The tree in the lobby of the Lakeland Terrace Hotel, a frequent home away from home

Tis the season to be Jolly!

Carolers on the terrace of the Terrace

Enjoying our annual Christmas party for the LRMC emergency physicians and mid-level providers at the Oxford Exchange in Tampa

Three shifts down, eight to go for my second stint of December working in the emergency department. On Monday, December 15th, after finishing my first string of shifts, we drove our rented Chevy Impala north out of Lakeland. The first day’s destination – Atlanta, Georgia, my hometown. My three sisters still reside in the metro Atlanta area. It is rare that we all get together. So, I was excited to find out we could all meet for dinner at my oldest sister, Wanda’s, home. We had a wonderful time of food, refreshments, and catching up before calling it a night.

Me and my sisters, Lisa, Gail, and Wanda

Wanda’s two grandchildren, Gaius and Winry

The next day’s goals were ambitious. We would continue northward toward Barberton, Ohio to be with Cindy’s family for a few days. Her dad was not well and in the hospital, hastening our journey into colder weather. However, we had three desired stops along the way: The Atlanta High Museum of Art, the Bob Jones University Museum in Greenville, South Carolina, and the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina.

We arrived at the High Museum around the time it opened on Tuesday morning. Cindy and I have visited the High on at least two previous occasions. But, we really wanted to stop this time because of a special visiting exhibit: The Cantoria of Lucca della Robbia. However, I’ll save the Cantoria for the next post. Instead, I’ll show some photos from another visiting exhibition showing works by Paul Cézanne, especially his watercolors.

An unusual Van Gogh

I can’t remember who the artist is,, but I really like it.

Cézanne (1839-1906), was a French post-impressionist who bridged the gap between late 19th-century impression and the 20th-century movement known as cubism. In Baltimore, over 20 years ago, a visiting display of this transitional artist, who was called “the father of us all” by men like Matisse and Picasso, first piqued my interest in fine art. Art history and the appreciation of fine art is now a passion of mine. What was unique about the exhibit at the High Museum in Atlanta, was its focus on his watercolors, which is not what comes quickly to mind when thinking of Cézanne. The simple (easy for me to say) graphite sketches sparingly decorated with color are, I think, quite beautiful.

Watercolor still-life by Cézanne

Cézanne

Cézanne Watercolor

Next time, Lucca della Robbia.