Sister Wendy Beckett (1930-2018) was probably the world's most unconventional art historian. The BBC said it commissioned Beckett in 1991 to host a TV documentary on the National Gallery in London. Royalties and residuals amounted to an income large enough for her to replace her trailer-hermitage for a newer model, with heat, and to put aside some money for her retirement, as well as help pay the convents expenses. There was no big Should I give up the caravan to do television? or Am I spoiling my hermit life? she recalled in her book Sister Wendy on Prayer (2006). Try, even for a few moments, to find a place apart. . Fryer, Jane. When asked once what she felt about God, she replied, sharply: I dont think anyone can feel God. Lawson, Mark. Heres what to know, From Chris Rock to the SAG Awards. Wendy was born in Johannesburg to Aubrey and Dorothy Beckett. Could you be called to shape the future of Mission and Ministry across the Diocese of Worcester? Theyre considered the most successful BBC arts programs since art historian Kenneth Clarks landmark 1969 documentaries, Civilisation. Think young sumo wrestler.. We can't do it without youAmerica Media relies on generous support from our readers. Afflicted by stress-induced epileptic fits, she returned to England and became a consecrated virgin, moving into a caravan in the grounds of the Carmelite convent at Quidenham, in Norfolk, and working on Latin translation. Sister Wendy Beckett (1930 - 2018) was the unlikely star of art history documentary programs on the BBC. Sister Wendy Beckett (1930 - 2018) was the unlikely star of art history documentary programs on the BBC. After Sister Wendys American Collection and Sister Wendy at the Norton Simon Museum had made her name with US TV viewers in 2001-02, she declined any further offers. Born in South Africa in 1930, Wendy Beckett received her dual vocations -- God and art -- early in life. In 1991, a BBC producer, Nicholas Rossiter, persuaded her to do a stand-up documentary about Britains National Gallery, talking about its paintings. Beckett continued writing about her interest in icons in the second volume of her Sister Wendy Contemplates series, published in July 2011. Although she hadnt appeared on television since the early 2000s, she was still a much-loved figure responsible for putting many people on the path of art appreciation. But her insightful, unscripted commentaries a blend of history, criticism and observations on Leonardo da Vinci, van Gogh, Botticelli, Rembrandt, Monet and other Western masters connected emotionally with millions in Britain and America. Dont think, fat little bloke, she said. The New York Times. 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. While still a child, Beckett moved with her family to Scotland. She was a sister of the Catholic Church who became prominent in the 1990s presenting BBC shows about art history. Wendy's family welcomes you to join a mass service at 11:00 on Thursday February 23, 2023 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help (OLPH) in Kamloops BC, followed by a Celebration of . This brought her to the attention of a BBC producer and led, in 1992, to the debut Sister Wendys Odyssey. Two other series on art, Sister Wendys Grand Tour (1994) and Sister Wendys Story of Painting (1997), appeared on the BBC and were soon shown throughout Europe. From an early age she intended to become a nun, and at 16 she joined the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, a teaching order, as Sister Michael of St. Peter. She would get up at 1am, the best time for prayer and contemplation, she said. Her favourite choice was "Serenade" (D 957 No. The nun passed away on Boxing Day 2018 at the age of 88 - here's everything you need to know about her. I thought it was just a weekend here or there.. After attending the Notre Dame College of Education in Liverpool and earning a teaching diploma in 1954, she returned to South Africa to teach at Notre Dame Convent, a school for girls in Constantia, Cape Town, where she taught English and Latin. (You will need to register. Captains of industry rush around to find her a needle and thread, he said of a typical day with Sister Wendy. She was an effective and knowledgeable presenter, and people enjoyed her quirky style and insights. This book, entitled The Iconic Jesus, takes the reader through scenes from the New Testament, accompanied by Beckett's reflections. If I had known how much time it would take, I would never have started it.. It was inevitable that the Church Times should seek to publish extracts from her books, and even invite her to contribute. And when she did begin studying it, she did so all on her own, through books. Do you thrive on seeing people come to faith? Give yourself over to contemplation. Search by Name. A visitor to the Carmel, the cook and devout Catholic Delia Smith, was so impressed by Sister Wendys writing that in the late 80s she persuaded the Catholic Herald newspaper to publish them as a weekly series. She and Michelangelo are no doubt having an in depth eternal discussion about the latters art work in the Sistine Chapel. Sister Wendy never sought a life in the spotlight. She prayed seven hours a day and went out only to morning Mass or to a mobile library van for books. Sister Wendy. She began living in a caravan on the grounds of a Carmelite monastery at Quidenham, Norfolk, and her caravan was later replaced by a mobile home. At an art exhibit in Norfolk, where a BBC camera crew happened to be taping a documentary about feminist author Germaine Greer, Beckett was asked to give her impression of the show on tape. In the 1990s she became one of the most unlikely television stars. Carmen Hermo, January 8, 2019 British nun and art critic, Sister Wendy Beckett. Emerging from her hermit-like existence in a caravan at a Carmelite monastery in Norfolk, she hosted unscripted BBC shows from galleries across the world. Sister Wendy began. McFadden, Robert D. Sister Wendy Beckett, Nun Who Became a BBC Star, Dies at 88. BBC director of arts Jonty Claypole paid tribute, saying Sister Wendy had "a unique presentation style, a deep knowledge of and passion for the arts". In her honor, let's learn a few important things from Sister Wendy. If you login and register your print subscription number with your account, youll have unlimited access to the website. Health problems combined with the dream of a contemplative life, which she had abandoned when she entered her order of teaching nuns, led Beckett back to England. Find the obituary of Wendy Ann Romanowski (1957 - 2023) from Kamloops, BC. She had a gift for storytelling and drama, as well as a clear passion for her subject matter. She once said she persisted because she had a calling to talk about art in ways the average person could appreciate. By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes. And indeed wicked it is! A surprising rise to fame catapulted her into television stardom, where she used her platform to share artistic masterpieces with the public. Meet Sister Wendy. Wondering why we ask for your email, or having trouble registering. Her first book, Contemporary Women Artists, was published in 1988. She died at the Carmelite Monastery in Quidenham at the age of 88. I thought it was just a weekend here or there.. Her appearance in an ITV programme, Visions, described as a beautiful vignette, was followed two years later by her own programme, Sister Wendys Odyssey. Later, as an act of humility, she reclaimed her given name. She was a brilliant art critic.". The series was a hit, and Sister Wendy, a habit-wearing consecrated virgin with a speech impediment, became the most unlikeliest of stars. Theyre concerned with the big, beautiful fundamentals, and there I have never had any problem. I was impressed by the depth of her knowledge, even of artists who are not well known, he said. [12], Beckett was often effusively verbal in her descriptions of the human body in paintings, both male and female. She insisted, however, on describing the depiction of the human anatomy in art when it was called for, stating that "God did not make a mistake when He created the human body, so I am not making a mistake by describing it.". Sister Wendy was definitely not what you would expect in either an art critic or a television personality. However, she occasionally made television appearances, and Sister Wendy at the Norton Simon Museum, a TV movie commissioned by the Norton Simon Art Foundation, aired in 2002. From then on, she was not a member of any religious order but continued to wear a homemade black habit, a variation on the one she wore as a Sister of Notre Dame. The Republican. Sister Wendy Beckett Obituary. She had acquired all the star trappings but a wardrobe adviser a publicist, an agent to negotiate fees and contracts, promotional interviews with Charlie Rose and Bill Moyers, and visits with dignitaries like Prime Minister John Major at 10 Downing Street and Pope John Paul II, who commended her for broadcasting a positive image of the church. Her later art-related works include Joy Lasts: On the Spiritual in Art (2006), Real Presence: In Search of the Earliest Icons (2010), and Sister Wendy on the Art of Mary (2013). if you are trying to comment, you must log in or set up a new account. In 1954 Sister Wendy completed her teaching diploma in Liverpool and returned to South . Had she been worldlier, she used to reflect, she would never have joined the Notre Dame de Namur sisters the order that ran her own school because she was physically unsuited to the rigours of classroom teaching. Her novelty may have also worn off for commissioners in Britain, for her subsequent attempt to return to our screens to present a short series on Orthodox icons, a great passion, failed to find a taker. Low-profile art world family seeks personal assistant, NBCs Chicago series have strong showings but CBS wins weekly TV ratings race, Hunger Games star Jena Malone says someone I had worked with sexually assaulted her, Travis Barkers finger injury delays Blink-182 tour: One of those freak accidents. TV art historian and nun Sister Wendy Beckett has died at the age of 88, it has been announced. Born Wendy Mary Beckett in Johannesburg, she moved as a child to Scotland, in 1946 joined the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, a teaching order, and earned a degree in . She dressed not as a Carmelite, but in a traditional black and white habit that she designed herself, merging features from several orders. In 1950 Sister Wendy's order sent her to Oxford University, where she lodged in a convent, and was awarded a Congratulatory First Class degree in English literature. 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. Sister Wendy died on December 26, 2018 at the age of 88. Sister Wendy Beckett, the TV star and art historian, has died at the age of 88. VideoIsabel Oakeshott: Why I leaked minister's messages, How 10% of Nigerian registered voters delivered victory, Sake brewers toast big rise in global sales, The Indian-American CEO who wants to be US president, Blackpink lead top stars back on the road in Asia, Exploring the rigging claims in Nigeria's elections, 'Wales is in England' gaffe sparks TikToker's trip. Whether thats Eve or not, theres a human face there looking straight at Adam with the eyes daring him to respond to the challenge. Sister Wendy Beckett (1930 - 2018) was the unlikely star of art history documentary programs on the BBC. It was while attending an art exhibit that a film crew overheard her comments and asked to videotape her. LONDON (AP) Sister Wendy Beckett, an art historian and critic who rose to prominence on TV late in life, has died. In May 2009, Encounters with God: In Quest of the Ancient Icons of Mary was published, which follows Beckett's pilgrimage to see the earliest icons of Mary which had survived the Byzantine Iconoclasm. The body is Gods creation, like a tree, only better designed, she once replied. A word that appears frequently is unwanted. But audiences were captivated by her richly human tales, which brought art to life. 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. The capacity to see, to open up the vision of reality that an artist offers, is innate in us all. Sister Wendy was well educated, but not in art history. At the British Museum, standing beside a Greek wine jar painted 2,500 years ago, she embroidered the portrayal of Achilles slaying Penthesilea, the Amazon queen, at the fall of Troy. . Since youre a frequent reader of our website, we want to be able to share even more great, As a frequent reader of our website, you know how important, Sister Wendy Beckett meditates on Janet McKenzie's "The Holy Family", Cardinal Cupich: Critics of Pope Francis Latin Mass restrictions should listen to JPII, Cardinal McElroy on radical inclusion for L.G.B.T. She was received by the local bishop as a consecrated virgin, an ancient ceremony, revived in Catholicism in the 1970s, in which she pledged her perpetual virginity and was betrothed mystically to Christ. I find myself saying to myself firmly that I might not have been interested or excited or challenged by what Ive seen, she said on a rare trip to London in 2008 to see an exhibition by those on the Turner Prize shortlist, but the artists who made these installations must have been. She lived here as a hermit, rising at midnight to pray, and giving seven hours each day to her devotions. She graduated from Oxford University as an honor student in literature in 1954 but taught herself the history of art from the hermits trailer where she lived on the grounds of a Carmelite monastery in Norfolk, England. She loved Star Trek, horse racing and swigging Baileys: Art-loving Sister Wendy really was a one-off masterpieces, says JANE FRYER. Alexandra Kiely Returning to South Africa, she taught for 15 years at a Cape Town convent and later lectured at Johannesburgs University of Witwatersrand. Of a postcoital self-portrait by Sir Stanley Spencer with Patricia Preece, Sister Wendy confessed, I love all those glistening strands of hair, and her pubic hair is so soft and fluffy., It was a sensation, widely quoted. I have an electric kettle, fridge, warming oven and night storage heater, so my life is as comfortable as it needs to be., Sister Wendy Beckett, Nun Who Became a BBC Star, Dies at 88, https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/26/obituaries/sister-wendy-beckett-dead.html. The series followed a simple format: Sister Wendy stood next to an artwork and gave her reaction to the piece. The Carmelite Monastery of Quidenham said Beckett died at the . Do you have a vision for how to proclaim the Gospel afresh for this generation? She assigned all her earnings to a Carmelite order that had sheltered her for decades, and she attended Mass daily, even when traveling. It was only a feeling: it was not reality., Death is the climax of our life, when we pass into the presence of God, Sister Wendy observed in 2012. The Guardian. Odyssey was the most successful BBC art program since Kenneth Clarks Civilisation, which aired in the United States 23 years earlier. Quite simply, they justify her reputation as one of the foremost art critics of our time, and one of the most accessible.. There Sister Wendy dissected art in various museums around Britain. So in her honor, lets learn a few important things from Sister Wendy. "Sister Wendy had a unique presentation style, a deep knowledge of and passion for the arts," BBC director of arts Jonty Claypole said. For a 10-part 1994 BBC series, Sister Wendys Grand Tour, she crossed Europe and for the first time swooned over Matisse and Czanne at the Louvre in Paris, Michelangelos Piet in Rome, the canvases of Rembrandt and van Gogh in Amsterdam, and the art treasures of Madrid, Florence, Venice and Berlin. , An Interview,Sister Wendys American Collection, PBS. Socialites give up their cab for her.. I really didnt think it was anything, Sister Wendy recalled of her decision to talk about art on television in her book Sister Wendy on Prayer (2006). Beckett, Sister Wendy. She is survived by a brother, Wendell. Making television isnt the kind of prayer I would have chosen, but its what God chose for me, she told her interviewer for the radio programme Desert Island Discs. [9] Later she moved to Johannesburg where she was appointed the superior of the local convent, while she also lectured at the University of the Witwatersrand. In the late 1990s, Sister Wendy Beckett visited the Los Angeles County Museum of Art for her series on U.S. museums. The whole point of prayer is that it is just us, there before the loving God. Bending backward in her black habit in the Vaticans Sistine Chapel, gazing up through large eyeglasses at Michelangelos The Creation of Adam, Sister Wendy spoke with a storytellers wonder at the solemn, sensuous moment on the ceiling as two fingertips near the touch that begat the creation of life. To see how comfortably and frankly she handled paintings of nudity, watch this video about BotticellisBirth of Venus and this one about PicassosLes Desmoiselles dAvignon. 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. It is most common to talk about paintings or sculptures inspired by a piece of literature. Time Magazine. The juxtaposition of this diminutive figure with articulate and enlightening commentary on fine art never grew old. Pausing before the 16th century Italian painting Madonna and Child With Book, by Raphael, she zeroed in on the hefty baby Jesus. All rights reserved. She also suggested that she only said yes to the BBC because she felt the need to make a small financial contribution to the monastery for her keep and had been forced by ill health to give up her work as a translator of medieval Latin manuscripts in the late 70s. When approached, during a trip to a London gallery, by a fan who wanted to get into contact with her about a personal problem, Sister Wendy smiled kindly but, once the woman had gone, remarked, I hope that woman doesnt write to me. Her unique style drew close to 4 million viewers, mesmerized by her billowing black robes and unpretentious observations. They delivered her meals to the unheated trailer where she slept on the floor, surrounded by towers of art books. 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