If you didn’t read this week’s post “It was never supposed to be Whistler’s Mother” I will read it to you, dramatically and enthusiastically, below. 👇
Reading commences as soon as you hit play. Enjoy!
Notes from the Captain
Crew.
I love Blur. The band, and the ability to blend into the background. But that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate when I am truly seen. I adore it. Witness me!
Mrs. Whistler, like mothers everywhere, was maybe a little off to the the side in James McNeil Whistler’s life in terms of being the subject of a portrait (she was 67 when he finally got around to it). But look at her today—an icon.
And all because of a no-show.
I love that part of the story. Obviously. I wrote a whole post inspired by it. (Audio reading below video)
And not to make this momentarily about Mrs. Whistler’s son, but in this example—making the best of a no-show situation and improvising—he demonstrates what it means to be someone who takes their job as “An Artist” seriously.
JMW: “That child didn’t show. Well, I have to do something. Mum, what are you doing right now?”
He just starts work on something else.
I wonder how many great works of art wouldn’t have gotten out of the paint tube if something like TikTok was around back then? Can you imagine 🤔
JMW: “I’m so glad that child didn’t show. I’ve got to make three reels and a Toky to try get noticed so I can get a gallery show and build a following before I can score some of those sweet Old Holland influencer dollars.”
Moving on.
Take a watch of the episode, and you tell me—did I ever get to the point of this one? I think I stuck the landing in the end. Nailed it. The clarity was overwhelming. You are overwhelmed. I can feel it from here.
Keep being blurry, keep setting the lighting for people, and keep showing up (or not) and make things. Or to put it another way: Love what you love, and I’ll see you out there, making stuff.
Your Captain, Janeen 🫡
Thangs from this episode…
👩✈️ Whistler Shizzle
The story that inspired the post:
James McNeill Whistler painted his mother after the person he was supposed to paint didn’t show up - from Interesting Facts
A story about Anne (Whistler’s Mother, the mother.)
Everything you ever wanted to know about the painting 👇 (I think this is really good.)
Who was Whistler anyway?
👩✈️ What is the Aesthetic movement?
I mentioned the Aesthetic Movement in today’s video, then cut out the line “art for art’s sake” and didn’t explain it at all. Whoops.
In the spirit of “It’s never too late.”
Whistler said (quote taken from link below):
"Art should be independent of all claptrap – should stand alone...and appeal to the artistic sense of eye or ear, without confounding this with emotions entirely foreign to it, as devotion, pity, love, patriotism and the like."
Read more about Art for Art’s Sake
Taken from the French, the term "l'art pour l'art," (Art for Art's Sake) expresses the idea that art has an inherent value independent of its subject-matter, or of any social, political, or ethical significance. By contrast, art should be judged purely on its own terms: according to whether or not it is beautiful, capable of inducing ecstasy or revery in the viewer through its formal qualities (its use of line, color, pattern, and so on).
👩✈️ Cole Porter Song
In my search for a good version of “You’re the Top” to use in the video, I found most never get to the verse with ‘Whistler’s Mama’ (There are a lot of verses, and some are different anyway.) Here’s a performance from the 1946 movie “Night and Day.”
And here’s a version from “Anything Goes” in 1956. No Whistler’s Mama. I mean, if they’d cut out some of that dumb dancing… (that’s a joke).
All verses are in this audio version from the man himself.
👩✈️ Mr Bean having a small issue…
But he fixed it, so all good. Also, he gives some quality analysis below.
👩✈️ Whistler’s Mum in Media
👩✈️ A compilation of art parodies featuring Whistler’s Mother
👩✈️ The blurriest boys
Thanks for listening/watching and sharing this week. If you want to chat about any of the concepts in this week’s post—or just in general—feel free to leave a comment for the Captain (it me.)
Do. Make. Be.
🫡
Shameless Podcast Plug
Listen to audio versions of early issues of The Stream on my podcast, Field of Streams, available on 👉 all major podcasting platforms 👈
Here’s Apple
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