I am not an art critic. But I knew Raleigh Spinks (1926-2005), at least through his final years, and I know when I’m seeing art I like, even love. Entering Art Dialogue, flowers jumped off the walls, or perhaps I just wanted to jump into this garden of delights. Technically each watercolor is a still life, but their separate and collective appeal drew visitors toward them like bees, creating a roomful of vibrancy. My eyes would never tire of any one of these paintings.

When someone you know passes on, you may be left with the task of sorting through their items. Figuring out what to keep and what to discard becomes a ritual of mourning. You may discover things about the person and so come to know that person better.

A gala fundraising event will be held at Duo on Wednesday, May 21, to benefit an international endeavor called The Art Monastery Project. Located at a 17th-century baroque Ursuline convent in Calvi dell’Umbria, Italy, the Monastery is the concept of American artists Christopher Fülling and Betsy McCall. Calvi is the southernmost comune of Umbria, about 45 minutes northeast of Rome, a location hand-picked by the Monastery’s founders for its beautiful, wooded scenery and relatively small year-round population, with a town government that supports the artists’ vision to create a unique international cultural center for artists of all disciplines. Fülling is a trained tenor specializing in early baroque music and Gregorian chant with an MFA in voice performance and opera directing from the California Institute of the Arts. McCall is a visual artist originally from Williamsville who holds degrees from Yale and the San Francisco Art Institute. McCall is also the former editor of publications at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery and an internationally ranked synchronized swimmer. This diversely accomplished couple cites a “life as art vision” behind the project, which will incorporate their respective interests by joining a community of artists and musicians from around the world who share a desire to live and work collectively in an environment designed to foster their productivity. Guests and residents will share a regular schedule designed to add focus and structure to the creative process with a contemplative, ritualistic aspect. For instance, each day’s work will end with a group Gregorian chant before bed. If that sounds idyllic, there are a plenty more examples of the goings-on already in effect at the Monastery.