It is easy to continually look and learn from other artists in today’s intellectual context. I thought it might be nice to go see some art today, taking advantage of the time and many available museums in the area. I began my search online, only to get stuck in multiple excellent online exhibits that let me study images (on a big pretty screen, now!) without having to stand up or walk around until my legs feel like falling off. I love seeing original artworks and know there is magic lost by viewing the flat, almost glossy digital images, but it is an amazing thing to be able to just sit in one’s kitchen with a cup of espresso (and eight animals waiting patiently for breakfast) and see such incredibly unusual exhibits.
This morning I came across this gem featuring photographs taken by Lyonel Feininger. I have long appreciated his paintings, drawings, and prints, and seeing this collection was a whole new artistic event! The dark, scratchy feel of the photos reminds me of Kiefer (not a bad thing at all.) I also love the photos of what are called "toys" -- little crude, wooden, cubist scultpure-thingys that look like the figures in Feininger's paintings. I've been thinking of doing a series of pieces based on my little cloth dolls...interesting connection. While I’d love to go see the collection in person at the Harvard University Art Museums, I can look very carefully at them here, and would argue for a little longer with return visits as needed, via the internet. Is the museum itself a dying animal? In the future, will artwork be digitized, posted, and then filed away for preservation without needing a real audience? I am not sure that could happen to all art, but for more obscure collections, it is a possibility. Most definitely not for textiles as seeing the fiber in person unleashes a direct connection to the hands of the maker, and that is a lovely detail that digital resources can not transmit.
And now, back to important things. The bunny nest has been evacuated and is a bare, ugly hole in the ground, just waiting for me to twist an ankle in when I finally pluck up enough courage to mow the obnoxiously long lawn. On the bright side, I saw two little white puffs leap to the longer weedy patches this morning when I opened the back door, so feel like there is a thriving community happening in the overgrowth. Catching sight of these little sprites is a challenge but when it happens, I still find myself emitting a squee and pointing out the bunnies to whatever dog is at my ankle. Sometimes there isn’t a dog at my ankle and I pretend. They are so dang adorable and I am not tired of them yet. I wish I could help them overwinter in some way so that they are here again in the spring.
Most likely no museum today, and most likely will try to finish up the necessary chores so that I can claim a good sized block of art time with which to complete the small series of bowl pieces. Getting ready for next week’s kids’ art class and am so looking forward to “playing with art” again! At least I can virtually travel without taking too much time and energy away from the important things I have to do. Ah, the struggle is real. Loving this summer.
This morning I came across this gem featuring photographs taken by Lyonel Feininger. I have long appreciated his paintings, drawings, and prints, and seeing this collection was a whole new artistic event! The dark, scratchy feel of the photos reminds me of Kiefer (not a bad thing at all.) I also love the photos of what are called "toys" -- little crude, wooden, cubist scultpure-thingys that look like the figures in Feininger's paintings. I've been thinking of doing a series of pieces based on my little cloth dolls...interesting connection. While I’d love to go see the collection in person at the Harvard University Art Museums, I can look very carefully at them here, and would argue for a little longer with return visits as needed, via the internet. Is the museum itself a dying animal? In the future, will artwork be digitized, posted, and then filed away for preservation without needing a real audience? I am not sure that could happen to all art, but for more obscure collections, it is a possibility. Most definitely not for textiles as seeing the fiber in person unleashes a direct connection to the hands of the maker, and that is a lovely detail that digital resources can not transmit.
And now, back to important things. The bunny nest has been evacuated and is a bare, ugly hole in the ground, just waiting for me to twist an ankle in when I finally pluck up enough courage to mow the obnoxiously long lawn. On the bright side, I saw two little white puffs leap to the longer weedy patches this morning when I opened the back door, so feel like there is a thriving community happening in the overgrowth. Catching sight of these little sprites is a challenge but when it happens, I still find myself emitting a squee and pointing out the bunnies to whatever dog is at my ankle. Sometimes there isn’t a dog at my ankle and I pretend. They are so dang adorable and I am not tired of them yet. I wish I could help them overwinter in some way so that they are here again in the spring.
Most likely no museum today, and most likely will try to finish up the necessary chores so that I can claim a good sized block of art time with which to complete the small series of bowl pieces. Getting ready for next week’s kids’ art class and am so looking forward to “playing with art” again! At least I can virtually travel without taking too much time and energy away from the important things I have to do. Ah, the struggle is real. Loving this summer.
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