That transition from pixel to painting at around 2:30 was beautifully unexpected

"We are all temporary visitors in alternate universes of color." What a beautiful image. Brilliant work, as always

I went to an immersive exhibit for Monet, and wept when I first went into the room. They did a beautiful job of adding movement to art that even in its 2D form evoked movement. I have loved Monet’s art my whole life. His desire to capture moments breathes life into history His home in Giverny is kept as a museum and you can go and enjoy the gardens, water lilies, bridges and his studio.

The pixel transition at 2:20 had me questioning my own eyes

My first photography teacher, when I was 16, emphasized the physics of light in that we don't see THINGS, we see the light reflecting off of things and our minds invent the thing. I've looked at the world of light for almost 50 years and still shoot every day. The sky is the original contrast and saturation control.

I've learned about Monet in high school (I was 16 at the time), but back then it came off as something weird and "too artsy" for me to understand. I liked the expressionism more. And then, few years later, I've come to appreciate the sunlight. Those moments you've talked about at the end of your video, I've come to experience more of them and they've comforted me a lot. And spontaneously, Monet crept back into my consciousness. My friends and I would make a conversation, and I would talk about those fleeting moments, mentioning Monet, but their reaction was like mine back in high school. And I'd realise over and over again how everything fell into its place. I've come understand his work and his vision from that one small lesson about impressionism in highschool. It feels as if it speaks volumes. Its more than hay, more than sun. It's about the change, something that transcendents art and goes into realm of psychology and physics and religion. Now I study structural engineering, I'm in no way connected to art, and yet this has found its place in me as some universal truth. I just wanted to share this moment with you 😁

Josef Albers dedicated much of his adult life substantiating the color theory used by impressionists by showing how colors interact, using what he considered a scientific approach to art. Interesting guy! Very influential, too.

I proposed to my girlfriend couple months ago in Rouen, in the exact spot Monet painted a cathedral from, about 200 times :)

Gotta paint hay while the sun shines.

I know there’s amazing pieces in the Art institute of Chicago but these are always my favorite the way he managed to capture light in each season is so captivating.

There is an infinite possibility in each moment of particularity that is what great artists are reminding us of such as the example we see here in the Haystack series by Monet. Each painting is a layer of time, acting out of the idea that in this tiny slice of time and space is something worth attending to for an infinite amount of time. The artist encapsulates the landscape and then frames it and said look, look through this window at the transcendent that’s behind the low resolution representation of your assumption. The expedient blindness that you by necessity bring to bear in every situation. That is what art calls us to do and that is what beauty calls us to do.

IDk if you watch Anime, Netflix put one up last year called The Blue Period. The protagonist's Moment of where they transcend from their common, normal life into the journey that We are about to follow them on is one of these moments that Monet's Hay Stacks illustrate. The Protag is so captured by how light and color effects a common environment that they are familiar with. So much so that it slingshots them on a journey to become an Artist - which is a completely divergent course from where they were originally heading. Its really great and everyone should check it out.

6:35 The view shown is from the foot bridge just north of Pape and Gerrard in Toronto. If you stand in this spot and turn around you have a scenic view of the parking lot for a McDonald's. Just in case you are looking for somewhere to take your easel and paint brushes.

Another amazing piece! I loved the book, at least what I've read so far, and these kinds of essays are the reason why. To stop and think about color, the natural world, the evolution of the arts thanks to the technology to them. It all ties together in such an incredible and unique way. Monet's approach to color evokes a sense of childlike wonder that adults rarely get the chance to enjoy. I periodically am driving and see so much beauty around me that I want to pull over and capture it in a photo but can't. It's my way of being like Monet and it's refreshing to hear others do the same.

Impressive. Sounds to me like he was seeing the hay stack as it was. When I come across a bail of hay, I dont think anything special of it, to me it looks like any other bail of hay. When I look at it, my mind immediately recognizes it as a hay bail, and moves on. It does not consider the subtle differences in shape, color, etc., I am not seeing it as it is. Its like that prank, where a person will initiate a conversation with a stranger, have someone else distract the stranger for a second while the person swaps out for someone completely different, and the stranger goes right back to talking, oblivious to any sort of change. The stranger had in their mind already identified the person, it did not worry itself with memorizing their outfit or hairstyle or something like that, there is no need to. The brain does this to be efficient with its processing power, but this does cut out some of the wonder from our world. I try to be conscious of the shortcuts my brain makes for me as often as I can (which is to say, not very often at all) and challenge myself to consider the things I come across as unique, and not to immediately catagorize them as simply one of a bunch of other similar looking things.

"Mama! The strange man is painting another picture of our haystacks!" -The Neighbour's Kid

Endearing choice of music and a very nice message at the end. You'll never see the same corner of the earth twice, even if it's right in front of you. I find that very calming and motivating at the same time. Would have loved to give 2 thumbs up for this one and still looking to get the book as a present for a dear friend of mine. Keep it up man!

During east coast mornings, the sky tints everything green/blue. This gives everything a fresh and almost untouched look, along with the smell. Impossible to capture unless obsessed like Monet was. Brilliant video

From someone who primarily paint in Impressionism, I find this to be the pinnacle of what it meant to paint the way their movement did. Lovely.

I love your work, you are one of the biggest inspirations. I really wanna read the book but am a student in India and don't have so much money to get the book. Keep making more videos especially on literature

I have a copy of your book (though you could’ve stopped in Houston to do a signing here,ya; know…) and I ALSO happened to have the great pleasure of seeing 12 of Monet’s Haystacks on exhibit together, beautifully placed on a single wall - you could literally see the sun moving across the sky from damn to dusk. As a matter of fact, it was this one wall of 12 paintings that inspired my Music Composition Dissertation “A Day in the Life of a Statue,” which musically evolves from 6am 60 midnight, with all the comings and goings at hat this particular statue encounters, all backed by the same lyrical melody; sometimes staying true while the chasis unfurls, sometimes being modified by events.

Great video! Your have such a great way of introducing and immersing us in an idea so quickly! Bravo!

Congrats on the release!

I wasn't going to buy your book because I enjoy hearing the way you narrate your video essays, but on hearing you narrated the audiobook I instantly got it on audible. I am only 15 minutes in, but already enthralled. Thank you for your passion and dedication.

John Green mentioned your book in a video, too!

This is photography before photography!

I have no idea why this video made me cry. I guess that's just what good art does.

This was just wonderful. Thank you so much.

this was such a wonderful video!!!! thank you so much evan

Got my copy of your Book. Love it. Please do another book. I also have the audiobook. Thank you, your work is great

such outstanding video editing

Farmer : "Can I feed that hay to my friggin' cows now ?" Monet : "Hmm, not just yet..." Farmer : "IT'S BEEN SIX MONTHS NOW !"

Just grabbed your audiobook. Looking forward to it!

Beautiful video, thanks for showing all the examples of the hay stacks, and photos in real twilight.

This is video is so profound as always. For a moment there I thought you were about to mention how pixels in modern screens work, because it is simply the same mechanism of juxtaposition

Video just simply made me happy. Thank you :)

Fascinating story, and you’re using amazing video editing techniques to tell that story.

I have a tendency to come to this channel in late mid autumn like now or after a new year. Just sitting inside when rain falls outside in the dark. I can sit back and be comforted by these amazing videos!

another banger. every art nerdwriter video has me crying by the end

I recently saw a handful of these at the Art Institute of Chicago. They blew me away.

Monet has been my favorite artist since I was 5.

Very nice vid. I feel like I understand and appreciate impressionism and Monet a bit now and might have found a new are of expression to explore. Thank you

I love your work, and it's so nice to have you in the universe

Just got the audiobook. Going to listen today when I travel.

Wonderful essay! I hope I can get a copy of your book.

Really interesting! Thanks for sharing, I will remember this:)

What a wonderful video

Love this videos about art. Thank you

Your French is abysmal; your analysis is spot on.

Gives off real Oeuvre energy!!!!!

Great video! Being a bit of a pedant here, but the common naming of the Haystacks series is a misnomer. It would have been wheat, barley, or oats. As such, it would have been straw, not hay. It is cataloged in Monet's work as "Grainstacks." That out of the way, I was never a fan of the Haystacks paintings until I saw several together in person at a huge Monet exhibit in Denver a few years ago. It was then that I "Got it."

I really wish to know where you find these high definition images of the paintings

I've red the first chapter of you're book. It's brilliant.

Excellent as usual, sir. I was driving home one night, and saw a full moon low in the sky, behind me, in my side view mirror. I tried to capture that (mirror/moon) on my phone. Nope.

You and vsauce are the reason I peruse epiphany and learning. I’ve been a fan since high school and now I’m almost 30 and your video still bring me a level of excitement I’ll never forget. Thank you :)

“It never, ever, came close to capturing the truth of that moment’s light and color…” till iPhone 14 ProMax. Now the end result looks even better than Nature lol

Coincidentally, the game I'm playing while listening to this captures the same idea in its art direction. Its pixel art, which is inherently impressionist, and every day that passes by feels and looks different. Not just the weather and the seasons but the color of light. They totaly didn't have to go that hard but I am glad they did. The game is called "Kingdom: Two Crowns". If you're interested

Excellent, as always!

That was great! And timely!!! Thank you!

Holy fuck, I was practicing shadows and colors on a subject in different lightings and time, I didn't know artists have been doing this a long time before. Its just something fun we do. it's like wearing different kinds of good looking outfits on different occassions

Yeah, I remember visiting a very extensive exhibition of Monet's works in Vienna, and after a few hours I really had enough of his paintings to last a lifetime :)

This is a great video. Going to mention it in my next podcast episode.

great explain

That stock video of the city streets made me jump. It’s Ljubljana. Such a lovely (and accidental) surprise. Great video as always.

Beautiful take

When I was a kid and I finally learned how to draw a tree with the hole in it, and would do the V-shaped birds in the sky, i put them in EVERYTHINGGGG. So yeah, I totally relate to Monet

Nice, watched the whole vid and loved it

Has alot to do with value, not just color

a very good video. I would have bought it if I could, but I doubt it ever reaches me in Iran xD regardless, I now want the entirety of the book as a long video. Somehow I think it would be better than it is right now if it was accompanies with pictures like you do in your videos.

I want to buy your book, but it still isn't available as an ebook in the UK!

Beautiful essay

I love the painting videos. It sounds stupid but when he explains what work goes into making these paintings i can really see why they are called great works of art.

None of them have a needle in it. Saved you a watch

❤ The book isn't available in Audible here in the UK... when will that be released?

thinking about the time my roommate brought home a 2k piece puzzle board of a monet painting and after that we never did another puzzle again

Wow I didn’t know Jim from The Office was such a smart dude

Any plans to release the audiobook in the UK? 🤞🤞🤞 Can’t find it anywhere

Love the music, very fitting

when I heard you say that you read the audio book, that's when I bought it. your words are poetry. without being too poetic.

The music here is so relaxing!

"kumiko treasure hunter" - this should be on your channel for analysis.. lot of people waiting for this . no one has done it yet.

Thanks, Evan! 🎨🖌 #Nerdwriter1 #TheNerdwriter #EvanPuschak #ClaudeMonet

Thomas Crown: "I like my haystacks."

Nice video.learnt something new.

This Monet definitely shows some promise. I think they have a bright future ahead of them.

I used to love to go to the met on acid. THAT IS PAINTINGS COMING TO LIFE...

I think i did find the Essence of Haystacks in that series. They have nothing left to hyde now.

I'd call that wacky in the head, a little bit, at least. Cause a hay stack gonna be a hay stack, regardless of how many times you or the Monet guy paint it.

you need an art or art history playlist

read the poem "monet refuses the operation" right now

Man, you are awesome. Thank you.

Does anyone please have the source for a high definition version of this version of "An Arm Near the Vétheuil" like at 3:03, without the text? I would be so grateful

Will the audiobook be available in the UK any time soon?

...and I thought it was because the haystacks reminded him of breasts. -MCC

Because, uh... he had, "Hay Fever." Tip your waitresses; I'll be here all week.

I really want to listen to escape into meaning on audible, but isn't available or doesn't even come up as an option? Not sure if it's because I'm in the UK...if anyone has any answers or alternative ways I can listen to it please let me know!

I said I couldn't wait to listen to the book, but I lied. One month in and I haven't gotten around to it. Maybe soon

Will there be Czech translation of your book?

How do you feel about someone throwing mash at the painting (without destroying it)?

Refreshed my mind