Susan Santje by Thomas Cowperthwaite Eakins

Portrait of Susan Santje by Thomas Cowperthwaite Eakins 1844 - 1916.  He was born in Philadelphia and was a realist painter, photographer and sculptor, he is considered one of the most important American artists in American art history.

Suzanne Santje (1873-1947) was a Philadelphia born actress who studied music in Berlin and drama in Paris.  Eakins shows her not on stage but during a private moment in her study, dressed in a vibrant gown and surrounded by objects, including a script of the romantic drama Camille, and a portrait of her father, Charles Shearer Keyser.

When I saw this painting I thought she looks like me at the end of the day, although I am not sitting resplendently in a beautiful gown.

This week has been a funny week and it's only Tuesday.  I keep having this feeling that the sky is going to fall in on me, maybe as it has started off as a crazy busy week at work looks like it will continue that way.

Yesterday I had a very big, nice surprise.  My boss leans over my desk area and says "Did you watch the Superbowl?"  which I had to admit to not watching, he said "I'm surprised because you had a vested interest."  "I did?"

It seems that I won the grand prize from a vendor open house that I attended last week.  You had to write your name in a number on the board, which I did;  I had no idea it was related to the Superbowl score.  My boss said up until a few minutes before the end of the game he was the owner of the prize. 

Yes the grand prize was a 60" Samsung 4K Smart TV.  I think this is honestly a more thrilling prize for the Boys in my life, because I quite happily sit with my Mac streaming movies and doing my crochet.  I'd probably cash it in if I could, but the Boys will have fun.  It is a generous prize and to actually be a recipient amazes me.  I will pick it up on Friday and do a little photo prize acceptance.

Christy