Sister Wendy

Oh I adored Sister Wendy and her art programme how sad.

RIP ?

That is sad to hear. She always came across as such a talented and interesting lady. She spoke about art in a way which nobody else has done.

Oh dear how sad, a lovely lady.

RIP Sister Wendy ?

RIP Sister Wendy

I loved her programs, I learned so much.

She was 88 and had lived a good life.

My aunt was a nun in the same convent in the 1930s. Although she was asked to leave after a few years because she did not have good health and they considered the very austere life they led too much for her.

She seemed like a really lovely, wise, calm and kind woman. 88 doesn't seem that ancient to me these days but she said she'd had a wonderfully happy life and I think that probably quality is better than quantity.

What a talented lady, so much enthusiasm and knowledge. She was a delight to watch.

We loved her programmes. She was so enthusiastic and spontaneous. She said what she genuinely thought rather than paraded knowledge of art learned from others. So refreshing in this age of experts. RIP Sister.

Thank you- I would have missed her death if it were not for GN. I agree with all the above, she will be missed. RIP.

Jane10 what have you got against experts? I use them all the time: my GP, the electrician, the authors of the books I read erc etc! It is an odd "Trumpian" trend to dismiss those with expertise and knowledge as a waste of space! Sister Wendy was actually an expert ..a first class degree from Oxford and an expert communicator..and ecpert at making her audience think she was just looking at a piece af art and expressing a spontaneous opinion! A clever woman!

Sorry PECS I meant art experts not all experts! It's people 'liking' art that they are told is good or great that I found Sister W such a good contrast to. What she said was really her opinion not necessarily one that she'd been taught. As I said, she was refreshing.

Understood Jane10
I found her style mildly irritating. I have very little art knowledge but I have attended some good curator talks at different art galleries and found their expertise about the available materials, political & social era, subject of the art work etc very helful in understanding different art. Some I still dislike but at least I understand it better!

I really enjoy going to art galleries and have attended various talks and lectures. I've been a bit put off by certain lecturers though. It's interesting to hear the background of a painting but I need that inexplicable emotional reaction to a painting that I can't be told to feel.
Recently a local gallery had Lachlan Goudie along to talk about his work. (He's the one from that BBC painting competition we love to hate!). He was a very nice young man and it was interesting to hear the background to his various paintings. I quite liked some of them but not enough to buy!

I agree with the need to have a personal response to a piece and thatsome experts are less effective communicators for those of us with very basic knowledge of art /art history!

Lachlan has made some really interesting programmes for BBC4.

It made a refreshing change to see a nun enthusing about Stanley Spencer's pubic hair! A true original!