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Ron Nurwisah's avatar

Also, needless to say… this is such a fun round-up. Loved hearing everyone’s art ‘first love’

Mine was probably in high school. Reading about Theodore Gericault’s “Raft of Medusa” in western civ class and then seeing it in the Louvre on a trip with my parents later that summer. I could’ve stared at that painting for hours. It’s an absolute giant canvass which you don’t really get when your context is a tiny version in a high school textbook.

Jerry Saltz of NY Mag wrote a great essay about this painting years ago that brought some of these feels flooding back: https://www.vulture.com/article/jerry-saltz-art-is-life-raft-of-the-medusa.html

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Rose Florence's avatar

Ron!!! I just started Jerry Saltz’s memoir - he opens with how Raft of Medusa was his first formative work too. Great minds. Maybe your next read after 9th Street women?!

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Ron Nurwisah's avatar

It’s also on my bedside table. I’ve dipped in and out of it.

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Sandy Sanchez's avatar

Love everything about this omg everyone’s art memories 🥲 ty for having me 💙

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Rose Florence's avatar

How dare we have so many friends that love art!

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Julia Harrison's avatar

I LOVE!!!!

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Rose Florence's avatar

Ok dying to know Julia’s first love will she tell us

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Julia Harrison's avatar

cheugy af girl it's matisse's open window hahaha

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Eva Allan's avatar

These are so great, and I hope you don't mind that I'd like to reference your writing here in a post on Cezanne, who is tied for first as my first art love (the other was the Etruscans). I hope it will also send more readers your way from my newsletter, The Vivid Eye! evaallanarts.substack.com

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Rose Florence's avatar

Eva I’d be honored! Just subscribed can’t wait to read more of your work

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sofia's avatar

This is now my new favourite question to ask people. I love your brain <3 I also love that Som and I share our first art memories at the same spot, shoutout AGO! (Mine was at the Frida exhibit, shifted my thoughts around self portrait forever)

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Rose Florence's avatar

Ok AGO!!!! Must be a magical place. Wonder how many cool Canada born creatives’ first memories were formed there. Future novel alert

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Nora's avatar

I love this exercise. It made me think about what my first art experience that I remember was -- I think it was going to the Norman Rockwell museum with my family

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Rose Florence's avatar

If your first mem is a Rockwell you were bound to turn out cool🫡

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Elissa Suh's avatar

Pissaro's snowy paintings for me, forever a winter.

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Rose Florence's avatar

You should read Marriage of Opposites by Alice Hoffman - all about Pissaro’s life

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Clare Moore's avatar

love this!! and love that you still keep up with your preschool teacher!!

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Rose Florence's avatar

Literally the only reason I still have a Facebook the woman is a legend

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Jack H's avatar

It was more of my second love than first, but I absolutely LOVE a monet too, the memory of sitting and staring at "Camille Monet and a Child in the Artist's Garden in Argenteuil" for probably at least 20 minutes is seared in my mind

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Rose Florence's avatar

That painting is a perfect little jewel - the colors alone!!! Actually just sent a postcard of it for Mother’s Day💕

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Harrison's avatar

Love this! I’m Harrison, an ex fine dining industry line cook. My stack "The Secret Ingredient" adapts hit restaurant recipes (mostly NYC and L.A.) for easy home cooking.

check us out:

https://thesecretingredient.substack.com

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Tierney's avatar

I love this post so much. I grew up always loving art, loved flipping through my dad’s high school art book. My first big emotional reaction to a piece was at a Picasso exhibit in grade 4. When you first walked into the exhibit, the first painting was Boy leading a Horse. So so beautiful in real life. Rest of my class went ahead but I just stood there enthralled. I’m grateful for my teacher at that age.

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Rose Florence's avatar

That is so special - I know just the one, from Picasso’s Rose Period. Its so funny how those things stick to you - especially us creative types

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Lauren Sands's avatar

I so enjoyed reading everyone’s answers. Thank you so much for including me! Honored to be listed among such talented creatives!

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Rose Florence's avatar

Thanks for teaching me about Martine - you have such a great eye on contemporary art!

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Lauren Paige Goldstein's avatar

Girl with a watering can for me!!!!

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Rose Florence's avatar

She was another early memory for me too! I actually used to try and copy that painting all the time when I was first learning to draw people. I loved how cute she was

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Ali LaBelle's avatar

This was so fun!!!!

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Rose Florence's avatar

Cameron fan club forever🤝

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Kelsey Rose's avatar

PS- Miss Sue!! She looks and sounds like the coolest person!

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Kelsey Rose's avatar

It was so fun participating in this and even more fun reading the other answers! Thank you tons and tons, Rose! ❤️🖼️❣️

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Rose Florence's avatar

My fellow rose🌹🌹🌹

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