AH 251 The Museum Experience

Thanks Everyone!

Sadly, all good things must end. We have arrived at the end of our class, alas. Thanks for your good will and hard work! My greatest wish for you is that you have found something of value in this experience. This morning shortly after dawn I went out to see this flash of light and spirit on our pond. May this be a reminder of the moment you committed to write about a particular artwork. God speed on your journey!

-Jerry

MOMA

We took Metro-North to NYC on Friday ($25 round trip, off peak per person)... to see the Modern Museum of Art. If modern art appeals to you--this museum would be heaven. We especially enjoyed the outdoor sculpture garden (see upper left). Six floors of very open galleries--hardwood floors, bridges that cross from one part of the floor to the next (hint: don't look down). huge glass windows. There was a whole lot of abstract art--with one Andrew Wyeth, a Paul Klee (the expressionist artist who captured nearly all of my adolescent attention to art for a season).

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We also visited the Flax Art store... (see photo of nearby skyscraper). I actually prefer perusing the catalog to the store... but we had a blast! It is veeery near Grand Central Station, so if you ever want to go... look for it on the map before you do.

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I and the Village (Chagall, 1911) at MOMA

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I was quite familiar with Marc Chagall's I and the Village (1911, oil on canvas). My sister had this print in her room when I was a child. Chagall was a gifted Russian Jew, an artist talented in many media--stained glass, sculpture, ceramics, painting. He married Bella and fled Paris with the deportation of the Jews during the Holocaust. He moved to America in 1941--and Bella died in 1944. He would later remarry to Valentina. His painting is remarkable. He lived to 97 and died in France. Note: some of Tori Amos's music was inspired by Chagall!

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"All colors are the friends of their neighbors and the lovers of their opposites."

--Chagall

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Gas Station (Edward Hopper, c. 1940)

Edward Hopper's Gas Station (see above) especially caught my attention with its linear expression, bold colors, intense illumination. Hopper, an American oil painter who painted until 1923 when he became a commercial illustrator, was gifted in portraying the loneliness and despair of America during the Depression. His realism is striking; he painted many scenes of streets, rooms in houses, and landscapes. In every painting, there appears an emptiness of sorts. A sense of alienation.

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I have really enjoyed this class! All the best, Gwen

Wadsworth

The Wadsworth was the only museum that the guards actually followed me around in to ensure I didn't photograph anything I wasn't suppost to! If anyone has not been yet, you're better off trying to park on the street rather than trying to find and park in any sort of lot.

New Britian Museum of Art

The New Britian Museum of Art had this amazing painting of 9/11. Even if you chose not to go for this class I recommend everyone see it just for themselves.

The MOMA

Hi guys, visited the MOMA last Sunday in NYC. Ideal weather, not too crowded. Saw a vast array of modern art, paint, sculpture.

Getting there was a snap; only $18.50 round trip from Stamford express line to Grand Central Station. Saw familiar artist's works (Pollock, Mondrian) and some that were a complete surprise (Magritte). Plenty of space to view an abundance of pieces.

Modern art really seems to move me, I like the freedom it encompasses. For the post I've decided on the artist Rene Maggritte.

During the course of the mod, I've gone from a infrequent visitor, to visiting museums on a fairly continuous basis. A big part that I'll take from the class, is a new appreciation of museums and what they have to offer. All the best, Tad

This is a collage of all the pieces I saw throughout the term.

Hi guys!

Well, class has finally come to an end. I really enjoyed my time. Either by reading your posts or doing my visits. Jerry thank you for your advice when it was needed. I can't wait for next Mod. I think photography will be even better for me. My visit this week was back to the British Art Museum in New Haven. I had a really nice time my first visit, so I needed to go back. I hope you all enjoy the rest of the term.

Marla :)

Yale British Museum

Hi Everyone,

I cannot believe that the class is wending this week. It was a wonderful experience. Thanks Jerry for having these classes. It makes us or at least me, look at life a little different now.
Well I went to the British Art Museum this weekend with 4 kids. It was hectic but interesting. I loved the benches that each room had. They were very distinctive. My camera ran out of batteries so I only got to take a fewpictures. I love children and this painting caught my eye. I hope you all enjoyed the class. Take care everyone.

Kristin

I tried to upload the photo but it sats that there is an error and it cannot upload the photo so I will try again later.

Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art

I also went to the Wadsworth Museum this weekend. Like Sean I found it to be much bigger than I expected. It was very quaint but there were many more paintings than I expected and I felt overwhelmed like at the Met in NYC. I found many paintings that I liked by Monet, Dali and Georgia O'Keeffe. I particularly like the one by Edward Hopper and it is Captain Strouts house, Portland head.

Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum

Hello everyone!
I had an eventful day yesterday. I couldn't have planned my day any better than it turned out. I visited the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) and the Metropolitan Museum. It seems that most of my class members took the train there but I decided to drive.

My first visit to MOMA was exciting. What was even more exciting is that my boyfriend wanted to go along for the ride. I guess he wanted to see something different other than the pictures of the dogs playing pool in the pool hall. MOMA's building structure seems as if it were made out of glass. There were so many people and exhibits it was kind of difficult to maintain focus on the sculptures and pictures. I saw exhibits by Georges- Pierre Seurat, Isamu Noguchi, and Marc Chagall's Homage to Gogol. I spent at least close to 2 hours viewing and sharing opinions with others on many different artists. I felt almost like I was a collector of some sort. After leaving MOMA I then made my venture to the Metropolitan. I never knew that so many people enjoy art. I was amazed. I spent clost to an hour in there before heading out to do a little shopping. On my way to the east side, I noticed an art gallery called Sulane Studios. I popped my head inside really quick just to see what kind of art they displayed. All the artisits were unknown and this place sold paintings to private collectors. I saw a portrait of an African woman in traditional clothing and the backround was done in fruits which blended perfectly with the woman. The going price for that picture.....$12,000.00. My loan from financial aid didn't even accumulate to that much.
Well, I must say this virtual art class has been an enlightening experience. One things for sure, I really need to invest in a digital camera because I felt like I could of expressed the details of what I saw in more depth.

Wadsworth Atheneum

What a great trip to kick off fall! A visit to the oldest art museum in the country, I cannot believe that I have not been up there yet, what a place. To start we had lunch in the cute little Museum Cafe, which is inside the Wadsworth, great food! Then onto the pieces, which seemed never ending, I had no idea the museum was that big. One of my favorites was a letter hand written by Abraham Lincoln, though it was difficult to read, the required effort was well worth it.
Though I did not chose this piece to write my paper on, I have seen it several times before and feel it, perhaps, depics the state of mind (somewhat removed from present reality, borderline depressed) that I perceive, Van Gogh was in towards the end of his life.
I hope that everyone else enjoyed this class as much as I did!!!!!!

Tad Gembala's Blog

Norman Rockwell's studio at the Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge, MA.

Tad Gembala has been publishing his latest papers to his own blog "All Things Tad Gembala"
Tad has generously said it is okay to invite the class over to his blog to see what he has been writing. What do you think? Right now you are e-mailing me your papers and I am building folders for each of you. Two issues arise: - In a studio art class, all of the student work is public... students create art in a studio setting. All members of the class benefit from interacting with each other in creating their artwork. Students mentor each other as much as the instructor. When work is sent to me privately, others don't get to benefit and I really think everyone's work improves when each member of the class contributes and helps each other. Why couldn't we do the same with our papers?
-When you take responsibility for posting your own papers, you have more ownership over the process... a good outcome, indeed.

What are your thoughts?

My own private museum

Visiting the Florence Griswold Museum today, the experience was as soothing as any museum I've visited in the past. Beautiful weather in a serene setting made for a wonderful visit. Although I've enjoyed other museums in the past, this visit was made special, as the grounds were nearly empty. Not having to "compete' with the other patrons made the viewing that much more enjoyable. The price was a very reasonable $7.00 for students, not much higher for adults. There's a short 10 minute presentation that packs a lot of punch. Florence Griswold bascially turned lemons into lemonade, as she started taking in borders to help pay for expenses, and help create a movement in the art world. The grounds, while not overly large, are extremely beautiful. There are various structures, as well as outside grounds. The Lieutenant River behind the Krieble Gallery has a lot to offer scenery wise. The artist and painting I choose was "Captain Lord House" Oil on Canvas by Willard Metcalf. Take care, Tad

Wadsworth Antheneum

I visited the Wadsworth Antheneum Museum yesterday. Here is one of the many pictures that I took there. This is actually a photo of a photo. This Chromogenic color print by Rosemary Laing caught my attention. At first I thought it was a forest with groundcover flowers. When you get close enough and look at it, the ground cover is actually a carpet. To be specific, it is an "English carpet

design called Royal Persian Rose Petal".

Ms. Laing has a series of such photos called groundspeed.

She really laid this carpeting down on the forest floor in an area in New South Wales. Her purpose has some political intentions. I just like it for its uniqueness.

The Wadsworth is definitely worth the visit if you have not been. I plan on taking my husband some time soon for the Colt exhibit currently there.

Mattatuck Museum

Hello class,
Today I made a journey to the Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury. The directions on mapquest led me all around town before arriving to my destination when I could have easily taken route 69 straight there.
Anyway, going through the entrance of the museum, right at the top of the stairs is a very unique display of Afro- Americam men from the early to the late 70's. They had big brim hats, huge afros, dashiki's and let's not forget the famous platfrom shoes. Whoa! Further into the museum exhibited photos and 18th century clothing and artifacts of Waterbury. To my surprise, I was astonished to learn that Waterbury was well-known for making buttons, producing brass, and furniture tat had been manufactured and distributed all throughout the United States. Also it tells the story of how African-American slaves and free slves migrated to the town. After my visit I had the pleasure of dinig in the musuems small cafe called " Bayleaf at Mattatuck". I encourage all that plan on going to stop into the cafe and order the Art Deco Shrimp with Zuccini. It was to die for!