Georgia and Louise

A few weeks ago when Sweet Jack and I were in New York City, we saw the Louise Bourgeois exhibit at the Guggenheim. I had never heard of her, but when I saw her picture I couldn't wait to go. Here was a picture of a 97 year old woman (still very much alive and working!) looking directly at the camera with a large sculpture of male genitalia in the crook of her arm. Not your average cute little granny -- our kind of gal! Needless to say, the huge exhibit was thought-provoking, unique, and sometimes compelling. Soon she will be added to All We Do.

I began to think of long lived women artists and, of course, Georgia O'Keefe came quickly to mind. They have much in common -- they were working artists all of their lives, they each worked in a variety of media, each living life on their own terms, AND they each had much younger male assistants who fulfilled many roles in their lives. Hmmm. Interesting.

Many women who are comfortably into Silver Vixen-hood, lament the absence of men/a man in their lives and here are two women who seem not have that problem. Are they attractive by the standards we keep trying to attain? NO. Do they seem to have made exercise a major priority in their lives? NO. Yet each (this is a little convoluted here because Georgia has died and Louise is very much alive -- so work with me here)
has reached ripe age with a male assistant/companion who appears to be devoted.

What are the lessons? As far as I can see they are -- live your life to please yourself -- yet not to the detriment or exclusion of others --, keep up with your own interests, keep interesting people around you, and don't quit!

What do you think?