Her caravan in the grounds of the Carmel was small, cold and basic, but was crammed with postcards and calendars of works of art. American-English poet, playwright, and literary critic. She was a sister of the Catholic Church who became prominent in the 1990s presenting BBC shows about art history. A scene inside the Vatican from Sister Wendys Story of Painting, one of her many BBC series. Postcards from God was created by Marcus Reeves, not the originators of Jerry Springer: The Musical as stated in an earlier version. I think that her popular acclaim can inspire all of us at times when we feel like we dont fit the mold. It seemed to her a modest venture. 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. It was a magical moment of television, too. All rights reserved. Sister Wendys Story of Painting, which first aired in the 1990s, enclosed Carmelite monastery at Quidenham in Norfolk. Through her television appearances, Sister Wendy endeavored to make their genius accessible. Sister Wendy Beckett . "Bespectacled, bewimpled and with a decided lisp, the 67-year-old woman makes . 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. In addition to her work on the small screen, Sister Wendy continued to write art books, including The Story of Painting (1994) and Sister Wendys American Masterpieces (2000). I think Mother called me Wendy because she thought I would be small and pretty. Search by Name. 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. In view of her religious state, this came as a surprise to some viewers. You make such a fool of yourself.. 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. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. She soared to international stardom with her BBC documentaries on the history of art. Find an Obituary. 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. Thank you for your help! Socialites give up their cab for her.. [33], Beckett died on 26 December 2018 at the Carmelite Monastery in Quidenham, Norfolk. While she always loved art, she only started studying it after she became too sick to continue her translation work. Beckett had begun studying art in the 1980s after a series of health struggles had pulled her away from her 15-year teaching career the Vatican granting her permission to pursue a life of solitude and prayer, the BBC reported. BBC. 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. Still, she was spellbound by art: She read about it voraciously, and began writing about it. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Becketts provocative and witty commentaries, Travis Scott is sought by New York Police after alleged assault and criminal mischief, Review: Michael B. Jordan is the one to fly now with Creed III, Unlike Andor, Mandalorian is going all in on Star Wars lore. All of her earnings were also assigned to the Carmelite order. 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. Beckett began her art career as a magazine critic, reviewing exhibitions for small British art journals in the mid-1980s and published her first art book, Contemporary Women Artists, in 1988. Alexandra believes that enjoying the art of the past is the closest she can get to time travel, only much safer. Sign up and get your dose of art history delivered straight to your inbox! I do not use the word died, as someone with Sister Wendy's warmth, faith and devotion to share her knowledge does not die. She obtained papal permission to leave her congregation and to become a consecrated virgin and hermit. This recording, from the translation by M. L. Del Mastro and adapted for Sister Wendy by Donna K. Triggs, was finally released as a CD in 2021, entitled Revelations of Divine Love by Julian of Norwich read by Sister Wendy Beckett. Her appearance in an ITV programme, Visions, described as a beautiful vignette, was followed two years later by her own programme, Sister Wendys Odyssey. Dressed in black nun's habit, Sister Wendy stood in front of paintings, and without script or autocue discussed them to the camera. 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. 2023 BBC. (Read Sister Wendys Britannica essay on art.). 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. Wendy Mary Beckett was born in Johannesburg on Feb. 25, 1930, to Aubrey and Dorothy (Sheehan) Beckett. The greatest reward I could have is to know that, despite my inadequacies, more and more people are coming to believe in their own powers of artistic appreciation., Sister Wendy Beckett, Sister Wendys Grand Tour, 12. 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. Prior to that, she had studied English literature at Oxford University and taught in her native homeland of South Africa. Filmed in 100 days, the series was broadcast in Britain by the BBC in 1996 and in the United States by PBS in 1997. Sister Wendy Beckett (1930 - 2018) was the unlikely star of art history documentary programs on the BBC. The programs like Sister Wendys Odyssey, Sister Wendys Grand Tour, and Sister Wendys Story of a Painting were immediate hits, often drawing a 25 percent share of the British viewing audience, according to The New York Times. In 1970, she returned to England and moved into the trailer at the Carmelite Monastery. Obituaries Section. [12] Sister Wendy Contemplates Saint Paul in Art was published in 2008 to celebrate the Year of Saint Paul. Kalai, Leonidas. 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. Wendy was born in Johannesburg to Aubrey and Dorothy Beckett. Time Magazine. She died on December 26, 2018. When Sister Wendy Beckett took a rare break from her life of solitude to visit an art gallery, the hermetic nun didn't expect to end up a celebrity. Brigit Katz is a freelance writer based in Toronto. Theres little question that she caught a lot of peoples attention by walking around major museums in her nuns attire, looking and sounding like a conservative grandmother, and then saying perceptive and sassy things like this She had a musical written about her, so people clearly found her compelling. Why am I being asked to create an account? Through this the two became good friends. And Gods finger touches that of Man.. Sister Wendy Beckett and Robert Ellsberg in 2017. The art historian and critic Sister Wendy Beckett died aged 88 on Wednesday Dec, 26, 2018. Like Sister Wendy, I believe that art is for everyone. She was ambivalent about celebrity. She graduated at the top of her class. 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. Dave Quinn is an Editor for PEOPLE, working across a number of verticals including the Entertainment, Lifestyle and News teams. 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. Mobile Register and Baldwin County. if you are trying to comment, you must log in or set up a new account. Copyright 2023 America Press Inc. | All Rights Reserved. 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. She has since written 15 art books, as well as a series of articles for magazines and art journals. , An Interview,Sister Wendys American Collection, PBS. I guess Im not the only one she was writing to.. We ask readers to log in so that we can recognize you as a registered user and give you unrestricted access to our website. In a gentle-but-enthusiastic tone, Sister Wendy delivered her commentary straight into the eye of the camera without the help of a script or autocue. We never missed her in our house. 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. Its clear from just a quick glance at one of her videos that Sister Wendy truly believed in the power of art and beauty. It was a slightly daunting task to contact her, but no less daunting was the tiny handwriting in which her contributions returned. No one else does it quite like you, one woman told her. God is such a total mystery. She died at 14:30 GMT at the Carmelite monastery in Quidenham. She was 88. Angry protests erupt over Greek rail disaster, Messages reveal battle over UK Covid policy, Isabel Oakeshott: Why I leaked minister's messages. Sister Wendy always placed great value on art being accessible and enjoyable for everybody. Nun and art critic who found fame in the 1990s with her popular TV programmes, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. He added: "She was a hugely popular BBC presenter and will be fondly remembered by us all.". Read reports from issues stretching back to 1863, search for your parish or see if any of the clergy you know get a mention. 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. This brought her to the attention of a BBC producer and led, in 1992, to the debut Sister Wendys Odyssey. 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. But, she added: Nothing is more humiliating than being on television. Sister Wendy Beckett, the cloistered nun who ventured out of seclusion to become a celebrity art critic and historian, died Wednesday at Englands Carmelite Monastery Quidenham in Norfolk, according to the BBC. this helps us promote a safe and accountable online community, and allows us to update you when other commenters reply to your posts. She prayed seven hours a day and went out only to morning Mass or to a mobile library van for books. All he can do is lift up a flaccid finger, and out of the clouds whirls down the God of Power. Art Critique. From an early age she wanted to be a nun, and at age 16 she joined the Sisters of Notre Dame. Maintaining her vow of poverty, she donated all her earnings to the Carmelite order. 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 piece caught the eye of a British Broadcasting Company (BBC) producer, and in 1992 Sister Wendys Odyssey made its debut. Emerging from her hermit-like . Non-subscribers canreadfour articles for free each month. [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. My profound appeal is that hell make it possible for me to live up to it. In the 19th century, Europeans went crazy for one story: Atala, or the Story of Two Lovers in the Desert. Be still; let the wonder become real to you; accept the child as Lord; and thank him for such inconceivable love. 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. Wondering why we ask for your email, or having trouble registering. She had regular contact with just one other person: the nun who brought her milk and the mail. Requiescat in pace, Sister Wendy. Becketts frequent director, David Willcock, referred to her as Wens and marveled at the effect she had on strangers. Read about our approach to external linking. They delivered her meals to the unheated trailer where she slept on the floor, surrounded by towers of art books. 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 was 88. According to The New York Times, she attended mass daily. While still a child, Beckett moved with her family to Scotland. From Macbeth to Romeo and Juliet, William Three monotheistic religions are the so-called religions of the book. Her steel could also be glimpsed in relation to what she insisted was her own very minor celebrity. 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. In fact, being unusual might have even helped her. Oxford University List of Members for the Year 1972, London, OUP, 1972, p.720, which records full name. Your source for jobs, books, retreats, and much more. 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. She loved Star Trek, horse racing and swigging Baileys: Art-loving Sister Wendy really was a one-off masterpieces, says JANE FRYER. Menu. Yet, this relationship between arts is not unidirectional. Corrections? Beal sent it to her without charge. 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). Her first book, Contemporary Women Artists, was published in 1988. Her work included a series of well received documentaries including "Sister Wendy's Odyssey" and "Sister Wendy's Grand Tour.". Beckett, Sister Wendy with Patricia Wright. So in her honor, lets learn a few important things from Sister Wendy. Her first book, Contemporary Women Artists, was published in 1988. Sister Wendy Beckett (1930-2018), contemplative nun and consecrated virgin, delighted audiences worldwide with her lively BBC documentaries on the history of art. Years after she had given up on television, I took her on a trip round some London exhibitions and we were constantly stopped by people wanting to know when she would be back on the small screen. This unlikely celebrity eventually traveled the world, recording documentaries for British and U.S. television and writing numerous books. Sister Wendy Beckett, the cloistered nun who ventured out of seclusion to . Carmen Hermo, January 8, 2019 British nun and art critic, Sister Wendy Beckett. Terms of Use Behind her gentle, toothy smile, though, Sister Wendy could be fierce. She was first discovered by a BBC television crew in Norfolk in the late 80s, when she was asked to comment on an art exhibit about feminist author Germaine Greer, The Los Angeles Times reported. In Sister Wendys Grand Tour, she wrote: I look forward to the day when it will dawn upon everybody that they can have odysseys and Grand Tours and share the fruits of the world. Do you have a vision for how to proclaim the Gospel afresh for this generation? She in turn contributed most of her income to the convent. Asked how she managed to read so many crime novels, Beckett had a quick answer. Her programmes included Odyssey, Sister Wendy's Grand Tour and Sister Wendy's Story of Painting. 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. 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. Alexandra Kiely Faced with poor health, Sister Wendy asked to pursue a life of solitude. Anyone can read what you share. I was impressed by the depth of her knowledge, even of artists who are not well known, he said. Sister Wendy was small and stooped, with a plain face, buck teeth and a slight speech impediment that rendered Rs as Ws. Sister Wendy Beckett Obituary. Returning to South Africa, she taught for 15 years at a Cape Town convent and later lectured at Johannesburgs University of Witwatersrand. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Her order agreed to her living thereafter under the protection of the Carmelites in Norfolk as a hermit, devoting herself to prayer. Later that year, she advised on coping with a family Christmas. Visitation was held on Thursday, February 23rd 2023 at 11:00 AM at the . For all of her unique features as a commentator, it was Becketts ease in describing nude paintings that most confounded her viewers. She wrote, asking for a catalog of a George Segal sculpture exhibit. 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. TV art historian and nun Sister Wendy Beckett has died at the age of 88, it has been announced. 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. The Daily Mail. She was a hugely popular BBC presenter and will be fondly remembered by us all.. Critics pointed to her gapped teeth and her way of pronouncing r as if it were w. Her producers were more impressed by the pithy, ad-lib analyses she could fit neatly into a soundbite, a feat that won her a reputation as one-take Wendy., From the airing of her first series, Sister Wendys Odyssey, in 1992, she evaluated artworks as if the artist were standing beside her. Her family to Scotland Juliet, William Three monotheistic religions are the so-called religions the! Wendys Odyssey made its debut becketts ease in describing nude paintings that most confounded her viewers,.., her videos that Sister Wendy Beckett, the best time for prayer and contemplation, only... Always loved art, she was a magical moment of television, too made its debut believed... Prayed seven hours a day and went out only to morning Mass or a... Members for the content of external sites obtained papal permission to leave congregation... 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