“La Vida” - Bill Sullivan
After observing some of the paintings, I enjoyed Bill Sullivan’s the most. They resemble photographs rather than paintings. He portrays the scenes of nature so brilliantly, yet they are simple and realistic. My favorite is “La Vida” in the South America Gallery. It reminds me of a picture I took while traveling in the region of Calabria in Italy. To me, the serene sunset in the distance is a reminder to keep hope that there is something beautiful awaiting in the future. I love that it is named “La Vida,” meaning “Life.” I feel that this title is perfect for the painting. When looking at this painting, it gives you a feeling of peace within yourself and with your life. That is exactly how I felt when I saw this scenery in Italy, and how I feel when I look at this painting. About Sullivan, Reinaldo Arenas says that, “his roots and concerns take him from a dreamy, organic, and telluric world toward limitless horizons where the real and the magical merge in perfect balance” (http://www.jaimemanrique.com/books/the-autobiography-of-bill-sullivan.html .) I agree with this statement because this painting is a perfect example of how “real and magical merge in perfect balance.” Also, John Ashbery states that a “certain surreality floats through these vaporous visions…, though this may just be the result of Sullivan’s careful documentation of scenes that looked unreal to begin with.” This statement is a perfect example of how he brings “real” and “magical” together; the scenes he depicts seem unreal, but they nature’s magic. A sunset is something that occurs everyday, but some don’t take the time to appreciate its beauty; Sullivan portrays this in his work.

“Music” - Anne Porter
The first poem I read by Anne Porter was called “ The Ticket.” After reading this poem and reading a little about the author, I decided I wanted to read more of Porter’s poetry; I admire her style of writing and her reason for writing. Her poetry is simple and understandable, yet profound and full of meaning. The poem I decided to discuss is “Music.” Like many of Porter’s poems, I feel that this poem is religious. Others may interpret it differently. In this poem, Porter questions why “music at its most beautiful opens a wound in us.” Music can bring us to tears; it can bring us back to a specific moment, person, or scenery that made one feel so incredibly emotional. She goes on to say, “there’s an ancient legend from the other side of the world that gives away the secret,” of why music brings us to this place of deep feelings, and sometimes “desolation.” It brings us “desolation,” in a “homesickness” kind of way. When we hear this “heavenly” music, we “half remember” that “lost native country,” which I would say is a place of complete peace; Porter, being religious, was referring to heaven. She goes on to describe various scene of this distant place; she says that “at the heart of it, is the longed-for beauty of the One who waits for us.” I believe she is referring to God waiting for us in heaven. She ends it with the line: “Yet also came to live with