More from the Dam

Katie and I at the conference. We felt real cool with our badges with our names. We were official.
In front of the Van Gogh museum. LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS MUSEUM!!! He's my favorite artist of them all.

Hey family! It is our last night in Amsterdam and it has been great, but I am quite excited to be moving on. But we have had quite a great last couple of days. Friday we went to the Hermitage Amsterdam museum. I LOVE Matisse. We saw his Harmony in Red. It was so gorgeous. Then we went to an HNA conference (Historians of Netherlandish Art). Our professor was chair of one of the sessions and gave a very nice impressinve intro and then four people spoke. We went through the list of participants list and were pointing out everyone we have used as sources in our papers. I even met some of them. We're talking leading scholars in their field people. That was exciting. Then after we went to dinner with 3 previous BYU grad students and they gave us tips and advice on grad school. That was real great. Saturday we went to De Haag, or the Hague. It was a great city. We visited two small, yet still fantastic museums. My favorite was the Mauritshaus, which had a large collection of Vermeers, including Girl with a Pearl Earring. She is gorgeous. There is a sparkle in her eye that makes it look like it is real and glossy. And the coloring of it is so beautiful. My real favorite was a landscape by Vermeer. I think it is called a View of Delft. Absolutely stunning. You can look it up, but you just don't get the same effect from reproductions. It feels like it is glowing, and that the light in the painting is real sunlight. I could have stared at it all day. We enjoyed a fabulous Mexican restaurant there. It's funny the things you take advantage of. I never thought I'd say that I miss Mexican food. Cafe Rio is a topic of many conversations here. Yesterday, we went to church in the Hague. It was really great and the people are so friendly and pleasant. They provided us each with headsets and they have a translator that we listen to with the headsets. They are too kind. Then Claire, Liz and I went walking through the forest in the Haag to the Palace. Did you know the Netherlands has a queen? I didn't. But we got caught in a REAL bad rain storm and had to run like a mile to the train station. Not too pleasant. But fun at the same time. Today we went to the Rijksmuseum. I love Isaac and Rebeccah by Rembrandt. It's beautiful. And I wish I could talk about it more but I'm running out of time. Look it up. VAN GOGH MUSEUM! My FAVORITE MUSEUM EEVVEERRRR!!! I love him. I wanted to cry I was so happy. I loved it. My favorite? His Almond Blossoms. I bought a giant poster of it. Anyway, I love Van Gogh. I'll talk more about him later but I'm really about to run out of time. Wah. Love you all! Hope you are well.

Where in the world am I?!

In front of the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam.
Happy to be in the gardens of Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna. Also, happy to be Irish.

In London outside the Globe Theater on the Thames

At Macbeth in the Globe Theater. They had these weird black drape things to put your head into if you were in the standing area. It was to make it so you could experience the darkness of the play more thouroughly. We just had way too fun with that...

Some of the girls in Venice.

On the Grand Canal in Venice.

I finally got pictures up! So those are just a few of the many, but this internet is slow. ha! But lately it's hard to keep track of where I am. After London, we took the chunnel to Brussels, where we got a train to Antwerp. We stayed there a night (gorgeous city by the way but I was feeling sick and couldn't really enjoy it) and then took a morning train to Amsterdam. We are now staying at a hotel by the airport in Amsterdam, but we take day trips out to other cities. Yesterday it was Haarlem. Today Leiden. I'm having a hard time keeping track! ha. Anyway, it's been a really great couple of days. The Netherlands is a really beautiful country. I'm quite enjoying it. Well, Amsterdam is gross. But Haarlem and Leiden are simply delightful. So yesterday, we got to Amsterdam. We walked around for a bit and then went to Haarlem where we went to the Frans Hals museum. Really great stuff there. Then we went back to Amsterdam where I went to the Anne Frank museum. Yes. Finally. I've been dreaming of this day since the fifth grade when I made a model of the Anne Frank annex for my project on the Holocaust. I cried actually. I did. I cried. It was so different from what I pictured it and I can't imagine having to be in there for two whole years! Never going outside! I couldn't do it. Today we headed out to Leiden. I really like this city. It's so gorgeous complete with windmills and canals! We stopped at a museum here and at about 12:30 we were set free. Some of us went over to the Botanical gardens at the Leiden University. They were beautiful and so peaceful! And it was so great to be in a place like that and not have to take notes! I just enjoyed it. And fed fish. It was grand. So now I am at this internet place. I feel like there is just so much to write about! And I don't have a lot of time! I wish you could all be here experiencing this with me. It truly is amazing. Tomorrow we go to a conference in Amsterdam where my professor is running a session. She, a long with 3 BYU graduate students, will be speaking on northern art. I am so freaking excited to see Martha (my professor) in her element, with no stops holding her back. It's going to be intense. I don't know if you knew this, but she's one of the leading scholars in northern european art and has published several articles and I think even a book. She's amazing. Love her. I'm so glad I could come on this trip. I'm learning so so much. I have art coming out my ears. And I like it. Who knew museums for 5-6 hours a day could be liked?! I didn't. But now I do. I don't even realize I'm in there for so long. Side thought: this is the last year the university is allowing an art history study abroad. RIDICULOUS MUCH?! Of ALL the study abroads, aside for the language ones perhaps, this has to be the most practical! They say they're ending it because it is just like a vacation for us. FALSE! This is no vacay for us. In London there were two other programs from BYU staying at the same hotel. We talked with some people from the Accounting program and all I can do is LAUGH! They have class in the morning and then they have like the entire day FREE. I will now quote one of the boys directly: "Yeah, this is pretty much like vacation for us." Not fair that this program, and others such as the business study abroade (which tours factories every now and then and goes zip lining for their class activities) will continue on but this program will not. Quite ridiculous. I'm quite infuriated that the plans for an art history study abroad next spring did not get approved. YOU CAN'T SEE THIS STUFF ANYWHERE ELSE! You can study business anywhere. Why pay that much money to go tour a few factories on occassion and play for the rest of the time and call it an academic program?! Going to museums for 5-6 hours a day, having some of the most brilliant minds in their field lecturing to you, and then in your spare time (which you have very little of) go to more museums to write a little extra about what you are seeing (which we are required to do), get up the next morning and repeat...for TWO MONTHS! Now THAT'S an academic program that is valuable to your education. It's been quite the topic of discussion here on this trip. I'm quite infuriated about it. In fact, I will write a letter to BYU. Anyway, got that out there, now I can continue to the happiness and sunshine that I am experiencing here. I want a bike here. Everybody here has a bike. they have rows and rows of bike racks, some with two levels, everywhere. Because everybody rides their bike. What a healthy and fun way to live. I will strive to be more like the dutch. More like the Europeans really. Oh what a healthy life they live. I need to be more European. This is kind of turning into one of my blah blah blah-gs. ha! But I have a lot on my mind. One of my bffs since birth is getting married in July! I'm so excited for her! She asked me to be here bridesmaid. I'm quite excited about that job. And I feel honored. Have you seen Iron Man 2?! We went and saw it one late light in London just so we could have an excuse to sit and do nothing for 2 hours. It was so great! We all had a good laugh at the art humor: "You donated our entire modern art collection to the-" "Boy Scouts of America? Yes. It's a great organization....THIS is modern art. I'm going to hang it up. We'll just move this..." "Don't you DARE take down the Barnett Newman!" ba haha it was funny. Anyway. I think that's all I've got for now folks. I hope all is well in the states. Talk to ya lata!

Kell

Sunny days in London town

Hello family! I am in the beautiful city of London! I absolutely love this city!!! I think more than Rome. Which I huge. I loved Rome. Anyway, I will share some of the highlights. For starters, we are staying at the Mowbray Court Hotel. It's right by the Earl's Court underground station. Really great location. We get a really great breakfast of toast cheese tomatoes and fruit every morning. It's delightful. So, London. The first day we got here, we checked in at our hotel, then Martha took us into the city and we walked from the Houses of Parliament, up Whitehall to Trafalgar square, and then caught a bus to St. Pauls cathedral. All the while she was discussing architectural elements or things we might want to go or places we might want to see. It's so great being in all these cities with amazing professors like mine. They amaze me with their vast amounts of knowledge. Then after that some of us went and had a sushi dinner and went to Robin Hood. First movie I had sat down and watched in three and a half weeks. I was goin crazy. Loved that movie! The next morning we went to the British museum. That was pretty sweet. I saw the Rosetta stone and the Sutton Hoo ship burial artifacta among other things from ancient to medieval times. After being there for quite some time, we were set free for the day. We ate dinner at this tavern and I had some really great fish and chips. They were delightful. Then some if us got discount tickets to Les Mis. Incredible show and it never gets old. Then Thursday we went to the National Gallery. That is a massive collection with some great stuff. My favs you ask? Arnilfini portrait by van Eyck, some Dutch landscapes, Bacchus and Ariadne by Titian, and some JMW Turners. When we go to these museums, Martha lectures for like three to four hours. Then we get set loose to do a free write, where we just write about something from one of the time periods discussed that day. Mine are usually 2-4 pages long. Then, best thing ever, I went to Sotheby's. Martha was going to take us over in Wednesday to poke our heads in but when she called they said Thursday was an open day. So she registered us and on Thursday we went. It was amazing! They had refreshments, we could mingle with other interested kids, and then they sat us down in a room and talked about the school. The director started out and gave talked about the main goals of Sotheby's. Then they had directors of each of the programs talk for about five minutes and give a schpiel. They have programs for art business, contemporary art, art design, fine and decorative arts, photography, and one more I can't remember at the moment. I fell I. Love. I would love love to do the art business program someday. Maybe after I graduate I'll work for a few years so I can afford it and then go. Ha! When they were talking about the art market and auction houses and recent sales they've had and everything else I got so incredibly excited. It just seems like such an exciting thing to be involved in such an international trade that not a lot of people I know ever talk about. I learned so much! After that, they had four alumni members come and talk about their experience and where they are now. All of them now work for galleries or museums in London. I was just blown away by the while experience. How lucky was it that we were there on the exact day of an open day? Really lucky I'd say. Then some girls stayed after to converse with the directors but I had to get to the theater for Wicked! That show never gets old. Just better and better every time. This was the best overall cast I've ever seen. Everything about that show rocks my world. If you haven't seen it, get there. Now. K thanks. Yesterday we hit the national gallery again, saw some more great stuff. Including some Van Goghs I LOVED among other post impressionists. Macbeth in the Globe! Very gruesome, but i felt i was getting the true real shakespeare experience. And some. Plus there were scottish and british men in it, so all the stage blood and guts and darkness was worth it. :) Dinner at the Texas embassy where we had FREE REFILLS on drinks. A miracle here in Europe. I really loved Texas yesterday. Then after, Claire and I walked from trafalgar to parliament and Westminster ster across the river to the south bank by the London eye and just hung out there by the river for a bit. It was a fun night. Sorry this is getting short and quick but it's late and we have early church... Ha! Today: Tate Britain where I saw a heckalotta JMW Turners. I just love him. Then Wallace collection with a lot of Dutch genre scenes, rococo fun-ness, and Canaletto grand touring. Pretty great collection complete with a Rembrandt portrait of his son, some van Dyck portraits, and even a delaroche Juste milieux painting I included in my paper for my 19th century class - Joan of arc in prison. Good stuff! We played today and hit up platform 9 3/4. It was a great day. I must hit the hay now, but love you all dearly! Muah!

Kell

p.s. I know I need to post pictures. Those will come as soon as I get to a decent Internet cafe. :)

Fun in Vienna

So it's official. I reeeaaallllyyyy live this city. It was set in stone after our visit to the kunsthistoriches museum today. It was an amazing collection! Probably the best next to the louvre. It is the collection of the Hapsburg family who ruled the Holy Roman Empire for centuries, with works spanning from the Netherlands clear over to Spain. We talked about so much so I will just talk about some of my favorites. The second group of paintings we saw were some portraits by Van Eyck and a triptych and a diptych by Rogier van der Weyden, both very prominent northern Renaissance artists. We discussed the incredible detailing that was characteristic of the north and that is seen in these works. My favorite of the bunch was a tiny diptych by van der Weyden. It couldn't have been larger than 10" x 6" probably. I'm talking tiny minuscule detailing. Look it up and you can maybe get an idea of what I'm talking about. It had Mary with the Christ child on one panel and St. Catherine on the other. Gorgeous detailing and textures. Rogier van der Weyden is one of my favorite artist. Look up his deposition. It's in the Prado in Madrid. Someday I will get there to see it, and I'll cry when I do. The next room we went to was the Bruegel room. He was a Flemish painter as well but was much later. He did mostly scenes of peasant life. My favorite of these was Hunter's return (it might have a different name, Bit that's the subject matter...ha). He also does a lot of moralizing works that also have amazing detail. He did a Tower of Babel scene and a Calvary scene I just love. The Calvary scene is so great because you can barely see Christ bearing his cross. It's kind of like a where's Waldo thing. And he placed him in a contemporary scene to basically condemn the worldly people and warn against an unrighteous lifestyle, kind of saying "hey, would you pay attention to Christ if he came walking by?" really great. There were also a lot of genre scenes I recognized from my classes by artists like Jan steen, Vermeer, and de hooch. I enjoy those quite a bit. Always love me some caravaggios. Did I tell you I cried when we went to the Caravaggio exhibition in Rome? Because I did. It was overwhelmingly amazing. Look up his Crowning with thorns. It killed me. Caravaggio, much like Michelangelo, created very devout images of Christ that are just spectacular. Also his Deposition is amazing. Anyway, back to today. That was pretty much all that really got me at that museum, but we spent at least five hours there. Only about three and a half of those was lectire time by Martha, who is incredible with her wealth of knowledge. I feel blessed to be on this trip woth her. But we also had an amazing experience tonight. We went and listened to Mozart's Requiem at Karlskirche. It was the most beautiful thing I do believe my ears ever did hear. I would close my eyes and I felt like I was floating or something. And the sound of it in this grand Baroque church just added to the amazing-ness. I recorded some parts of it on ky phone and ill send those soon. I also had an amazing dinner of huhnershnitzel, which is some sort of chicken schnitzel with rice that I loved. Very delicious. There are a few downsides to today: it is freezing, it is raining, and I spent a lot of money today - lunch 7 euro, dinner 10 euro, mozart's requiem in Karlskirche 18 euro, cd recording of mozart's requiem after the performance 15 euro, satisfaction of money incredibly well spent PRICELESS. Haha. I loved today and I love this city. Tomorrow we're going to church at an international ward. That should be great. I'll email again tomorrow but for now I love ya lots! Talk to you soon!

Kell the bell who didn't go to .... Well, you know...

So this is actually this is an email I sent to the parentals on Tuesday, but I'm posting it because I haven't had much time to blog and itgives ua a good idea of what i've been up to and some of the great experiences I've had. There's another onecoming from Vienna!

Hello friends and family! I dont have really great cell service here, but our hotel has free wi fi so im taking advantage of that with this handy iPhone business. Sorry i havent been able to blog. Im trying to stay updated but its tough when you have to pay to use the internet. Ha! I am now in the beautiful city of Venice. It's been raining non stop since we've got here and it kind of smells real bad, so those are some down sides but other than that life is great! I am having the time of my life here in Europe. This trip isthe best idea of the century. It's one thing to study the slides and see pictures of masterpieces in the classroom, but it is a whole other experience to see them in real life. Sometimes I feel I don't recognize even famous things because they have a completely different effect when you're there standing in front of it. This was especially true with things I saw in Florence, starting with two of my favorite paintings I saw in the uffizi, primavera and the birth of venus both by Botticelli. He was an early Renaissance painter and his paintings are just beautiful. I could stare at the faces of his women for hours. They are the ideal representation of female beauty. Some call them cartoonish almost, but I just love them. Look them up and see what you think. Although nothing compares to seeing them in person, just like I said. :) the same is also true with Michelangelo's David. (and to appease father's fears, it's not because he's nude...) but he is beautiful! There has never been a more perfect sculpture of the human form. One of the discussions I had with some other girls on the trip was about Michelangelo and how he was so sincerely devout. We decided that because his figures are so perfect, especially in his images of Biblical figures, that by glorifying the human body he was glorifying God. I really like that idea. It gives whole new meaning to michelangelo's works. He was truly a master. Yesterday evening, my friend Claire and I decided to climb to San miniato al monte, a monastery on a hill overlooking Florence. It was a brilliant idea we did have and an adventure I will surely remember. It started raining and lightening on the way up and for a moment we were pretty scared, lightening struck and instantlythe thunder had us both jumping pretty high. So we walked a bit faster. Once we got to the top, the views were gorgeous and it stopped raining enough to see the beautiful city that rests peacefully between the Arno river and picturesque rolling Tuscan hills. The rain took a break long enough to allow us to get some pictures. When it started raining again we ducked into the church. Right as the bells struck 17:30, we heard the beginnings of the Benedictine monks' chants and singing. Oh what a glorious sound. We took some seats to stay and listen. The church had nothing but a few candles and the little light that flooded in through the front door to light it. It was so peaceful sitting there. I couldn't help but think about these men and what a marvelous idea they lived, the idea of complete devotion to their God and living with no worldly things. I started to wonder if I could ever do that? Give up everything i had in exchange for a life of complete and total devotion that consisted of nothing else but prayer, study, service, and contemplation? I know I should be if I had too. Food for thought that was. I've been learning so much about not only art but these different cultures and religions. There is so much beauty in the world! I see it in the people of these different faiths and cultures! I see it in these buildings that are centuries old! I see it in the landscapes as I watch out my window on the trains! I love every minute of it and I wish everyone could experience it with me. It is a great thing to know and experience the beauty that lies outside my bubble I am in 93% of my time. I want to lower that percentage. I am doing it now! What a great thing. :) anyways, this is kind of long and we have an early morning tomorrow, so I'm signing off to go to bed. But I love you all and I hope you are as well as I! :)

Love kell.

Bernini. No words to describe him.

Today we did a number of things. We started out at Santa Maria del Popolo where we saw two Caravaggios (again for me because we made an excursion there without the group a few days ago), Capitoline Hill museum (where we saw some famous things including the Marcus Aurelius equestrian statue and the Dying Gaul), then we went to the Galleria Borghese. My favorite place we've been thus far. They are famous for having a great collection of Caravaggios and Berninis. Unfortunately, a lot of the Caravaggios were not there because they are somewhere else in an exhibition, but oh man, I had a few moments with the Berninis. The first one we saw was the Rape of Persephone. AMAZING! I was overcome with all kinds of emotions when I saw it. First, amazement at the detailing in the marble. Where Hades holds on to Persephone, his hands are like imprinted into her skin. It's so realistic and amazing. The second emotion was anger as I looked at the expression of pleasure on Hades face juxtaposed with the sheer terror and helplessness on the face of Persephone as she is struggling to get away. I have seen slides of this, but they do nothing compared to standing there and seeing it in person, as it was with all the Berninis today. I even noticed tears on the face of Persephone I had never noticed there before. Incredible! And there were just a lot of emotions involved with being in awe of how amazing this sculpture was. Seriously, amazing. Another statue we saw was Bernini's David. Also very cool. But nothing compared to the Apollo and Daphne sculpture in the last room of the gallery. If you don't know the story of Apollo and Daphne, basically Apollo wanted Daphne but she could have no man and would turn into a Laurel tree if anyone tried. But the detailing on this is so crazily perfect! The leaves were so thin and tiny you could see light shining through them. And this is marble. Daphne's toes appeared as if her toenails were becoming the roots, little tiny branch like things sprung out from them. and her hands were amazing! They had little branches sprouting out from them. Anyway, I really like Bernini. He's just awesome. Google those sculptures if you have a chance. You may get a sense of what I'm talking about.

Also, one of the girls on the trip with us has her computer and is keeping a more detailed account of our journey and the things we see everyday for the Dean of the arts school. The address is www.theodysseyofayounghistorian.blogspot.com. She's doin a real great job. Anyway, we go to Pompeii tomorrow. We have to catch a 7:30 train! yummy... good night one and all! Loves yas.

A Delightful Sabbath Day.

Yesterday was a great Sabbath day. We started it out by going to a ward just outside the city. They were very surprised to see a group of 24 girls wander in. I think they loved it. They had headphones with a translator for those who wanted it, but I tried to use my skills in italian. It was surprising how much I actually picked up. I think I'm getting better at Italian just by being here! Love it. I was almost about to get up to bear my testimony in italian, but they ended the meeting. Bummer. But they taught a Sunday school class in english for us and Relief society was the same set up as Sacrament meeting. It's amazing to me how we can be so far away from home but the church is still the same. I love the gospel!

After that, we had some down time to chill. A few of us decided we wanted to go to mass in St. Peter's just for the experience. I'm very glad we did because it was a great experience. Different, but great. Wouldn't switch churches though. I love mine too much. :) After mass, Claire and I realized we had our Book of Mormons with us in our bags. We came up with a few wise cracks about it. "We are striking at the heart of Catholocism!" "We 'BoM-ed' the Vatican!" We're so clever... ha HA! But then we went for a walk to get some gelato our professor told us was the best (Which it was. I had white chocolate and pistacchio. Heaven in the form of gelato.) and got caught in the rain. There's a picture of that too. It was actually really fun. I love Rome. Have I said that before? Cuz I really do.
Today we went to 7 more churches, but we didn't spend as much time at them as the other day. My favorite of the day you ask? St. Ignatius. The ceiling fresco is freaking amazing. I put a picture of that up too, but it does not do it justice. Incredible!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHAEL FORBES!!! You are THE GREATEST Dad in the whole entire world. I'm glad you are mine. Happy birthday you old fart!!! Love you lots. :)

One picture... ha!

Here is a picture from Rome. I was only to get one up for now. It has been so amazing. Last night we ran over to Santa Maria del Popolo right before they closed and saw TWO Caravaggios! In person! They were amazing. We saw Conversion of St. Paul and Crucifixion of St. Peter. Look them up if you're in the mood for some Caravaggio. Me? I'm pretty much always in the mood for some Caravaggio. We went to SEVEN churches today! My feets is hurtin. But it was so great. It's so fun to have talked about things in class and seen slides, but a WHOLE different experience to see these things in person. My favorite we saw today was The Ecstasy of St. Theresa in The Cornaro chapel of Santa Maria della Vittoria. Look it up. Bernini is the sculptor. We love him. Anyway, I am loving my time here in Rome and can't wait to see what it has in store next. Tomorrow we are heading to church early in the morning. I'm really excited to experience that. And then some of us want to try to catch mass in St. Peter's. We thought that might be cool. But we're not sure if we will be able to get in. We shall see. Until next time! Ci vediamo. :)