Wow! This is my longest post! ( It's also my first English assignment!)

"The sun is so bright!"That was my first thought when my mother woke me. My next was, "Why is she doing this? She knows we were out late!" But then I remembered, we were going to the Frist Center for the Visual Arts to see the exhibition of the Pre-Raphaelite Dream. For years I had seen the works of the Pre-Raphaelites in art books that I’d borrowed from the library. I dreamed of seeing some of these wonderful paintings in real life. As I was getting ready, visions swirled in my excited head of which paintings I might see. Maybe I’d see some of Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s work, or Sir Edward Burne-Jones’, or I might even see one of my all-time favorites, Marianna, by John Everett Millais. I could only hope!
The sun grew brighter as we made our way downtown. I put on my sunglasses and began to think about going to downtown Nashville. Big cities have always been so exciting to me. My parents would take my brothers and I downtown for special occasions: plays, exhibits, or to celebrate at ’Demos’, and the excitement still remained for me, even at age 18. This trip was to be no exception. Like a blinding ray of sunlight, my mother broke my nostalgic thoughts by asking me a question about art. My mother is largely responsible for my interest in art. When I showed promise in art at an early age she went to work: recording art shows, rushing me to exhibits around town, and securing painting lessons. She encouraged and nurtured my interest. "What is it exactly that you like about the Pre-Raphaelites?" I had never really considered it before, I just knew that their works appealed to my senses. We turned onto Broadway as I struggled to find the words, I wanted to sound like I knew what I was talking about. " I think it is because they are dealing with themes in literature, mostly Renaissance literature," I heard myself say, "and they’re so aesthetically oriented. You know, ‘Art for art’s sake’." That was a good answer. All she said was, "Hmm."
The sun was even brighter as we parked and got out. I looked toward the huge granite building that was the Frist. Before it was the Frist, it was Nashville’s post office, built in the ‘Art-Deco’ style of the 1920's and 30's. It was so ornate in design. " I love ‘Art-Deco’," I thought, " I love everything about this place." As we neared the door I began to shake inside. I was on the verge of being in the same room as the works of the artists I looked so highly upon. It was like the temple of art, and we were preparing to enter the inner-sanctum. Despite my sense of awe and reverence, my mother’s question still unnerved me. What was it about these paintings that captivated me so? I silently determined to find out that day. The janitor in his blue uniform startled me as he opened the door for us. How I envied him, being there everyday! "You probably don’t even appreciate it," I said to him in my head, "not like I would." I then turned up the magnificent staircase. My mother took the elevator, due to her heart problems. I silently thanked God that I could ascend the beautiful steps, a thrill I believed I’d never get over and relived every time I visited.
The sun spilled over the threshold of the room containing the exhibit. It was almost heavenly. I stepped across and found myself lost not only to time, but to my mother. I recorded in my journal every painting and artist as I viewed them. The first painting I saw was Proserpine, by Dante Gabriel Rossetti. The model was Jane Morris, the wife of Rossetti’s best friend, William Morris, and incidentally the woman that he loved. Many of his paintings bear her face, as if an immortalized declaration of his feelings. Painting after painting took my breath away, till finally I came to the last room. Then I saw it, in the center of the room, with a light shining down on it. My vision blurred as tears formed in my eyes. It was Marianna, my favorite, the one I had wanted to see the very most. In the illustration, dressed in a bejewelled blue gown, she stood up from her obviously feminine and confining task of embroidery, with fabrics spilling luxuriously from the table to the ground. As she looked out the open window, leaves rushed in. It was so beautiful, simply perfect in every way. After the initial elation and profound shock, I forced my eyes from the picture to read the poster to the far right, explaining what exactly was the ‘Pre-Raphaelite Dream’. Once I had read it, it hit me. I knew why I had always been drawn to these images! I turned back to Marianna as if to confirm my thoughts, and instead I saw my mother . Surely she saw the look of revelation on my face. " I know why!" I felt like I was shouting. She calmly asked , "What’s that?" I disregarded her question and kept on going. "It is the feeling that is expressed by these paintings, their message. The Pre-Raphaelites were condemned by the Royal Academy of Art, but they persevered, and they eventually overcame. They not only hoped for a better future, but they worked towards it, even when they were ridiculed. These pictures depict such a sense of inspiration, of hope!" My mother simply smiled at me. She knew me so well and understood what I meant. I smiled back at her and wondered if anyone else ever would.
The sun was bright when we stepped outside, but not as bright as my future. Right there on the steps of the Frist Center for the Visual Arts, I made a choice. I wouldn’t be resigned to fate, like Rossetti, wistfully dreaming of a life he couldn’t have. I would be like Millias’ Marianna, looking out toward my future and leaving behind that which tied me down. There was hope for change! "I am a modern day Pre-Raphaelite", I thought with a smile and a glance in my mother’s direction, "and I have my mother to thank for it."

Pre Raphaelite Wisdom (A Peace Offering)

Here it is:
" A picture is a painted poem and those who deny it have simply no poetry in their nature."
- Dante Gabriel Rossetti

Mayhap a word from this wonderfully imaginative artist will appease those of my loyal-royal subjects that preparing for college has separated me from! I'm off to school Saturday to move in, but my first day will prove to be very trying indeed: A 3hour drawing class, and an hour of choir! Ah, blissful day! Art and Music!

My niece now can quote a large portion of Shakespeare's 116th Sonnet! I'm so proud of her, and trust me, she is proud of herself too! She quotes it to everyone she meets!( Since I'm speaking of Will, I've aquired a book of 'pocket sonnets', just lovely )

Well....

Sorry I've been lacking in my 'blog' skills, but I've been busy! We( my family and the 'Queen of endless breads') went to our family reunion over the 4th of July, we watched fireworks in Cinncinati, Ohio. They were so beatiful, inspiring, and thrilling! Then , on the 8th, I had my college orientation and figured out my schedule for the first semester: MWF: Cultural Anthropology, Composition, Speech, US HistoryI. Tues Thurs: DrawingI and 'Cantores Celestis', also known as the 'Chick Choir'. It seems I'll be pretty busy, when I'm not in the library! I don't think I'll know what to do with myself around that many books, constantly! Oh! Everyone please pray that God would bless me with a Christian Room mate. That is a really scary thought, me being with some one I do not know, so prayers would be GREATLY appreciated!

In other news:

ADVENTURES WITH FOUR YEAR OLDS:
I've decided to teach my niece some Shakespeare, probably a sonnett. We'll see how that goes!
Tonight when I got home, there were several toads out in the road. So naturally, I did what any good Auntie would do, I dragged her outside in the dark to hunt amphibians! We caught a toad and, to my great suprise, a tree frog. It was so cute!( and sticky) She would touch the toad, but not the frog. I explained the differences to her, so now she is learn-ed in the ways of frogs. Then we let them go, sticking the frog to my bedroom window and watching it climb away. She had such a good time!Maybe I shoud teach her a sonnett about a toad, though I doubt Shakespeare often lighted upon the subject.

I know none of this is very interesting, it is just some of what has been going on!

When you sell a man a book, you don't sell him 12 ounces of paper and ink and glue-you sell him a whole new life. Love and friendship and humor and ships at sea by night- there's all heaven and earth in a book, a real book I mean.
Christopher Morley

A truly great book is a tale to the simple, a parable to the wise, and a direct revalation of reality to a man who has made it a part of his being.
John Middleton Murray

A good reader is one who has imagination, memory, a dictionary, and some artistic sense.
Vladmir Nabokov

Study for me has been the sovereign remedy against all the disappointments of life. I have never known any trouble that an hour's reading would not dissipate.
Baron De Montesquieu

A book is the only place where you can examine a fragile thought without breaking it, or explore an explosive idea without fear of it going off in your face.
Edward P. Morgan

For those of you wondering.....( as I often am)...

Many of you know that I am attending College this Fall, but you may not know what for.( You also may not ever hear from me once I get there!) Since I can remember, Art has been my major gift, or, talent. I do praise the Lord for it, and try to use it for Him. So, I will be majoring in Fine Arts, with an emphasis in Art ( there are other emphasis'), and minoring in theater( another intrest of mine, especially the costuming aspect). God blessed me with a scholarship for Art and in Choral Music, etc.( those auditions are NIGHTMARES).
Maybe I'm saying all this to say: If you are wondering what God will do and accomplish in with your life, look at the gifts He has given. It can often give some insight, and He didn't give you a passion in a certain area for nothing! He enables.
Thanks, those of you who have encouraged me and prayed for me, and do not stop anytime soon! I'll need all the prayer I can get, as I am attending a private, but not Christian, University.I truly want to be a light!( Not many people listen to artists, but they have to see them!)

In other news:
Today I was looking for a Michael Crawford CD, but my search was no success, so I bought a Sarah Brightman CD( It's kinda opera-ish). Tonight, as we were coming home from Vacation Bible School I forced my siblings to hear it at a red light. We looked over to see a truckload of true orange-blooded Tennesseans, if you know what I mean, with their windows down.Then the bright idea popped into our heads to turn the music all the way up and roll our windows down. My brother, who was driving, was frolicing/dancing/galloping/driving ( don't try this at home kids). Needless to say the Tennesseans were shocked out of their minds, but I think we got the biggest kick out of it. We laughed all the way home!( In Addition: My niece was screaming SPRITE! SPRITE! at the Taco Bell drive-thru, which made our little trip extra special)

Remember: All you need is Love!