Odyssey was the most successful BBC art program since Kenneth Clarks Civilisation, which aired in the United States 23 years earlier. And her views on God were challenging. She died at the Carmelite Monastery in Quidenham at the age of 88. Quite simply, they justify her reputation as one of the foremost art critics of our time, and one of the most accessible.. Articles by The Associated Press, The AP. A scene inside the Vatican from Sister Wendys Story of Painting, one of her many BBC series. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). My heart sinks when the word God is bandied around glibly., Wendy Mary Beckett, nun and art critic, born 25 February 1930; died 26 December 2018. In private and occasionally in public she would question the churchs strict code on sexual ethics as a distraction from the real business of bringing people to God, whatever their gender, chosen method of contraception or orientation. Omissions? In the 1990s she became one of the most unlikely television stars. By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes. And indeed wicked it is! Sister Wendys Story of Painting. When he finally met her at LACMA, Beal understood. Sister Wendy Beckett, TV art historian, dies at 88. Yet, while the contradiction could irritate some devout Catholics she was giving, they said, a misleading impression of religious life it was, for most, a key part of her appeal and brought her programmes large audiences. Give yourself over to contemplation. It challenges the human spirit to accept a deeper reality.. Graham Beal who was artistic director of LACMA in 1999, first met Beckett by mail decades earlier when he was with the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. Seen on PBS. In order to earn money for her convent, she agreed to do a television series about fine art for the BBC, and she quickly became famous. 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And, while its always recommended to spend lots of time in the actual presence of artworks, you can still cultivate knowledge and appreciation even if your situation doesnt allow for it. Cookie Policy I was impressed by the depth of her knowledge, even of artists who are not well known, he said. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Her favourite choice was "Serenade" (D 957 No. Wondering why we ask for your email, or having trouble registering. Later that year, she advised on coping with a family Christmas. 2023 BBC. It was a magical moment of television, too. You can either click on the link in your confirmation email or simply re-enter your email address below to confirm it. Interview with Clive Anderson, BBC Radio 2, 28 January 2007, Postcards from God: The Sister Wendy Musical, "World of Sister Wendy Beckett, nun and art historian", "Sister Wendy Beckett, Nun Who Became a BBC Star, Dies at 88", "Sister Wendy Beckett British nun and art critic", "Sister Wendy Beckett | British nun and art critic", "Sister Wendy At The Norton Simon Museum", "500 Years On, The Vatican Museums Go Digital", "Sister Wendy's American Collection About the Series Buy the Book", "BBC Four Churches: How to Read Them, Reformation: Chaos and Creation", "BBC Four Arena, Sister Wendy and the Art of the Gospel", "Arena Sister Wendy and the Art of the Gospel", "She May Not Get Out Much, but She Does Know a Lot About Art", "BBC Radio 4 Desert Island Discs, Sister Wendy Beckett", "Sister Wendy Beckett, TV art historian, dies at 88", "Wendy Beckett Books List of books by author Wendy Beckett", "Publication: The Christ Journey Sister Wendy Beckett reflects on the art of Greg Tricker", "Sister Wendy Contemplates Saint Paul in Art 9780854397525 by Beckett, Wendy- St Pauls Publishing of 0/11/2008", "Speaking to the Heart: 100 Favourite Poems by Wendy Beckett - Books", "Sister Wendy Beckett - British nun and art critic", "Inner Life: A Fellow Traveler's Guide to Prayer", "The Duke and the Peasant: Life in the Middle Ages (Adventures in Art Series)", "Nonfiction Book Review: Mystical Now C by Sister Wendy Beckett, Author, Wendy Beckett, Author Universe Publishing(NY) $25.95 (160p) ISBN 978-0-87663-647-3", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wendy_Beckett&oldid=1126090621, This page was last edited on 7 December 2022, at 13:18. Becketts frequent director, David Willcock, referred to her as Wens and marveled at the effect she had on strangers. Take it and sit by the window in the sunlight and slowly and reverently eat this dish., Her first book on art, Contemporary Women Artists, was published in 1988. Her insights into the artists she encountered on screen struck a chord with many who had previously lacked the vocabulary and the confidence to feel at home in art galleries. According to the Guardians Aamna Mohdin, Sister Wendys father worried that she was too young to make such a commitment, but her mother supported the decision. Menu. She had a gift for storytelling and drama, as well as a clear passion for her subject matter. (Photo by Neville Elder/Corbis/Getty Images) Share Carmen Hermo Related Articles Want to Learn Art History? Your source for jobs, books, retreats, and much more. I think Mother called me Wendy because she thought I would be small and pretty. Sister Wendy Beckett, (born February 25, 1930, Johannesburg, South Africadied December 26, 2018, East Harling, England), South African-born British nun who appeared on a series of popular television shows and wrote a number of books as an art critic. As her fame grew, her passion for military history, crossword puzzles and detective stories became public knowledge. Sister Wendy Beckett (1930 - 2018) was the unlikely star of art history documentary programs on the BBC. Sister Wendy. In moments of candour, though, she would admit that she liked to share knowledge she had originally joined a teaching order, the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, in 1947, but had to give up the classroom after having epileptic seizures brought on by stress. Sister Wendy's Story of Painting TV Series 1996 30 m IMDb RATING 7.9 /10 287 YOUR RATING Rate Documentary History Nun and art expert Sister Wendy Beckett, guides viewers on a chronological journey of the art medium. Obituaries Section. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. In 1946, she entered the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, a Roman Catholic congregation of religious sisters dedicated to education. The body is Gods creation, like a tree, only better designed, she once replied. DailyArt Magazine needs your support. Sister Wendy, a clever and perceptive woman, was herself aware of the contradiction and struggled to square the circle, some times more successfully than others. She was, the Church Times TV critic at that time, David Johnson, observed, an unself-conscious natural for television. The austerity and simplicity of this lifestyle was reflected when she was later briefly diverted into food writing for The Daily Telegraph in 1994: Make yourself a cup of tea and cut a nice slice of brown bread, she instructed. From Macbeth to Romeo and Juliet, William Three monotheistic religions are the so-called religions of the book. American-English poet, playwright, and literary critic. [12], Beckett was often effusively verbal in her descriptions of the human body in paintings, both male and female. She was a brilliant art critic. The Guardian. Her death was confirmed by the Carmelite Monastery in Quidenham, England, where she had lived in a trailer for decades, though not as a member of the Carmelite order. "She was a hugely popular BBC presenter and will be fondly remembered by us all. In 1970, she returned to England and moved into the trailer at the Carmelite Monastery. Her health was never good she had suffered from a weak heart since childhood and could very quickly run out of energy in mid-take. Time Magazine. Sister Wendy Beckett (1930 - 2018) was the unlikely star of art history documentary programs on the BBC. Wendy is greatly missed by her husband Eugene, daughters Amanda (Jay) and Nicole (Tyler), sister Cheri, grandchildren Lochlan, Beckett, Evera, Nessaya and extended family. Password reset instructions will be sent to your registered email address. Like Sister Wendy, I believe that art is for everyone. SISTER Wendy Beckett, who died on 26 December, aged 88, had been a Religious, leading a solitary life for two decades before she accepted an invitation to appear in a BBC documentary about the National Gallery. Sister Wendy began stud She preferred the quiet monastic life but felt that introducing people to art was a calling too strong to ignore. . December 27, 2018. But those who made series such as Sister Wendys Odyssey (1992) and Sister Wendys Story of Painting (1996) recall that, at the time, she seemed to be enjoying herself on and off camera. Carmen Hermo, January 8, 2019 British nun and art critic, Sister Wendy Beckett. After graduating in style, however, she soldiered on for 17 years in convent schools in South Africa, feeling she had no alternative, until finally her health collapsed. 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