Jackson Free Press

Beth S. Gersh-Nesic says that what defines Impressionism is its emphasis on light. Through light, artists express quick changes in atmosphere, activity and texture.

The art form, which began in France during the late 19th century, concentrates on the immediate visual impression of a scene, and artists generally use primary colors and small strokes to replicate reflected light.

Gersh-Nesic, an art historian and the founder of the New York Arts Exchange, will be in Jackson Tuesday to give a presentation on the development of Impressionism in French art at the Mississippi Museum of Art.

Critics did not accept Impressionism during the time the art form was emerging, Gersh-Nesic said. They viewed it as an inappropriate form of art and soundly rejected it.

"[Impressionism] started out as a movement that was absolutely reviled, and people hated it," she said. "It was perceived as ugly, and now it is loved. It's really ironic.

Gersh-Nesic first developed an interest in art when she was a toddler. Her father played the cello in an orchestra that performed in the Toledo Museum of Art, and she recalls his playing as mesmerizing. From then on, she and her family began going to museums regularly, and it was then that she fell in love with art.

Then, in college, the art classes inspired her to become an art historian. Gersh-Nesic received her bachelor's and master's degrees from Binghamton University, and her doctorate from City University of New York.

"I took one course after another and realized that was what I wanted to do," she said. "I just fell into it. I still consider myself a student."

Museums and art galleries are a big part of Gersh-Nesic's social life where she spends a lot of time mingling with friends and organizing events.

"I love museums, and I'm always going to openings" she said. "I sometimes bump into friends there, and we'll talk and have something to eat. Museums are a very socially conducive; there's always something to do."

Although Gersh-Nesic is an art historian, she does not consider herself to be an artist. She said she started out learning and taking courses in art studios, but recognized that she didn't have the talent of an artist.

"I would never call myself an artist," Gersh-Nesic said. "In the studio, it all came down to 'those that can, do; and those that can't, teach.' I realized I could not become (like) the artists that I really enjoyed, so I decided to switch roles and decided to teach and do other things."

Gersh-Nesic said art has expanded her horizons, and the older she gets, the more she can accept. Where once she was picky about art, now she can appreciate a much broader spectrum.

"When I was younger, I would think 18th century art was too sappy or too sentimental," Gersh-Nesic said. "Now I love everything!"

"Art is a window to our past and a way of understanding our future," Gersh-Nesic added. "Art tells a story, and it changes over time."

Gersh-Nesic is also a writer, an art critic and a translator. She wrote a book called "The Demoiselles Revisited" and has translated two books from French to English: "Andre Salmon on French Modern Art" and "The Early Criticism of Andre Salmon." She resides in Westchester, N.Y., and teaches at Purchase College and Mercy College, both located in New York state.

Hear Beth Gersh-Nesic speak about The Story of Impressionism at the Mississippi Museum of Art (380 S. Lamar St.,601-960-1515) Tuesday, June 4. The free event begins at 5:30 p.m. with a cash bar, and the program starts at 6 p.m.