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Van Gogh, Monet among 62 works going to US Gallery

By WTOP Staff

BRETT ZONGKER
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rarely seen paintings by Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet and Edgar Degas are among an impressive collection of 62 artworks that have been transferred to the National Gallery of Art after being held for decades in a private estate, the museum said Thursday.

The paintings, sculptures and other works are among 110 objects bequeathed to the museum from the estate of museum benefactor Paul Mellon after his death in 1999. They remained in the care of his widow, Rachel “Bunny” Mellon, at their Virginia home until her death in March.

A major highlight of the bequest is Van Gogh’s painting “Still Life of Oranges and Lemons with Blue Gloves,” which now joins the museum collection and will be put on display beginning June 7.

Acquiring any Van Gogh is cause for celebration, said curator Kimberly Jones, but this one is particularly important. It was created in a tumultuous moment in the artist’s life during a brief time between hospitalizations after Van Gogh’s mental breakdown in 1888, when he cut off part of his ear. As an artwork, it’s “a real knockout,” Jones said.

“It’s this very emotionally wrought period of time” after artist Paul Gauguin moved out of the house they had shared, and Van Gogh is mourning the break in their relationship, Jones said. “I think this still life, of all the still lives, is the most Gauguin-like in terms of the pallete, the symbolism. … I can’t help but wonder, looking at this, if Paul Gauguin’s presence isn’t being very much felt in this painting.”

The Mellon family already released 48 other artworks during Rachel Mellon’s lifetime, including Van Gogh’s painting “Green Wheat Fields, Auvers” in December. Most of the museum’s Van Gogh works will be displayed together in June.

The Mellon acquisitions were made mostly in the 1950s and 1960s, with many brought back from France. Most works kept in their Upperville, Virginia, estate haven’t been seen since a 1966 exhibition of the Mellon Collection.

Other highlights include one of Monet’s earliest known paintings, “Still Life with Bottle, Carafe, Bread and Wine” from 1862-1863 and a large, colorful painting by Degas titled “The Riders,” depicting a group of jockeys on horseback.

The collection includes 12 oil sketches by Georges Seurat, who died young and did not have a large body of work. Now, combined with four other paintings by Seurat and a drawing, the museum has one of the most significant U.S. collections of his work, Jones said.

There are nine American paintings in the Mellon group, including two by Winslow Homer.

Since 1964, Paul and Rachel Mellon donated nearly 1,200 works of art to the museum. Mellon’s father, the Pittsburgh industrialist Andrew Mellon, founded the National Gallery in 1937 and donated his famous art collection to the nation.

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Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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