Growing up, I always wished that my mother was a poet. I wanted her to write poems about me and my antics. Instead, she read me a lot of poetry. This was the beginning of my life-long (well, so far anyway, it might change when I am 42 or sometime) dream of being someone's muse. A woman of soft smiles and voluptuous inspirations. Draped in yards of opaque fabric, lying on a granite slab, lighting up an artist's canvas.Something like the exhibit I went to yesterday. "loving jayne" is a series of photographs by my cousin-by-marriage Jed Wells. Jayne, as you would suspect, is his wife (my adorable cousin.) All of his portraits pay homage to her as a light bearer--a feminine subject of inspiration. My favorite photograph, "Jayne as a Madonna" features Jayne with their two children-- one on her lap the other at her side--a subtle smile and a wisp of a halo behind her head. It was perfect. Exactly what I wanted it to be.
I couldn't keep my eyes off most of them. I wanted to see every spot on every frame. Chup had to entice me with a El Aztec burrito to get me away.
I thought all night about the photographs. The tradition of muses. Madonna, Rosetti, Marilyn Monroe. In my mind, Jed successfully represented the beauty of his relationships--husband-wife, companion, friend, lover, adorer-- with Jayne, without compromising sacredness.
That is what art can do, remind us of the Divine in humanity.
So at 2:14am, when I couldn't sleep, I bought a ticket to Paris. Vance asked me to go as my fourteen-year-old nephew is dying to see the Louvre and requested a tour by his Auntie. Perhaps I can inspire him to become a Jed, a Vermeer, a Manet one who uses light to paint Light. In my own little way, I'd like to think that is being a muse...of sorts.
If you live in Provo:
"loving jayne"
may16-30
b.f. larsen gallery
byu
harris fine arts center
The Jed Wells Headshot Project
21 Pieces of Opinion:
I think I must go just to see the Madonna.
You should.
You are a Madonna too, Azucar. And you can tell that husband of yours I said so...
Vive le Louvre! :) I am very jealous!
This sounds lovely. I'll go, as well.
To the exhibit. Not to Paris.
Tell Robert Langdon I said hello.
From me,
Belle
(He'll know.)
~J?
Not to Paris?
With me?
Moulin Rouge?
Pourqoui no?
Leslie?
Avec moi?
Belle -if I see Sophie Neveu I'll ask if two are still friends. (Afterall.)
Azucar I've been meaning to ask- is that VERONICA MARS on your avatar?
I learned AVATAR from Imsew. Did I miss Imsew's birthday gathering? Did someone not invite me?
This is so not the place for personal correspondence.
Is that Veronica Mars?
I don't know that show.
Does it have drug use?
It's only been DAY ONE of summer vacation and I am going crazy.
It's cool.
so can we all go see the madonna together and then go see a really bad movie at the dollar show to round out our artistic experience?
Sounds perfect!
Yes, that is Veronica Mars. It is my subtle hint that perhaps to ward off the summer vacation blues you should all rent season one and enjoy yourselves.
Do you want it to have drug use?
Of course I'll go to Paris with you. Just not this summer, Silly.
I venture to say you're invited.
Ok can't stop thinking...
2 Things:
1.) I think I loved this exhibit because the artist used light instead of nudity to portray femininity. Not that I don't appreciate nudity (because believe me I do), but I acknowledge that a woman can be representative of Divine Femininity without nudity. Light is a more subtle way of achieveing that same affect.
2.)In the portrait "Babysitting" Jayne looks to be nine months pregnant. She's got a baby in her arms and her daughter holding her hand. Something about the photo gives Jayne an ethereal feel BUT does not comprimise her realism.
"Breakfast" is the same way, you can see that the photographer worships his subject without neglecting her humanity.
This embodies what I consider to be the honoring of women--seeing their divinity, while allowing them reality.
It's not physical treatment (opening doors, standing up when a woman enters a room etc.) those are MANNERS. And they are fine forms for some.
But for me, honoring women is more of an emotion played out quietly, less showy, inside a man's head and heart.
Some men put their wives on pedalstals and leave them there.
Terms like "best" the "prettiest" or "perfect" are more placating than complimenting (considering there is no such humanitary qualification as "prettiest", "best", "perfect" anyway.) I'd rather feel it from him, communicated by him, in a way that is his own.
Jed allows us to see his wife in his perspective, divine and human, perfectly harmoniously.
Hmm. My favorite part of this blog was that last comment. Especially the part about the difference between manners and what's in a man's (and may I add the woman's) head and heart. Amen.
Thanks Cardine. I just realized that I used "pefect" to describe harmonious after I explained why the word "perfect" is just an empty hyperbole (hyperbole?) So, in case I sound like a hypocrite, I'd like to correct myself and omit that word from my last sentence.
And peace.
Heart in throat.
Nephew "dying" put it there.
Re-read: Newphew is dying TO SEE THE LOUVRE.
Phew.
Heart back where it belongs.
Tear in my right eye when reading about my birthday gathering.
THIS FRIDAY THE 26TH CARRABBA'S IN OREM 6PM... see my blog for more details (really, there aren't MORE but you can comment so I know if you can make it or not). Email me, azucar has it, if you can't.
Amore,
funny
Thanks for the photographic exhibit info... I'm SO going to see that. Very excited!!!
If you're looking for another Paris companion I'll oblige. Let me know when & where.
~j can go with you next year ;o)
Because a trip to Paris is probably cheaper than the Harley Davidson I'm trying to talk my husband into buying for me --- so I bet I can go to Paris instead.
Good bargaining chip!
c jane: loved your post...and I loved your comment even more.
Thanks--
p.s. I thought of you the other night and our shared inability to utter that simple one syllable word, "NO!"
And now I suddenly find myself named next year's vice president of the choir boosters at Provo High. (I know that sounds sort of lame, but for some reason the idea of week-long bus tours with a bunch of talented-but-sleep-deprived high-schoolers appeals to me.)
Shannon: Will you take me for a ride on your Harley?
And why not get both? Paris. Harley. It is your birthday afterall.
cotus, very touched to see that you even went to the show. even more so that you "saw" the show. so many people only notice how pretty she looks or how chubby parley is-- isn't he precious?
my relationship with jayne's soul is a very spiritual thing, and you saw that. and spirit is hard to see.
Jed thanks for the comment,
and thanks for being here too.
I could send you the nude ones--you never know who is a fan! And you thought I looked good in the others!
I love you for being my cousin, but also for being so cool and for appreciating Jed.
Don't count on it changing when you hit 42 anyway. I'm there now, and the desire still lingers. BUT. At 42, or anyway a few months before it, I finally did inspire somebody. My Christmas gift from Rob this past year was a small painting . . . of me! When did I cry so much over a present? It's not exactly a portrait--it's more like a dream--to be more precise, it uses some symbolism from dreams that have worked their way into our couple language in the past year or so. I love it not because I am a great subject to paint, but because it's a representation of my husband's vision, which is something else. And I'm just so glad to be part of that, to be seen and known.
Thanks for the tip on the exhibit. I will definitely go. It sounds divine.
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