There is an artist – a painters to be specific – who used to paint with oils amazingly clear glasses – goblets usually. And I recall with amazement how he did it – how he got the light and dark so perfect that it made clear.

The same artist used to make shiny surfaces too. Dark like this photo, but shiny like the surface on this keg light. His painting simply got into your head and stayed there after you looked at them. Or at least they did me. Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez was the Spanish painter who was born and raised in Seville, Spain.

Ironically, I came to know this painter not through an art class – but through my Spanish teacher in high school who was in love with Spain. He spent most of my senior year of high school show us why he loved Spain, so he introduced us to this painter – among other things.