{"id":4082,"date":"2022-04-03T10:59:43","date_gmt":"2022-04-03T15:59:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.virginiaparker.net\/travel\/?p=4082"},"modified":"2022-04-03T14:01:35","modified_gmt":"2022-04-03T19:01:35","slug":"i-dont-have-a-plan-i-have-a-purpose","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.virginiaparker.net\/travel\/?p=4082","title":{"rendered":"I don\u2019t have a plan, I have a purpose"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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London weather is fickle, one minute a cloudless blue, blink, and there\u2019s an icy wind and sleet. April Fool, indeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Nothing went the way I expected, the way I planned, but everything worked out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My first stop was the Virtual Veronese<\/em> at the National Gallery. I was excited for this. I pictured gazing around aged stone walls flicking in candlelight and seeing the rich colors of the painter\u2019s hand in vibrant detail. Nope. Total Fail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To be fair, I\u2019ve never had any kind of virtual experience. Between wearing progressive lenses and having limited vision in one eye, I wasn\u2019t the best candidate for this.  Inside the headset I couldn\u2019t see anything well. The virtual monks explaining why the painting was commissioned did not improve the experience . The goggles pressed on my sinuses and the Velcro caught in my hair. The virtual environment looked like an unconvincing Hollywood set. Let\u2019s just say I\u2019m glad the experience was short.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet directly afterward, walking into the galleries of actual paintings felt like being embraced by a cherished and trusted friend. And the quality of the art! Ye gods. Gallery after gallery, room after room of iconic masterworks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I recognized many of them which added to the pleasure. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In honor of April 15th, Two Tax-Gatherers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I paused at this painting because so many elements spoke to me; drapery, education, terracotta pots, watering. My people! I took a seat, started drawing, and began to settle down, be present, to look and really see. Time flew by.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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