Music and More: Sara Penny Blog

 My art history knowledge is pretty basic, but I have always loved the ballerinas by Degas so for my birthday this year we went to the exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the special Manet/Degas exhibit.  They were friends and painted each other. Degas collected Manet's art, as he outlived him. It was a fascinating exhibit and very crowded so some of the angles on my photos are skewed. Thanks to Brian, Sandy, and Trey for coming with me to this exceptional exhibit.   This is the famous painting by Degas that was slashed by Manet and caused a rift between the friends for a time. It is of Manet on the couch and his wife playing piano.  Manet cut off his wife's face and the right part of the painting. It was exhibited next to Manet's painting of his wife below. Manet's painting of his wife at the piano.   Lola de Valence, a Spanish dancer who had come to Paris painted by Manet. Degas painted this woman with flowers in 1865.   Degas had family in the New Orleans c

Beaumont Community Theatre became our Texas family during the seven years we lived there between Ireland and Utah. I don't have photos of every production, but some of our favorites: Des had been in plays in Ireland before coming to teach at Lamar University. He also helped with stage managing Camelot, Music Man, and other shows. Sara helped with publicity. Des did perform a few times in plays after moving to Cedar City and was in the Utah Shakespeare Festival for one summer. His teaching duties made it hard to continue in theatre, but he continued performing music until Covid sidelined all of us. Some of his favorite roles in Texas: Professor Higgins in  My Fair Lady Starbuck in  Rainmaker Mr. Lundie in  Brigadoon Koko in  Mikado  (this was at the Orange Theatre, near Beaumont) Priest in Hamlet (he also performed this role in Cedar City at SUU)  Ghost in MacBeth Sara's favorite roles were in Oldest Living Graduate playing a snarky small town woman with "big hair" an

 Space Needle and Chihuly Glass Museum Heather Neilson, Sara Penny, and Carol Lowe in Space Needle Seattle Aquarium Eel Closer look at eel face Jellyfish Unicorn fish Bike Racing at the Velodrome Ferry to Banbridge Island and drive on islands. Ferris Wheel and Cruise ship from ferry Seattle Highlights Cajun restaurant with walls of candles Carol Lowe Heather Nielson and Sara Penny Mt. Rainier