Clark Lunchtime Talk Focuses on Turner's Stormy Shore
WILLIAMSTOWN — J.W.M. Turner's obsession with nature and with the sea in particular is at the core of many of his most powerful paintings, including "Rockets and Blue Lights."This painting will be the subject of the Looking at Lunchtime Talk at the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute on Thursday, May 8. Michael Cassin, director of the Center for Education in the Visual Arts, will lead the free talk at 12:30 p.m.
In "Rockets and Blue Lights," human beings standing on the shore are dwarfed by the waves and the swirling clouds. They fire blue flares into the sky in an attempt to prevent sailors caught by the storm from running aground in the shallow waters. Cassin will take a half-hour look at Turner's coastal storm.
The series continues on Thursday, June 12, with Kathleen Morris, director of exhibitions and collections and curator of decorative arts, discussing selections from the Clark's collection of American glass. The talks take place at 12:30 pm on the second Thursday of every month. Attendees may purchase food from the courtyard cafe or bring a bag lunch to enjoy before or after the gallery talk.
The Clark is located at 225 South St. The galleries are open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 to 5. Admission is free through May. For more information, call 413-458-2303 or visit www.clarkart.edu.
