French Moderns - Described Tour at the Vancouver Art Gallery

Got a little soaked in the rain but also soaked in some culture on April 6, 2019! The Art Gallery Vancouver, in conjunction with VocalEye, hosted its fourth described tour of 2019. Marie-France educated us on the stylistic differences between "academy" artists and the Impressionists in the nineteenth century - clean lines versus expressive brush strokes, studio painting versus painting in the great outdoors. It was helpful to know that impressionist paintings often look like patterns of lines and squiggles up close - it's not just my limited vision doing that! Once the paintings were described, I could step back and interpret those patterns into the images the artist meant to portray. The descriptions of sculptures were also very detailed, allowing me to "see" the movement in them. By adding bits of French history into the mix, Marie-France brought the artwork to life. Special thanks to our volunteer sighted guide, Nori, who not only met us at the Skytrain but moved around taking photos for me while I listened to the commentary. It was a fun morning spent with Degas, Cezanne, Monet and Matisse.