She graduated from Oxford with high honors in English literature, and one of her original jobs in her monastery was translating Medieval Latin texts. , An Interview,Sister Wendys American Collection, PBS. They delivered her meals to the unheated trailer where she slept on the floor, surrounded by towers of art books. Sister Wendy Beckett (1930 - 2018) was the unlikely star of art history documentary programs on the BBC. This was the main reason she ventured outside her beloved life of solitude to help people experience the joys and spiritual benefits of fine art, which she believed should be shared by all. He spoke with her in late 2000, shortly after they had completed their visit. (Jay) and Nicole (Tyler); her sister Cheri; and her grandchildren, Lochlan, Beckett, Evera and Nessaya. | READ MORE. Sister Wendy Beckett (1930-2018) was probably the world's most unconventional art historian. There Sister Wendy dissected art in various museums around Britain. A natural if eccentric personality with a gift for drama, Sister Wendy helped make art accessible to the general public. . From an early age she wanted to be a nun, and at age 16 she joined the Sisters of Notre Dame. 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. Your Privacy Rights . Video, Isabel Oakeshott: Why I leaked minister's messages, Harry and Meghan told to 'vacate' Frogmore Cottage, Whiskey fungus forces Jack Daniels to stop construction, Explosive found in check-in luggage at US airport, Messages reveal battle over Covid school policy, Covid messages leak a massive betrayal - Hancock, Rare Jurassic-era bug found at Arkansas Walmart, India PM Modi urges G20 to overcome divisions, Aboriginal spears taken in 1770 to return to Sydney. She was born Wendy Beckett, in East London, South Africa, one of two children. She soared to international stardom with her BBC documentaries on the history of art. Her request was granted, and in 1970 she moved back to England, settling on the grounds of the Carmelite monastery in Quidenham, Norfolk. We ask readers to log in so that we can recognize you as a registered user and give you unrestricted access to our website. She wrote, asking for a catalog of a George Segal sculpture exhibit. Obituaries Section. Sister Wendys Story of Painting. From Macbeth to Romeo and Juliet, William Three monotheistic religions are the so-called religions of the book. It is most common to talk about paintings or sculptures inspired by a piece of literature. Thank you for your help! [4] In 1997 she made her debut on US public television, with The New York Times describing her as "a sometime hermit who is fast on her way to becoming the most unlikely and famous art critic in the history of television. 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. 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. At some stage, she would walk over to the Carmel to collect food and her post and then turn in for the night at 6pm. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Read about our approach to external linking. Its because of you that Im here today.. BBC. Her work included a series of well received documentaries including "Sister Wendy's Odyssey" and "Sister Wendy's Grand Tour.". And certainly those who accompanied her on the road enjoyed the more down-to-earth side she would display, enjoying a glass or two of wine (in preference to tea or water) to revive her when she felt faint, or counselling members of the crew on their romantic lives. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. 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. Cookie Policy As he drove his spear through her throat, she said, their eyes met, and he saw how young she was and how lovely and brave. Asked how she managed to read so many crime novels, Beckett had a quick answer. . She was 88.[34]. She was 88. 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. It seemed to her a modest venture. No one else does it quite like you, one woman told her. It was as she wanted it. Its clear from just a quick glance at one of her videos that Sister Wendy truly believed in the power of art and beauty. Sister Wendys Story of Painting, which first aired in the 1990s, enclosed Carmelite monastery at Quidenham in Norfolk. A scene inside the Vatican from Sister Wendys Story of Painting, one of her many BBC series. When Randall Wright, a BBC arts producer, happened to see her on a regional network, he recruited her for a documentary called Sister Wendys Odyssey. See also The Art of Looking at Art, a Britannica sidebar written by Sister Wendy. Her book Art and the Sacred was published in 1992. From the time she appeared in her first art appreciation program on BBC in 1991, Becketts provocative and witty commentaries captured the attention of museum curators, book publishers and art critics as well as art lovers around the world. Theyre concerned with the big, beautiful fundamentals, and there I have never had any problem. LONDON (AP) Sister Wendy Beckett, an art historian and critic who rose to prominence on TV late in life, has died. Time Magazine. Articles by The Associated Press, The AP. It contained colour illustrations of works by a range of modern artists, with her comments, which were always scrupulously truthful, our reviewer concluded. this helps us promote a safe and accountable online community, and allows us to update you when other commenters reply to your posts. When they overheard Sister Wendys musings on the art, the crew members trained their camera on her, kickstarting her unlikely career on the small screen, as host of a series of beloved programs about the worlds greatest artworks. Omissions? The Guardian. You can either click on the link in your confirmation email or simply re-enter your email address below to confirm it. Please contact us at members@americamedia.org with any questions. God is such a total mystery. She was a brilliant art critic. Many are available at local libraries, and you can also see clips of her documentaries on YouTube. In 1970, she returned to England and moved into the trailer at the Carmelite Monastery. Her unique style drew close to 4 million viewers, mesmerized by her billowing black robes and unpretentious observations. It launched her television career. Sister Wendy never sought a life in the spotlight. Dont think, fat little bloke, she said. By 1997, as she marked 50 years as a nun, the Oxford-educated Sister Wendy had made three television series, the most successful BBC arts programs since Civilisation, the art historian Kenneth Clarks landmark 1969 documentaries. It led in turn to an appearance on a TV arts show and eventually to five major series, scripted and presented by one-take-Wendy, as she was known to directors. Sister Wendy began stud. Sister Wendy began. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. ", Close friend Xinran Xue said Beckett's death was "a huge loss for the art world. For many people, including . Sister Wendy Beckett (1930 - 2018) was the unlikely star of art history documentary programs on the BBC. In the early 1970s, she was released from her vows as a Sister of Notre Dame and changed her religious status to consecrated virgin, with the blessing of the Vatican. So in her honor, lets learn a few important things from Sister Wendy. While still a child, Beckett moved with her family to Scotland. 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 Beckett: an unlikely star with an inspirational faith in beauty. I thought it was just a weekend here or there.. Brigit Katz is a freelance writer based in Toronto. Climb the mountain. The Carmelites offered her a home on their property and took care of her for the rest of her life. Quite simply, they justify her reputation as one of the foremost art critics of our time, and one of the most accessible.. Her most ambitious series, Sister Wendys Story of Painting, took her 30,000 miles through Europe, the Middle East and the United States, to survey works ranging from prehistoric cave paintings in France to the masterpieces of Picasso and the Pop Art of Andy Warhol. She basically taught herself everything she knew about art, and then she taught it to lots of other people. Leave your condolences to the family on this memorial page or send flowers to show you care. She was a sister of the Catholic Church who became prominent in the 1990s presenting BBC shows about art history. Surely, most people would be deeply moved by this programme, and drawn to the conclusion that there might be more to this Christianity stuff than they had ever thought., SISTER MARGARET DEWEY SSM, who died on 8 June, aged 94, belonged to an upstate New York family, whose ancestors arrived from England in the 17th century. Star Wendy Beckett See production, box office & company info Search on Amazon search for Blu-ray and DVD Add to Watchlist Beckett continued writing about her interest in icons in the second volume of her Sister Wendy Contemplates series, published in July 2011. The Government is right to help to resist Putins regime but it should take care not to escalate the conflict, says Paul Williams. 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. Corrections? It drew 3.5 million viewers, and it secured her stardom. In 1999, Beckett visited the Los Angeles County Museum of Art for her series on U.S. museums, called Sister Wendys American Collection. By then, her videos were sold in bookstores and used in art appreciation classes. Sprinkle some salt on the dish, and, if you want to be really fancy, some chopped chives. 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. She would find time for a couple of hours of work, writing the occasional article and a series of well-received books on prayer, St Paul and the religious festivals. She died at the Carmelite Monastery in Quidenham at the age of 88. Sister Wendy Beckett Obituary. Lawson, Mark. But most viewers really liked her anyway, because she had a great personality on screen, she knew her art, and she made it interesting to them. Find an Obituary. Still, she was spellbound by art: She read about it voraciously, and began writing about it. The Grand Tour took Sister Wendy to cities including Paris, Madrid and Florence in 1996, Sister Wendy's Odyssey showed the unlikely TV star at her caravan in Norfolk in 1992, Isabel Oakeshott: Why I leaked minister's messages. More series followed, including a ten-part documentary that saw Sister Wendy travel to visit artworks in 12 different countries. The Guardian. 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. December 27, 2018. Advertising Notice Sister Wendy Beckett . Sister Wendy Beckett in 1997. One of her last programs was Sister Wendy at the Norton Simon Museum, which aired in October 2002. Emerging from her hermit-like . I will always be a nun. She had spent more than 20 years in a convent, perfecting the ways of religious life. Her first book, Contemporary Women Artists, was published in 1988. 2. December 26, 2018. [3] Her programmes, such as Sister Wendy's Odyssey and Sister Wendy's Grand Tour, often drew a 25 percent share of the British viewing audience. HEATHER KING. Even throughout her success, Beckett remained dedicated to the convent. Whether thats Eve or not, theres a human face there looking straight at Adam with the eyes daring him to respond to the challenge. From the time I was age 2, my family knew that I would be a nun, she once said. But when she wasnt on camera, she went back to solitary contemplation. Three Jesuit astronomers and the 16th-century pope who commissioned the Gregorian calendar have recently been honored with having asteroids named after them. Subscribe to DailyArt Magazine newsletter, Sister Wendy Beckett, TV art historian, dies at 88, She loved Star Trek, horse racing and swigging Baileys: Art-loving Sister Wendy really was a one-off masterpieces, says JANE FRYER, Remembering Sister Wendy Beckett: beloved Nun, art historian and accidental TV phenomenon, Sister Wendy Beckett: an unlikely star with an inspirational faith in beauty, Sister Wendy Beckett, Nun Who Became a BBC Star, Dies at 88, The Art of Ekphrasis: Shakespeares Lucrece, Atala: The Tragedy that Transcended Pages. | This brought her to the attention of a BBC producer and led, in 1992, to the debut Sister Wendys Odyssey. Reminding viewers that this child was the son of God in Christian theology, she offered her unconventional best advice. I spend a lot of time looking at and reading about art, but I still came away with a new appreciation and perspective after watching videos like this one. Every contribution, however big or small, is very valuable for our future. At 16, she entered the Sisters of Notre Dame in England and began religious life as Sister Michael. In the late 1990s, Sister Wendy Beckett visited the Los Angeles County Museum of Art for her series on U.S. museums. All of her earnings were also assigned to the Carmelite order. Sister Wendy Beckett, TV art historian, dies at 88. Her appearance in an ITV programme, Visions, described as a beautiful vignette, was followed two years later by her own programme, Sister Wendys Odyssey. 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. Sympathy Ideas . 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. It was seen in some of her verdicts on modern artists who failed to interest her, though cloaked as ever in a show of nun-like Christian charity. In the 1990s she became one of the most unlikely television stars. Postcards from God was created by Marcus Reeves, not the originators of Jerry Springer: The Musical as stated in an earlier version. He added: "She was a hugely popular BBC presenter and will be fondly remembered by us all.". And when she did begin studying it, she did so all on her own, through books. 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. Alexandra Kiely She was wonderful! She dressed not as a Carmelite, but in a traditional black and white habit that she designed herself, merging features from several orders. 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. LONDON (AP) Sister Wendy Beckett, an art historian and critic who rose to prominence on TV late in life, has died. Destructive 'Super Pigs' From Canada Threaten the Northern U.S. Did an Ancient Magnetic Field Reversal Cause Chaos for Life on Earth 42,000 Years Ago? Beckett, Sister Wendy with Patricia Wright. 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 . 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. McFadden, Robert D. Sister Wendy Beckett, Nun Who Became a BBC Star, Dies at 88. This unlikely celebrity eventually traveled the world, recording documentaries for British and U.S. television and writing numerous books. She was, by her own account, a frail girl. [12] Sister Wendy Contemplates Saint Paul in Art was published in 2008 to celebrate the Year of Saint Paul. Her father was a physician. When asked once what the other Quidenham nuns thought about her going round the world with a camera crew, she replied, they feel sorry for me. Find the obituary of Wendy Ann Romanowski (1957 - 2023) from Kamloops, BC. New York: Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 1994. And her views on God were challenging. In the 1950s, Sister Wendys order sent her to Oxford University, where she studied English literature and was awarded a Congratulatory First, a prestigious honor that is only bestowed upon a select few students. Born in South Africa in 1930, and raised in Scotland, she joined the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur when she was just 17 years old. Her programmes included Odyssey, Sister Wendy's Grand Tour and Sister Wendy's Story of Painting. Speaking to PBS in 2000 about her U.S. series, Sister Wendys American Collection, she said, I hope that everybody who watches it will realize what art has for them; that this is their heritage, that they are foolish not to explore it, and that the exploration is pleasurable., Brigit Katz The piece caught the eye of a British Broadcasting Company (BBC) producer, and in 1992 Sister Wendys Odyssey made its debut. TV art historian and nun Sister Wendy Beckett has died at the age of 88, it has been announced. She was a brilliant art critic.". She had a gift for storytelling and drama, as well as a clear passion for her subject matter. She had also written 15 books on art and religion, and was a celebrity on both sides of the Atlantic, featured in articles and mobbed by fans. The series was a hit, and Sister Wendy, a habit-wearing consecrated virgin with a speech impediment, became the most unlikeliest of stars. Wendy Mary Beckett[1] (25 February 1930 26 December 2018), better known as Sister Wendy, was a British religious sister and art historian[2] who became known internationally during the 1990s when she presented a series of BBC television documentaries on the history of art. Sister Wendys Story of Painting was one of my first art books as a child. December 26, 2018. She joined a convent at 16 and started studying fine art in the 1980s. 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. Sister Wendy Beckett was a BBC presenter and art historian. At Oxford University, as a student in her early 20s, Beckett lived in a nuns hostel and soon after graduation moved back to South Africa to teach in a religious school. Its a trivial little name. TV art historian and nun Sister Wendy Beckett has died at the age of 88, it has been announced. To explore the Church Times website fully, please sign in or subscribe. Terms of Use Socialites give up their cab for her.. Traveling from museum to museum, filmed by the BBC, she shared her immense knowledge about painting and painters, her contemplative insights, and her unorthodox enthusiasm. By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes. And indeed wicked it is! Do you thrive on seeing people come to faith? We never missed her in our house. But her unorthodox spiritual insights suggested otherwise. 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. She lived here as a hermit, rising at midnight to pray, and giving seven hours each day to her devotions. Once she had finished her degree, Sister Wendy returned to South Africa and spent some 20 years teaching in convent schools. Her great delight was reading, and, after studying at St Annes College, she graduated with a Congratulatory First in English Literature from Oxford J. R. R. Tolkein led the applause before spending two decades working as a teacher something that she regarded as a martyrdom. Eventually, she decided to publish an art book to earn money for the convent. She would get up at 1am, the best time for prayer and contemplation, she said. Born in South Africa in 1930, Wendy Beckett received her dual vocations -- God and art -- early in life. Sister Wendy Beckett (1930 - 2018) was the unlikely star of art history documentary programs on the BBC. 11 January 2019 min Read, Sister Wendy Beckett, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, Sept. 4, 1997. [10][9], In 1970, health problems forced Beckett to abandon teaching and to return to England. She loved Star Trek, horse racing and swigging Baileys: Art-loving Sister Wendy really was a one-off masterpieces, says JANE FRYER. Read reports from issues stretching back to 1863, search for your parish or see if any of the clergy you know get a mention. When she's not being an art historian, she can usually be found ice skating and dancing. Copyright 2023 America Press Inc. | All Rights Reserved. The body is Gods creation, like a tree, only better designed, she once replied. Smith also drove her around the country to meet the artists when Beckett was writing her book about contemporary women artists. Yet, this relationship between arts is not unidirectional. 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. She was an effective and knowledgeable presenter, and people enjoyed her quirky style and insights. Sister Wendy Beckett the Roman Catholic nun who became an unconventional television star died on Wednesday at the age of 88, the Carmelite Monastery in Quidenham, England confirmed to. As it so happened, her trip coincided with a . Viewers were astonished and delighted, especially by some of her uninhibited expressions of rapture. . 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. Sister Wendy Beckett and Robert Ellsberg in 2017. If you dont know about God, art is the only thing that can set you free., After Sister Wendys appearance in the National Gallery documentary, the Controller of BBC2 rang the films director with the instruction: Give that nun a series.. Requiescat in pace, Sister Wendy. Sister Wendy Beckett, who has died aged 88, could be dismissive of the high-profile television work that made this hermit nun with owl-like glasses into an unlikely household name during the. Menu. I think that this type of open-mindedness towards things outside our usual preferences is essential for every art lover. Dave Quinn is an Editor for PEOPLE, working across a number of verticals including the Entertainment, Lifestyle and News teams. In the late 1990s, Sister Wendy Beckett visited the Los Angeles County Museum of Art for her series on U.S. museums. Thanks to it, we will be able to sustain and grow the Magazine. Search by Name. The television chef Delia Smith, a Roman Catholic convert, volunteered to drive her there each week.