Art Gallery of NSW

Tuesday 

I'd been having a dud day. It was my day off work, caught up doing the dreaded domestics. Nothing felt right; I felt irritable and out of sorts. On the spur of the moment I decided to take myself off to the art gallery to see the new America exhibition.

I figured I needed some beauty to soothe my savage soul!

And I was right. As soon as the bus went past the gallery & I saw the big brash America sign out the front, I smiled and knew I'd done the right thing.

The exhibition itself was fine & interesting, although not particularly outstanding. Whilst browsing through the gift shop at the end though I spotted something new.


Icon Magazine is a new mag celebrating the art world in Australia. The first edition came out this month. It's bright, Ned Kelly cover stood out a mile in the gallery shop, tempting me to buy one.

It has some fascinating articles detailing the various exhibitions on around the country at the moment as well as the Australia exhibition currently on in London. Each article is accompanied by big, lovely, glossy pictures of some of the works.

I'll be looking out for the next edition in the New Year.

However, I was still feeling rather flat and at odds with the world.

So I took myself off to the permanent galleries & The European and Australian rooms to see some of my old friends.

As soon as I saw The Sea Hath Its Pearls (1897) a huge wave of relief and release washed over me. For the first time in weeks I felt calm, serene and at peace with the world.
The name of the painting comes from a poem by Heinrich Heine. Call me a romantic, but I love both to pieces!

The sea hath its pearls,
The heaven hath its stars;
But my heart, my heart,
My heart hath its love.

Great are the sea, and the heaven;
Yet greater is my heart,
And fairer than pearls or stars
Flashes and beams my love.

Thou little, youthful maiden,
Come unto my great heart;
My heart, and the sea and the heaven
Are melting away with love!

Below are details from some of my other favourites - all Australian paintings. 

I love how easy it is take photo's these days with my mobile phone.

I can now use these shots as my screen or lock window and see them every day -

so that I can have a little bit of peace, calm & serenity in my handbag wherever I go :-)

This post is part of Saturday Snapshot & AusReading Month.