

And now for some exciting news.....

I have always been a fan of the BBC Pride & Prejudice and could watch Bridget Jones' Diary over and over...primarily because of the handsome Brit who stars as leading man. As Jenn and I were exiting the Picasso exhibit she stopped and said very quickly, but not discreetly, "i think that guy is famous!" As I turned around to see, Mr. Darcy himself turned around and as our eyes met I swear there was music. Unable to speak I only gawked as Jenn said, "Isn't he the guy from Baywatch?" We will forgive her for this slip....I booked it back to the exhibit and tried to follow him, not very discreetly. There was no way to catch up with him without seeming obnoxious, so we walked to another room that he had to inevitably walk through. Poor Colin knew what we were up to (acting non-chalant was not so non-chalant).