Clayton’s Wilmington Club presentation, “Looking at Paintings: More than Meets the Eye,” was both informative and entertaining. (See May 14 News.) Being a big picture type of person, Clayton used analogies from everyday life to illustrate points about how he views and reacts to paintings. With his ability to hone in on details, he pointed out five elements that appear in paintings which consistently engage the viewer. These elements appear in a variety of genres, and cultures and span centuries. The presentation was well received by a variety of people, some for whom the paintings were familiar, and some who rarely visit museums. One attendee who is color blind was very appreciative that although colors were discussed, color recognition was not key to enjoying these paintings.
Clayton plans to offer the presentation or versions of it in the future for other events.