Docent Stories: Mary Therrien
Fifth Graders Respond to Mark Rothko’s Orange and Yellow
In honor of our first Art’scool tour of the season today, here’s a favorite story from our docent Mary Therrien:
I led a group of fifth graders to Mark Rothko’s Orange and Yellow, 1956, and asked, “Would anyone want this painting in their bedroom?”
A boy’s hand shot up, and he said, “Yes!”
“Why?” I asked.
“Because I see a pillow (yellow) and a blanket (orange).”
Then, a second boy’s hand went up, and he said, “Me too!”
“Why?” I asked.
“I want it directly across from my bed. When I wake up in the morning, I’ll see a sunrise (yellow), and when I go to bed at night, I’ll see a sunset (orange).”
Image: © 1998 Kate Rothko Prizel & Christopher Rothko / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
