My husband is positive that the Art Gallery (any and all I guess) has my picture posted somewhere with a warning.  I am frequently honoured with my own personal security guard.  Walking into an art gallery with four children usually garners attention, but I am able to draw attention without my entourage as well.  In fact my children, when they are with me, will scatter if it looks like I have peaked the scrutiny of a guard.

I like to get close to art.  In addition to the beauty, complexity, and composition, I like to see the brushstroke, the cracks in the paint, the things that were painted over.  I like to see the technique and skill put into the etchings, woodcuts, and lithographs.  I like to see the polish on the stone, the depth of the patina, how well the piece was constructed and finished.  I like to see sculpture from all sides unless they were sculpted to be against the wall, then I expect them to be as the artist intended and not in the middle of the room just because the artist is a Name.  These are not things you can do if viewing from a polite distance.  I would also like to touch the art.  I know that would be bad, so I keep my hands in my pockets, although I will say it is challenging to keep them there.  My proximity to the art is what causes the guards concern.  I do understand.

During my most recent visit to the art gallery, the objects of my interest were the fabulous frames in the Dutch painters collection.  Big, deep, dark wood creations.  Frequently the awesomeness of the frame is ignored because the viewer is caught up in the image.  I was trying to see how the frames were built which, of course, requires close investigation.  Getting close and focusing on the frames was amazing.  The workmanship, the age, the sense of history from the nicks and cracks.  Ducking, peaking, standing on tip toes, standing up close and further back.  I could only gather so much information without removing them from the wall, which I know would have been frowned upon.  As it was I had a guard frequently circling and placing himself so I was always in his view.  I haven’t decided if I cause the guards distress or I keep their job interesting.  I know I would disappear into my own head space if I had to watch people keeping a polite distance all day.