AH 251 The Museum Experience

Thanks Everyone!

2006-10-15T12:20:00.000-04:00

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

2006-10-12T18:51:00.001-04:00

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).

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.

I and the Village (Chagall, 1911) at MOMA

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!

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

--Chagall

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.

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

Wadsworth

2006-10-12T00:27:00.000-04:00

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

2006-10-11T23:53:00.000-04:00

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

2006-10-10T20:14:00.000-04:00

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

2006-10-09T18:05:00.000-04:00

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

2006-10-09T14:53:00.000-04:00

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

2006-10-08T17:02:00.000-04:00

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

2006-10-08T15:14:00.000-04:00

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

2006-10-07T22:24:00.000-04:00

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

2006-10-07T18:34:00.000-04:00

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

2006-10-07T18:19:00.000-04:00

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

2006-10-07T10:10:00.000-04:00

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

2006-10-06T15:53:00.000-04:00

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!

Pictures from my trip to the metropolitan Museum of Art

2006-10-06T08:01:00.000-04:00

I finally got the pictures from my trip, but some are pretty dark due to no flash.

Metropolitan Museum of Art: Pictures

2006-10-06T02:03:00.000-04:00

So I'm finally posting my pictures to accompany my previous blog for the Met. :)

Yale Center for British Art

2006-10-06T01:22:00.000-04:00

The Yale Center for British Art wasn't quite as cozy as the Yale Art Gallery Across the Street. It seemed to lack that antique-y charm that the YAG had. It was much more a view of sleek modernism inside, and the staff seemed less friendly too! There was, however, this man outside playing both his guitar and harmonica through some intense Neil Young songs which was perfect for the rainy, dreary day that I went on. It's possible I'm just partial to the YAG though. :)

2006-10-05T08:05:00.000-04:00

This past weekend I visited the Housatonic Museum of Art. It is very interesting that the museum itself resides inside the Housatonic Community College in downtown Bridgeport. Artwork was displayed in almost all areas of the college, on the walls and in the atrium. It gives the college a unique feel.

I was drawn to a piece called Ironing Board Battered Women Series by Nicholas Africano. He was a English major, and discovered much more of his creativity through painting and sculpturing. This piece was done as he was starting his sculpturing phase and the arms and legs of the subject are three dimensional. You have to look very closely, it is there.

I am heading to the Met this weekend for my final venture for this class. I am very excited to explore such an amazing place!!

New Britain Museum of American Art

2006-10-04T16:53:00.000-04:00

Hello class!
I had a visit to the New Britain American Art Museum yesterday. The drive there was pretty smooth with hardly any traffic. That's truly what i fear the most is sitting in congested traffic. Anyway, I was pleasantly greeted by to older ladies at the front desk who were kind enough to help me with any interests or questions I may have had. I know most of you ended the tour with eating within there cafe but I did the complete opposite. I ate first then began my visit. Oh How I marveled at all the esquite paintings. I especially liked the Walter Wick Games, Gizmos, and Toys. Had I known they had such a display for children I would have brought my two nieces with me. What really captured my attention was the room of paintings of these Islamic women and children all dressed in their traditional clothing with Islamic writing all over them. It kind of looked like a Henna design nevertheless, I found it fascinating.
I also paid a visit to where they have a exhibitions captured from the disasterous 911. It was moving that I could barely see the photos without my eyes watering. If any of you in this class had a person you knew in the 911 tragedy, my heart and prayers go out to you.

The Home Stretch

2006-10-04T11:10:00.000-04:00

Gwen was generous in allowing me to post a recent paper on her visit to the Wadsworth Atheneum. This link will take you to both her paper on Klimt and Karyn's paper on Edward Hopper from the Yale Art Gallery.

I have been pleased with the level of the papers this term... Your visits and experiences are in many ways richer for the format of this online class.... Congratulations! Hang in there... we are nearly at the end.

The Yale Center for British Art

2006-10-03T00:10:00.000-04:00

My trip to the Yale Center for British Art. There were so many beautiful paintings and sculptures. I was suprised at the look of the interior. It looked like an unfinished building, very plain. Made of concrete and wood. I would guess this was done in order to put all the attention on the art work, not the building itself. It works too, because when you look on the floors each piece of artwork really stands out against the drab background.

Burt Chernow Gallery

2006-10-02T16:09:00.000-04:00

Today I had the pleasure of visiting the Burt Chernow Gallery at the Housatonic Community College. Unfortunately, visitors are not allowed to take photos at the request of the artists. Nevertheless, I still had an interesting visit. As I entered into the gallery to my surprise I noticed a virtual dislay of an asian woman who repeats" Can I talk to you, I have something to say". This exhibit was created by Heejung Kim, a young asian artist. Kim feels that creating this video projection lies in the ceaseless human struggle of restrictions. In my opinion, I feel that it was way over the top in creativity and imagination. Who would have thought to make virtuality an art.
Another interesting piece I found intriguing was a sculpture done by Jedediah Morfit called " The scale of Carriage". This sculpture is a large man bent over in kind of a running start position. I thought it was an image of a Japanese Sumo fighter. Go figure! Since I will be on vacation for the next two weeks, I'm planning to visit a different museum everyday this week. I want to make the Metropolitan for the weekend that way I can shop til I drop afterwards!

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

2006-10-02T08:13:00.000-04:00

On Sat. I took a trip to NYC with my husband, brother in law and girlfriend to go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I first saw Sean on the train on the way up who is in the class and I have been in classes with before. I had never been to the Met so I was excited. It was extremely intimidating and huge. I did not know where to start. Luckily my husband has been there many times so I got my own personal tour guide. Of course the batteries in my digital camera died so I had to buy a throw away camera to take pictures (I was not happy about that) as soon as I put them on a CD I will post some of my favorite pieces. I had 3 pieces of art that I really loved but the statues were spectacular and I love Greek and roman statues. We made a whole day out of it and it was a blast. The weather was good and we walked a ton.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

2006-10-01T14:33:00.000-04:00

What a great trip down to NY yesterday, to start with I had the good fortune of running into one of our classmates, Keri, on the train - I hope that you all had a ton of fun in the city too! While there, besides visiting the Met, I took the opportunity to get together with one of my very best friends from High School, who lives and works in the city. She teaches pottery full time at a private school, while creating and showing her own work throughout the country. She just posted her new website, which I need to shamelessly promote now here - www.michellesholtis.com.

The museum, being one of the largest in the world, is absolutely amazing. If one wanted to give the collection proper consideration, I am sure it would take weeks, perhaps even longer. One thing that did dawn on me during my visit was just how fortunate the patrons are, to be able to get up close and personal (including digital pictures) with all of this artwork, a unique experience for sure.

Given that I found myself snapping pictures of everything there, it was tough to pic one to post, so I decided to go with one of the masters (be sure not to make the same mistake as I, turn off the date and time stamp on your camera).

I hope that everyone enjoys there trip to NY as much as I did mine!

Norman Rockwell Museum

2006-10-01T12:25:00.000-04:00

Visited the Norman Rockwell Museum this weekend in Stockbridge, MA. I urge many of you to check it out, as it's not too far away, and it's located in a beautiful setting. It's fairly new, and houses hundreds of works from Rockwell, as well as selected other artists. Right now until the end of October. There is an exhibit of Frederic Remington, paintings and sculptures.

For many reasons, Rockwell's paintings affect me more than most artists. He never considered himself a producer of "high art." His lack of pretension, his love of America and ideals, his view that all people are created equal, his optimistic view of mankind are all part of it.

Once again, with many galleries, cameras are not allowed, but you can shoot in the lobby. All the best, Tad

The Met in NY

2006-09-30T21:52:00.000-04:00

Here are some other photos that I took at the Met. I took nearly 90 pictures while here. Here is an example of some of the spectacular sculptures and stained glass in the background.

The medeival armor for both man and his horse.
Glass mosaic garden with fountain.

The Metropolitan Museum - Rooftop "garden"

2006-09-30T18:59:00.000-04:00

Last weekend I went to the Metropolitan Museum in New York with my sister-in-law Florie. This museum is truly impressive. I really enjoyed the variety of art. There are stained glass pieces, tapestry, sculptures, medievel armor, furniture, glass mosaics, and paintings of all varieties. I spent at least 3 1/2 to 4 hours there and I could have spent much longer. There are whole sections that I did not make it to. I will post some other pictures but I wanted to share The Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Roof Garden.

We were about to leave and I noticed the sign for the Roof Garden. I'm a sucker for gardens so I wanted to go up. I was somewhat disappointed that there not any "gardens", I think that they have Wisteria in the spring but other than that, I didn't see any flowers.

What I did see was some unique "art". I've put a collage together of some of the pictures I took from the roof garden. The sculpture that you see if by Augusta Rodin called The Three Shades. This was interesting - I do like Rodin's work. Another picture shown is a glass wall - I'm not sure of the purpose of the wall - there was not placard explaining it. The only purpose I could see was to kill pigeons which were still lying at the bottom of the glass. Yes, those are real dead pigeons. Yuck. The allegators are creations of Cai Guo-Qiang. A Chinese artist born in 1957. The objects sticking out of the allegators are "sharp objects confiscated at airport security checkpoints."

It was kind of an interesting way to end the day at the museum. I thought I'd share this unique "garden" with you.

I fully intend to go back to the Met for another visit. There is much to much that I missed on my first visit.

2006-09-30T14:49:00.000-04:00

I visited the Housatonic today. The visit was very untraditional, the art pieces are scattered all around the main building, so you freely go around the hallways to look at them. This was nice, because I felt I didn;t have to be cautious or quite. There were students and others just going about their daily "campus" life. This was a good day!

Yale Center For British Art

2006-09-29T21:36:00.000-04:00

Hi guys! Made it down to the other Yale museum, The Center For British Art, what a place. Though I had heard it was quite the building and a great place to view artwork, little did I know how true that statement would turn out to be. Right across the street from the Yale University Art Gallery, this gallery leaves nothing to spare, full of wonderful artwork, that has ties to Great Britain, you can spend an afternoon there no problem.

This painting "The Camden Town Murder, Oil on Canvas c. 1908, by Walter Sickert, is one of a few that the museum has by this artist - whom some believe to be Jack the Riper! It details the aftermath of the brutal murder of the prostitute Emily Dimmock.

2006-09-29T16:50:00.000-04:00

I went to Scranton, PA last weekend, and visited the Everhart Museum of Natural History, Science and Art. It was founded by a physician & naturalist Isaiah Fawkes Everhart. The museum did not allow photographs inside the building, so I posted a few shots of the exterior. There was an amazing water fountain, and wild flower garden in the center of the building. It was a crisp, clear day to be outside, with the green grass freshly cut.

I hope if you ever head to Scranton, you visit this museum. There is so much history, and character to it. No more than any other, just unique to itself. Enjoy!

Florence Griswold

2006-09-29T12:10:00.000-04:00

I visited the Florence Griswold Museum. The museum was lovely with an elegant gift shop (lots of art books, stickers, two kinds of tiny paint sets, a lap harp...). A brief movie introduces the museum and some of the arts colony history, focusing on the time period around 1910. Inside, look for the bird and nature sketches.

The gardens are withering a bit at this time of year (tomatoes on the vine...) but raised flower, vegetable, and herb beds are lovely and the narrow gravel pathways are nice to walk on. If you go on a very sunny day it will be best... the sweet-smelling grass is wonderful and the leaves are turning.

The old house is perhaps the most interesting part of the Museum. In the dining room, the floor boards are original (restored) wide wooden boards. Some of the furniture and dishes are original (ask which pieces)! Much of the house remains the way it was. Three meals a day were served to artists (mostly men) who lived at the arts colony for $7 a week. No wonder Florence went into debt! Though she had no children, she had a mentally ill sister whom she cared for and eventually sent to the Institute of Living in Hartford. Clearly, the artist colony itself was her "baby".

Many artists were invited to paint door panels and you can see some of the incredible paintings...the guide told me that the artists distaste for industry (this was during the Industrial Revolution) prompted them to blank out railroad tracks in paintings and simply omit details they'd rather not see. In other paintings, things were added. These paintings are full of historical details, artistic liberty, and the personalities of the artists: it is worth it to talk in detail to a guide if you can! I recommend the little old lady with the grey hair (she is quite short and has a heart for teaching). Once you learn about the paintings, it is easy to see that the artists formed a close community through their vision of a new art school in the country.

Upstairs are exhibits of resident artist works. Look for the historical exhibit including letters and her checkbook (see photograph below)!

One well-known artist who stayed at the Arts Colony is Childe Hassam (1859-1935). He painted Late Afternoon Sunset in 1903, an oil on canvas. This was a gift of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Krieble in 1991. Hassam studied "waning light," and was fascinated by it.

2006-09-28T19:17:00.000-04:00

A few more pics.

Yale

2006-09-28T19:12:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone,

I just came back from the Yale Art Gallery. It is funny that you can live so close to such a beautiful place and never even know it. I had to take my kids with me and my oldest, who is 7, thought we were in a "cool little city". New Haven is a great place to go. There was some wonderful art displays and statues that caught my eye. I recommend visiting if you have not already.

Yale Art Museum

2006-09-27T19:09:00.000-04:00

I've lived almost my whole life in New Haven and yet to have the pleasure of visiting the Yale Art Gallery. I was able to capture to pictures that peaked my interest but have not developed the film so that I display them to the class as of yet.
I took a picture of a wilderness landscape done by Frederic Edwin Church. This painting has an overwhelming calmness with a slight intensity of stormy weather waiting to errupt.
Next was a painting done by Joseph Stella called " Battle ofLights, Coney Island Mardi Gras. I find this portrait to have a funky array ol colors with lots of festivity going on. Stella describes it best as an "intense dynamic arabesque".
I would assume that this artist incorporated alot of emotions into this canvas.

New Britain Museum of American Art

2006-09-26T10:11:00.000-04:00

I took a trip to the New Britain American Art Museum. I think it was very deceiving from the outside. This house that looked very small but I was pleasantly surprised. The cafe on the park restaurant that they have was also very charming. I saw many works of art that I liked but one I thought was beautiful and so Connecticut was by George Henry Durrie and it was Winter in New England. I thought it caught what winters in CT are really like. This museum was beautiful but on this Sat I am going to the metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC and I am sad to say I have never been there so I am very excited.

Visit to the Hill-Stead Museum

2006-09-24T20:41:00.000-04:00

Hi everybody, it's been awhile, just moved and finally got my computer up and running (after some technical issues) and visited the Hill-Stead Museum in Farmington, CT - near the famous Miss Porter School for Girls. The museum is a converted house - app. 2600 square feet. Although small, it houses a vast array of French Impressionist Paintings- see attached picture of Edgar Degas's work - Jockeys - 1886. Please note, the use of cameras is not permitted, something I'll be asking before my next trip, so if you're planning on visiting this charming museum, be forewarned. For those not familiar with the area, the museum sits on app. 150 acres of land with quite a view! Something that I think was unique was that, there were sheep that were brought in to clear the land, including poison ivy...yikes. I was told that they're on loan, until the owner wants them back? Anyway, enjoy the pics and hope everyone's having as much fun as I am! All the best, Tad.

Wadsworth Atheneum!

2006-09-24T18:38:00.000-04:00

Another visit to the musuem. However this time aI was taken back by the fact that I was unable to take pictures. Luckily enough I took one before being asked not to do that anymore. I used the literature I received to make my collage. I was a bit furious, becasue this happened at the beginning of my visit (hemade sure to follow me around, so I wouldn't take anymore pics). So I hope you all had a better experience on your visits.

Yale University Art Gallery

2006-09-24T18:11:00.000-04:00

This sculpture is of Jina Rishabhanatha (ca 550-700), who was believed to be the first of twenty-three "victors" or "conquerors" who had crossed the torrent of rebirth, by the followers of Jainism a religion that parallels Buddhism in many ways, being a slightly older contemporary to Buddha.

Yale University Art Gallery

2006-09-24T18:02:00.000-04:00

This past week I was fortunate enough to break off of work early and make it down to New Haven for the afternoon. While I have been to the University Art Gallery several times, I always find something new to appreciate while I'm there. In light of the Dalai Lamas visit to the United States his past week, I decide on a statue of a Buddha to write about. The Gallery has several to admire during your visit there and so much more too.
This one was made on the Sado Island in Japan in 1746.

The Sunlight

2006-09-24T10:30:00.000-04:00

Last weekend I visited the New Britian Museum of American Art. One of the paintings that I absolutely feel in love with is the one. The Sunlight by Robert Lewis Reid. I fully intended to write my paper about it. But I cannot find any information on the painting itself and limited information on Robert Lewis Reid. So I thought I would share the picture here.

When I walked up to the painting I truly thought I would be called Reflection or something similar to that. The length of the painting makes me feel like it is a reflection in a mirror.

I really like the soft pastel colors. There seems a purity here. Though she is not smiling you don't get the sense that she is unhappy, perhaps just thinking about something.

I just fell in love with this piece. If I could buy it, I would.

Guilford Art Center... just for fun

2006-09-23T13:33:00.000-04:00

Fred and I decided to visit the Guilford Art Center for The Guilford Art League juried member show. It was the first time he'd visited and he liked the landscape paintings especially. I think we had several thousand in imaginary debt!

September 29-30th there will be a quilt show! If you can't make it there (exit 55 1-95 Guilford, Left, under bridge and past highway re-entrance...and directly on your Right) check out their virtual gallery shows.

I attended the arts school as a child for pottery and summer courses; they have classes for children and adults in all sorts of media: jewelry, pottery, painting, drawing, and more. Even one class will be remembered by your child! The gift shop is an amazing Christmas shopping stop.

Here is my father opening a piece (last Christmas) by his one of his favorite potters, Bob Parrott (who... ahem... does not have a web site). I swear I am truly not going to wait until the last minute this year to finish holiday shopping...

Many of the prices are out of my range (I'm not a member either!) but you can usually find smaller items within your budget (like handmade candles or vegetable dip). Its a great way to support the arts.

"Save As Draft Feature" will post at original date

2006-09-23T13:27:00.000-04:00

Hmmm.

I noticed that (as I tend to use the "save as draft" feature) the completed post publishes under the original draft date... not the most recent post date. I just completed by British Art post, for example, which is under the original date (some posts back). I don't think I'll use this in the future! Didn't see a way to change it in the HTML. If someone knows, please advise. Thanks.

Mattatuck Museum-Hard but I finally got a few shots!

2006-09-21T14:28:00.000-04:00

Edward Giobbi

A sculpture as well as a painter.

Mattatuck Museum-Hard but I finally got a few shots!

2006-09-21T14:22:00.000-04:00

John Weir "Grand Canale, Venice".

A sculpture.

A few pictures from Mattatuck

2006-09-21T14:15:00.000-04:00

Peter Pokas "Crossroads of Washington and Wilton". Waterbury, CT

Cleve Gray "Crash"

Charles Cajori "Epistrophjy 1"

Mattatuck Museum

2006-09-21T12:51:00.000-04:00

Hi Class,

I visited the Mattatuck Museum yesterday afternoon and let me tell you now, please do not go there. You are not allowed to take pictured there. I had to see 3 different people and explain to them what I was doing. They were very hesitant, but then made me sign a release form and took me into one room where I could take pictures. The cool thing was I got to talk to the director and she said that the "Eye Opener" display was starting in 2 weeks. This is when local talent (over 400 pieces) were judged and the top 35 will be on display for 2 months. I am thinking of going and seethat. '

I will post a few pictures that I took.

Kristin

New Britian Museum of American Art - Benches

2006-09-21T08:04:00.000-04:00

I visited the New Britian Museum of American Art this past weekend. The annual arts and crafts festival was there this weekend as well, an added bonus for me. I really enjoyed this museum. There were many, many works that I really loved. Of course, the Norman Rockwell pieces pleased me. I really enjoy his work. But I also LOVED the Walter Wicks exhibit (no pictures allowed in there). I don't remember the I SPY books, but what an amazing imagination. And the time and patience involved in putting these puzzles together.

I thought I'd follow suit with the collages this week. One of the things that I noticed as I walked through the museum is that as you walk throught the rooms, the benches changed. Each works of art themselves. As soon as I realized this, I started shooting pictures. I want one of each for my deck. Well, maybe not the carrot legged one.

Enjoy your visits.

2006-09-18T19:17:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone,

I visited the New Britain Museum of American Art this weekend. It was much different, but just as wonderful as both the Yale museums in downtown New Haven. It was filled with amazing pieces from the late eighteenth century through modern contemporary art. Each collection sat in its own corridor, with a maze-like feel. It was very busy this Saturday, the museum was hosting an art festival (free admission w/ purchased ticket to the museum). It was a beautiful day for art!!

One of my favorites was a piece done for the Saturday Evening Post in 1948, by Stevan Dohanos called Rained in Vacationers. He was the second most popular illustrator (next to Norman Rockwell) in the twentieth century. Quite similar work, don't you agree? It is such a fun painting. I just loved the contrast of colors, with the dreary colors representing the rainy day. I hope you enjoy!

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

2006-09-18T18:15:00.000-04:00

I went to the Met this weekend and it was wonderful! What a gigantic place!! The museum was a work of art itself. There is so much to look at, I probably spent 4 or 5 hours there, and didn't see the whole thing! I suggest taking the audio tour or an actual tour and a map, we got lost easily! Oh and just to let anyone who plans on going here know, there is no fee to get in. They make you think there is but there is just an optional donation. Many people don't realize that this is "optional"! Well I hope everyone else enjoys their trip here as much as I did!

2006-09-17T19:28:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. As I approached this weekend, I thought I would be visiting the Housatonic. However, I was held back and had to visit the Yale Art Museum once again. I still had a good time, but I wished I was able to get out to see another museum instead. My visit this Sunday was a fairly quiet one. I chose the piece above for two reasons. The 1st, the magnificant paly of white to give a centralized point to the painting, and 2nd because of its second focal point the young boy besides the mother.

I see alot of you have chosen great pieces. I just can't wait to see them for myself. Have another great week. Enjoy!

Cover These Four Points

2006-09-16T11:58:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone,

Listen to this audio post from me regarding the four points I'd like you to cover in your essays on your visits. You can find out the word count of your essay by choosing menu item TOOLS>WORD COUNT. Keep up the good work everyone and remember, Have fun!

-Jerry

Yale Museum of Art

2006-09-15T19:43:00.000-04:00

I visited the Yale Museum of Art last weekend. The building, inside and out, captivated my attention for many hours. I really enjoyed the variety of sculptures, paintings and artifacts at the museum. I honestly cannot say what I enjoyed the most, but I found many of the sculptures fascinating in the attention to detail and the intricacy of the carving. I tried to imagine the hours/days involved in carving the different pieces. The two figures shown here are carved in marble by Hezekiah Augur, c.1828-32. The pieces are Jephthah and His Daughter. It is believed that the model for Jephthah's daughter was a New Haven residence named Abigail Beers. The story of Jephthah and his daughter is also a fascinating and sad story.

I hope you are enjoying these museum experiences as much as I am.

Metropolitan Museum Of Art NYC

2006-09-13T21:02:00.000-04:00

Hi guys, just a short post to let everyone know I went to the Met this past Friday, and if anyone hasn't gone yet, please make sure to plan on spending at least several hours (if not the whole day!) wandering around. It really was just so spectacular. My friend who just recently moved here from Holland accompanied me, and at first she was a bit apprehensive about having to visit a museum on her first trip ever to New York City, but once we got there, she was in awe. Right now they have several sarcoughagus (sp?) from Egypt, and actual structures from there as well. It was amazing. Just past the Egyptian displays there is an area where you can buy coffee, and there are some magnificent stained glass pieces there, making it seem very much like a courtyard or fancy garden. I haven't uploaded my pictures yet, but I will soon. The museum itself is set on the corner of Museum Ave, and is literally steps from Central Park. I think if you were to take an entire day and visit the museum and then have a picnic in the park it would be a perfect end to a wonderful day!

What a delightful experience

2006-09-13T14:37:00.000-04:00

Hello class,
I'd like to share an experience I had this past weekend visiting a West Indian art exhibit at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, NY. I was greatly enthusied by the turn out of people who are interested in Carribean art. I must first say that my heritage background is from Barbados, West Indian. I myself was born here in the United States but was always fortunate enought to return to the exotic island on many summer vacations from school. At this exhibit I witnessed the different arrangement of colors among many of the known and unkown artists. There wasone specific painting that caught my attention. It was a picture of a native woman of one of the islands carrying a huge basket made of wicker. The expression on her face tells the story of her struggle in life. I interpreted her pain as being long and harsh, her dry and brittle hands from the constant work which takes her aching body for miles to a job that she neither wants but has to do. She wore a long sky blue tattered cotton dress with a sleevless coral blouse. Her sandles were worn way past the soles of her feet.

It really made me appreciate the little things in life that we, as people, take so much for granted. Most of all, I have a better understanding of where I came from and who I have become.

2006-09-12T18:04:00.000-04:00

Hi all,

I went across the street from Yale University Art Gallery and visited the Yale Center for British Art this weekend. It was very different, but in a charming way.

I was plesantly surprised to enter hearing a live performance by a Russian folk band. It was such a nice touch to walk around the exhibits listening to such vibrant music!!

I really enjoyed a peice called Sandown Bay by John Glover. This English native made his mark when he traveled to Australia. He was often referred to the "father of Australian landscape painting". I hope you enjoy!!

2006-09-12T16:08:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone!

I went to Housatonic Community College and took a look around. Some of the art was beautiful. It felt much different than a museum and there were not descriptions about most of the art work. I loved the pieces that were just sitting in a room; there was so much space and it was filled with these beautiful pieces of work. I am enjoying this class.

Kristin

Lost in the Storm!!

2006-09-11T19:31:00.000-04:00

Hi, everyone

I've been to two museums so far. I've gone to the Yale museum of British Art and the Yale University Art Museum. I've lived in New Haven all of my life and have passed the museums but have never gone inside. I took my oldest son Jalen with me for the experience. I really think he enjoyed the artwork, but I know he enjoyed the old elevator in the Yale University Museum more than anything. I did take pictures but due my digital camera being cheap I guess with out flash the pictures come out very dark and blurry. This is one of the pieces that I really liked, I enjoyed the colors and the pose. Pictures of women during these times have always caught my eye.

Yale Center For British Art

2006-09-11T12:29:00.000-04:00

The Yale Center for British Art (designed by Khan; completed 1974) was lovely; I especially (again again) enjoyed the architecture. The modern architecture of the Yale Center for British Art (concrete, white oak, Belgian linen, glass windows and flood lights) is in such contrast to the old Gothic of the Yale Art Gallery (1940s). The outside of the building is matte steel and reflective glass.

The British Art Center Shakespeare exhibit was wonderful (ended the 17th). I went twice, once for Art class and once for Humanities. The exhibit had an extensive collection of time-period clothing (scarlet cloak and common doubtlet- both from the 1500's), oil paintings, books and church records. An ancient Holy Trinity Church register noted that Shakespeare was third in non-attendance, presumably to avoid arrest for debt. His birth, marriage, and death are recorded (as are those of his immediate family). Read about Shakespeare and the English language here. Language is an art and Shakespeare had much to contribute to it!

I was particularly fascinated with Philip Mercier's (1689-1760) oil series exploring the senses. Mercier was a French painter believed to be the son of a tapestry worker. This painting was my favorite: "The Sense of Touch." Photograph at this angle to avoid light glare. What attracted me to this particular painting was the range of sensual experiences: the child petting a cat, the two young lovers... and the young woman's expression (her eyes are quite compelling). Beginning in October, there will be a special exhibit at the British Art Center featuring his work.

Hartford, Connecticut Wadsworth Museum

2006-09-11T12:18:00.000-04:00

Wadsworth Antheneum, Hartford

The Wadsworth Antheneum in Hartford is a relatively large museum with a wonderful gift shop (an especially nice collection of children's items as well). The top exhibit floor is beautiful in its lighting, simple light wood and open spaces.

"Two Girls with Oleander, c. 1890-92"

Gustav Klint, Internet graphic

This beautiful Gustav Klimt, "Two Girls with Oleander," c. 1890-1892, can be seen on the first floor. This exquisite painting was oil on canvas, very "ornamental." The gold on the clothing glistens; it is rich in color and detail in person, with almost a 3-D quality to the work.

Klimt, an Austrian symbolist painter, was involved with the Viennese type of Art Nouveau (or more modern, progressive art) known as the Secession Movement. In his paintnigs, he explored psychological and erotic aspects of Vienna's turn-of-the-century world; freedom of expression (key in the Secession Movement) was empasized in place of traditional academic art techniques. True to symbolist style, his paintings are a step away from realism toward dreaminess. He said of his paintings, "Try to see in them what I am."

Chief Joseph, c. 1907-08

Edward Sherrif Curtis, Internet graphic

Most interesting to me was a tiny collection of Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952) works. I was thrilled to find his photography in Connecticut. Curtis, known as "the Shadowcatcher," photographed and documented the cultures of Indian tribes for over thirty years. His work is well-known and strikingly beautiful. View the Smithsonian Institution Libraries Exhibition here.

"Chief Joseph," (c. 1907-08) is on exhibit at the Wadsworth. Photographer and ethnographer Curtis developed a strong friendship with Nez Pierce Chief Joseph and this bond of trust led to Curtis's friendship with yet more tribes. Chief Joseph was able to hide from the US Calvalry for two years and is widely known as one of the most honored tribal leaders of the 1800s.

New Britain Museum of American Art

2006-09-11T12:01:00.000-04:00

Hendee Light Sculpture, 2005

The New Britian Museum of American Art is exhibiting this interesting light sculpture by Stephen Hendee, b. 1968. It is a mixed media piece with flourescent lights that are modulated by ambient lighting.

It took Stephen Hendee just twelve days to create the sculpture (coffee anyone?). The stairwell exhibit uses the natural light from the vast museum windows to effect change of colors.

Baby's First Caress, c. 1890

Internet graphic

I was especially delighted to find a Mary Cassat (1844-1926) on the first floor, "Baby's First Caress." Cassat's work focuses on the everyday lives of women: sewing, drinking tea, mothering. Her work is Impressionistic, bringing common and tender life details to her work.

On the second floor, there is a photography exhibit by Lalla Essaydi, who was raised in Morocco before moving to America. Her exhibit, titled "Converging Terratories," explores the "spacial boundaries" among women and men in Moroccan culture; primarily, in her words, women's "confinement is a decorative one." Her photographs of women covered in henna art and cloth are large and cover four walls of an exhibit room.

Interesting symbol meanings from Essaydi's work. This glossary pertains to a different exhibit of hers (elsewhere), "Night of the Henna", but the symbol meanings are consistent.

Lastly, I was taken with a painting of Spain by Peter Blume, "Boulders of Avila" (c. 1976). It is oil on linen on canvas. Blume mixed paint with marble dust for texture. New York Times writer Vivien Raynor noted in an old, archived article (1982) that Blume, in his surrealist sort of art, "burnishes his shapes and textures to the consistency of stone." Look for his paintings on the second floor.

Yale Center for British Art

2006-09-11T11:44:00.000-04:00

I went to the Yale Center for British Art. I went especially for the Shakespeare exhibit they are having. I went with my husband who loves Shakespeare (he's a high school British Lit teacher) so it was nice to have someone with me who know everything about Shakespeare. I was unable to take pictures of the art but I am trying to get some stock photos on the internet so when I get them I will post them. If you like Shakespeare then you would love this special exhibit which ends this weekend.

The Lyman Allyn Art Museum

2006-09-10T21:37:00.000-04:00

Here is a pic of one of the model ships that are on display at the museum. The artist Pasquale Montesi, moved to Norwich in his later life and used his experiences in the First Italian Navy to create these likenesses. For a frame of reference, this one has to be at least four feet long and several feet high.

The Lyman Allyn Art Museum

2006-09-10T21:23:00.000-04:00

I had the good fortune to make it over to the Lyman Allyn Art Museum today. What a nice little spot, located in New London next to Conn College, the museum is really cute, with vast, well maintained grounds surrounding it. With the weather being so nice I took the opportunity to walk around and look at some of their outdoor sculptures and plantings. The museum itself has several galleries including a really neat section with model ships. The work I chose to write about was a drawing made to produce a fresco painting on the ceiling of the Winter Place in Leningrad. Their collection had several of these drafts, they were really neat to look at, though I found myself wondering how they could transpose such a little sketch onto a great ballroom ceiling.

The British are coming!

2006-09-10T19:49:00.000-04:00

Hi Guys,
Well, today I went to the British Art Musuem. Here are some of the pieces that I most liked. I went alone today, and i wished I had someone to talk to while I was there. I took my daughter last time and we really enjoyed going together. So I must say, I think I need some company on these outings.
The upside of all this, I got to experience a very nice musical concert while I was there. So while I visited each section, I was accompanied by live music.

Visit to the New Britain Museum of American Art

2006-09-10T16:19:00.000-04:00

Hi everybody, just got back from this wonderful museum. It's located in downtown New Britain. It's really an impressive place to visit. The NBMAA is one of the oldest museums dedicated solely to American art. The newly opened 43,000 square foot Chase Building are where the 5000 + works are displayed. Three comments: Those with small children will especially be delighted to know that Walter Wick, famed Children's author and CT. artist has a show currently at this museum. He has over 60 brain-teasing works for kids of all ages. I am going to base this weeks paper on N.C. Wyeth. Also, there a newly commissioned work dedicated to the rememberance of the September 11 attacks. I personally found it very moving. There is a bench directly in front of the painting for reflection. Take care, Tad

Cottage Interier

2006-09-09T13:34:00.000-04:00

Last weekend I visited the Yale Center for British Art. The Center is currently displaying "Searching for Skakespeare" which I found to be interesting. If this is something that might interest you, you need to go soon, it ends next weekend, September 17th.

There were many paintings and exhibits that caught my attention, but the painting by William Ratcliffe is one that I spent a good deal of time viewing. It seems the longer I looked at, the more detail I found. The painting is called "Cottage Interior" It is oil on plywood B1990-10

You see a man sitting in the lower right hand corner, dressed in a suit. It made me wonder if he was sitting waiting for a guest or if he was a guest waiting for his host(ess) to join him in the room. The more I review the room, it makes me wonder who the owner is, is it a male or female? The flowers make me think female.

I found this painting and many more to be intriguing. I enjoyed my visit, hope you do the same.

Georgia O'Keefe

2006-09-06T15:22:00.000-04:00

When I was in New Mexico, I visited the Georgia O'Keefe Museum . Actually, the Folk Art Museum in Santa Fe was a bit better, I thought, but the O'Keefe focuses nearly exclusively on O'Keefe's life and work... and I was living a stone's throw away at the time. I thought I'd share this tid bit in the event that anyone has a chance to visit the Southwest and the museums.

Georgia O'Keefe is an artist with a full and rich expression of color and tonal range in her painting: above see her Poppies, Red Rocks, Skull, and Clam Shell. She was born in 1887 and died in 1996; she attended the Art Institute of Chicago. In 1929, she travelled to New Mexico and found that its light, colors, and shapes inspired her. Nearly twenty years later, she at last moved to the Southwest. [graphics are not my photos, but rather Internet graphics of O'Keefe's well-known works].

My First Visit

2006-09-05T23:19:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone
I haven't introduced myself yet, but I'm Kelly. This is my third mod at Albertus, and I love it! My major is still undeclared, but I'm definitely interested in the social sciences. I currently have two jobs, both in Autism facilities that serve people with dual diagnosis. I hope to be able to continue my career in this field in some capacity after graduating.
Now that that's out of the way, ;) My first visit was to Yale's Art Gallery on Chapel Street. I'd forgotten how much I loved this museum. The last time I was there the main entrance was out of commission, to give a general idea of how much time has lapsed. I'm one of those people who absolutely adore museums, and can get lost in them for an entire day, but who also lets too much time go by before visiting again! The image that I've chosen to share with everyone is called "American Landscape" by Arnold Wiltz. This piece is oil on canvas, and it's absolutely amazing. My general art infatuation lies mostly with black and white photography, but I'm very much interested in landscapes and nature scenes, and this was just a fabulous painting to look at.

My First Visit

2006-09-05T21:59:00.000-04:00

Hello class,

My first visit was to Yale Center for British Art, the Museum located her in New Haven, I went on Saturday of last week, and the experience was nice, being that I have not been there in sometime. I apologize for not having photos to share at this time, but I promise I will have some next time. I do not own a digital camera as of yet. Although I took some fantastic pictures. There are two pieces that stood out the most during my visit, and they are located on the fourth floor, on the York street side according to the lay of the map. The first panting took my breath away, because the image was captured on canvas in such a delightful way. I sat and marveled at it for a while. The name of the painting is called Cavern Near Naples a very surreal piece, and the artist's name is Joseph Wright of Derby. He created the piece in 1774.
The second piece was called Winter landscape created in 1790, the creator of the piece was a man by the name of George Morland. I will have the photos for you soon.

2006-09-05T19:49:00.000-04:00

Here are a few more pictures that I took. These are a few of my favorite. The Lady of Shallot was huge and beautiful.
I loved the religious aspect the museum took on. I got a few wonderful pics.
Kristin

2006-09-05T19:35:00.000-04:00

Hey there!

I went to the Wadsworth Museum in Hartford. The drive up was wonderful. You can tell the season is starting to change. I am going to post a few pics I took there. I was very upset to see that the entire 2nd floor was off limit to cameras. That was a great exhibit. Talk to you all later. Lots to writie about.

Kristin

Introduction

2006-09-05T15:02:00.000-04:00

Hello All, I'd like to introduce myself. My name is Shauna and this is my second year here at Albertus. I chose Art Appreciation as a course this module so that I can have better understanding of why so many wealthy individuals spend thousands and sometimes millions on a painting. Hopefully, when this course is over, it will have broaden my perception on how art is truly appreciated by art connoisseurs.

The Florence Griswold Museum

2006-09-04T12:54:00.000-04:00

While Visiting the Florence Griswold Museum I came across this painting that I really took to "Hillside Road, Mystic CT", done my an American impressionist, Charles Davis (1856-1933) of a typical New England scene, perhaps near fall. Though it is difficult to tell from the photo, the painting possesses rich, vibrant color combinations, reminiscent of American painters French forefathers.

The Florence Griswold Museum

2006-09-04T12:29:00.000-04:00

Growing up in Old Lyme afforded me many wonderful
opportunities as a young man, the least of which by no means, was the convenience and availability of one of America’s cornerstones of Impressionist painting, The Florence Griswold Museum.
Now I must confess that since leaving Old Lyme, over a decade ago, I have made few attempts to visit this magnificent piece of New England history. If you have had the good fortune to visit lately, then you can imagine my surprise to see the new gallery in the rear of the property, down near the Lieutenant River. How wonderful to have this showcase located in the now, once again, bustling mecca of art, Old Lyme.
The painting I chose to write my paper on “Francis O. Watts with Bird” ties together two pieces of New England’s culture for me, the rich history of oil painting, with the relatively recent development of producing award wining wines. For you see this painting graces the label of Sharpe Hill Vineyards (in Pomfret) “Ballet of Angels”, white table wine. Having visited the Vineyard several times I noticed it immediately!
So if you find yourself unable to make it to the Florence Griswold Museum before September 10, 2006, when the exhibition is scheduled to close, if you enjoy white wine, at a reasonable price point, you can pick yourself up a bottle at a nearby merchant and think about how John Brewster Jr. would feel to have his two-hundred year old painting lining the shelves of liquor stores everywhere, lol. Though bear in mind, this technique would hardly suffice as we try and appreciate the aesthetic value and beauty of the artwork itself.

Visit to the Wadsworth!

2006-09-04T12:17:00.000-04:00

Hi Class, recently visited the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford. Like many, I've taken for granted the many wonderous offerings that museums have to offer. Couple of tips, get there early. I arrived at 10:00, plenty of parking, and no waiting at the information desk. Don't forget to mention your status as a student, save you a few dollars. Another perk of arriving early, I found that viewing the artwork was easier due "to the lack of traffic," and obtaining shots was equally as rewarding.
The two pieces you see were done by the artist Benjamin West. Most importantly, I learned what a docent is! Happy Trails.....Tad

Yale University Art Gallery

2006-09-03T15:06:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I went to the Yale University Art Gallery with my 7 year old niece. To my surprise she enjoyed the trip more than I expected. I have been to the Art Gallery many times before because it is so close to home and has some beautiful work. I really liked the work by Charles Willson Pearle and his portrait of Mrs. Walter Stewart. I loved the detail of the pears and how her hands sat. And there is something romantic about her husband commissioning an artist to make a picture of his new wife. It was a fun experience.

Sample Paper

2006-09-03T12:56:00.000-04:00

I received Karyn Vai's first paper yesterday. I felt that she hit all of the right notes.... not too formal, not a research paper... but rather she mixed just the right amount of background information on the artist and his work, observations about Yale Art Gallery and especially her own personal perception of the painting by Hopper, Rooms by the Sea.

Karen generously gave me permission to post her paper for everyone's benefit.

Take a look at the paper for some insight on what I am looking for. I put it up on my new domain, jnevins.org... Here

Success Tips for Online Students

2006-09-02T16:52:00.000-04:00

Posted to The Instructional Technology Program in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, College of Education, University of Houston.

Success Tips for Online Students

In general the online student should:

Be open-minded about sharing life, work, and educational experiences as part of the learning process.
Be able to communicate through writing.
Be self-motivated and self-disciplined.
Be willing to speak up if problems arise.
Be willing and able to commit 6 to 10 hours per week per course.
Be able to meet the requirements for each course.
Accept critical thinking and decision making as part of the learning process.
Have easy access to a computer and a modem..
Be able to think through ideas before responding.
Feel that high quality learning can take place without going to a traditional classroom.
Be excited and enthusiastic about communicating and collaborating with others in a virtual environment.

The online learning process is normally accelerated and requires commitment on the part of the student. Staying up with class and completing all the work on time is vital. Once a student gets behind, it is almost impossible to catch up. This is not a good option for students who are not motivated and need structure to complete activities.

Yale Art Gallery

2006-09-02T14:09:00.000-04:00

Today I went to the Yale Art Gallery with my dad. We had a good time. We were most fascinated by the Egyptian art they had there. I know this sounds funny, but the old fashioned elevators there were so interesting!! I should have taken a picture. They had so many interesting sculptures and artifacts there.

My First Post

2006-09-01T15:02:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone. My name is Keri Dempsey and I just registered for this class 2 days ago. A little about myself. I have been married for 2.5 years. I have no children yet but I have a cat, dog, 2 nieces and 1 nephew. I am the Marketing Director for an online children's development toy company called eBeanstalk. I have 2 Associates degrees one in early childhood ed and one in marketing and I will have my bachelor's degree this May in Business Admin and Marketing.

I have to admit I took this class because it is a requirement but I do love Art and so does my husband so we are going to the museums together. I have posted a picture of our favorite artwork that we have in our house. Its Starry Night Over The Rhone by Van Gogh. His is one of my favorite painters and I actually have the Starry Night mouse pad at work for my computer.

That is a little bit about me and I am excited about going to the museums because I do love to go but never have the time to go so now I have to force time to go and it will be nice.

Keri Dempsey

Yale Outing

2006-09-01T14:07:00.000-04:00

Joseph Stella

oil on canvas

"Battle of the Lights, Coney Island"

Hi guys this is one of the paintings that I most liked at the Yale Art Gallery. I took my seven year old with me, and on the safe side I think she really enjoyed herself. She was asking away questions and I'm glad that I took her with me. I also saw that like the Wadsworth in Crystal's trip, Yale also has antiques such as furniture and jewelery. That really amazed me.

How to Create a Collage in Picasa

2006-09-01T12:22:00.000-04:00

Crystal did a great job of creating a collage to share many facets of her visit all in one image. To see more detail, click on her picture and it will open much larger to a new window. Here are the instructions on how to do that from Picasa's help files:

Download Picasa2 for free here.

You can use Picasa to create one–of–a kind photo collages. To do this, follow the instructions below:

1. Select photos for your collage. Your selected photos will appear in the Picture Tray in the lower left corner. Hold the "Ctrl" key to select multiple pictures and press the "Hold" button to the right of the Picture Tray when adding photos from multiple albums.
2. Click the "Collage" button at the bottom of the screen.
3. Choose from the "Type" and "Options" drop-down menus to preview your collage.
4. You can change the order of photos by clicking directly on the collage preview. To shift the layout of a Picture Pile collage, hold the "Shift" key while clicking on the collage preview.
4. When you're satisfied, click "Create."

Your collage will be saved to the selected folder. When you create a collage, Picasa makes a copy of your original photos for the collage so your original photos remain untouched. If the "Collage" button is disabled, you will need to first select photos for your collage.

My Trip to The Wadsworth Atheneum Museum

2006-08-31T23:48:00.000-04:00

This is a collection of some of the pictures we took at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum...It was really nice, and we enjoyed ourselves. I was suprised to see all the furniture and antiques, I would have thought that stuff would be more appropriate in a history museum. I liked the combination though, it was very interesting to see the furniture, antiques, statues, and paintings. They also had a nice section of Egyptian art, but it was borrowed from another museum so we couldn't take any pictures.

Refresh your Browser

2006-08-31T23:17:00.000-04:00

Just a quick note to let you know that you should hit the refresh button in your browser options bar. Here's how your browser software works: In order to load pages quickly, once you access a page, it is stored in a temporary file on your hard drive. The next time you visit, it assumes it hasn't changed so it loads the "cached" or saved version of the page. The see the latest post on the blog, just hit the refresh button when you arrive at this site!

Hello to Everyone!

2006-08-31T09:52:00.000-04:00

Hello to Everyone! This is my first Blog, so let's see how it goes...

I am very much looking forward to the museum experience with this class. I will do most of my museum tours with my family (at least) my children, as I do not think my husband will be up for the museum experience. ;)

A little bit about me:

Place of Birth: New Haven, CT

1981-1985 James Hillhouse High School - Diploma
Major Studies: Business and Law (State Mock Trial Winner)

1985-1987 United States Navy
Radioman Communications Specialist
Certificate-Communications

1988-Current Notary Public
1987-Current *Certified Freelance Paralegal* - National Paralegal Association and New Haven County Paralegal Assoc.
2004-2005 Board Member (Secretary) - New Haven County Paralegal Association
Committee Member, Pro Bono Services for New Haven County
2005-Current Vice Chair, Hamden Democratic Town Committee
2005-Current Associate Member, Diversity Committee Board Member, New Haven County Bar Association

9/2004-*5/2007 *Anticipated Date of Graduation
College: Albertus Magnus College-Continuing Education/Accelerated Degree Program
Pursuing Bachelors Degree
Double Major: Business Administration and Criminal Justice with a minor in Business Management

Employment:

1995-Current Yale University Office of Facilities, Construction & Renovation
Office of the Associate Vice President for Construction & Renovation
Executive Assistant to the Vice President

1998-Current Freelance Paralegal

Extracurricular Activities:

2005-Current Vice Chair, Hamden Democratic Town Committee –

1997-Current Volunteer: Sickle Cell Association – New Haven Chapter and The Southern Regional Sickle Cell Association, Inc.; 177 State St. Third Floor, Bridgeport, CT 06604 Yale New Haven Hospital Pediatric Specialty – serving as a Sickle Cell Fundraiser, referral resource for care coordination, assisting families with coping skills, Social Security Disability Issues, Public Awareness, Youth Symposium Coordinator, liaison between doctor, social work and family to coordinate special services and educational resources, etc., i.e., Establishing 504 plans and Treatment and Tutorial Plans for children effected by Sickle Cell Disease, Assistance with the understanding of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the law.

It is my desire to continue my studies in the areas of Law and Business Administration in order to pursue my goal of becoming an Attorney. I plan on practicing Corporate and Family Law. Having recently been accepted to Quinnipiac University will allow me to remain on my mission to continue giving back to my community by offering Pro-Bono services with a special interest in Minorities, Women and Children.

By having a son with Sickle Cell Disease and losing my nephew to the disease, my life’s mission is to always provide support to the families affected by Sickle Cell Disease and vow to work effortlessly to support the coordination of a community-based approach with regard to the development and implementation of strategies to resolve issues surrounding sickle cell disease and other chronic/terminal illnesses.

I have recently traveled into new territory, “Politics”; it is my plan to use this avenue as a way of motivating the underprivileged, under-represented and society segregated population to come out and voice their opinion in a way that will help empower the minority population to help advance themselves in society and improve their quality of life.

I know that Political power is critical to the advancement of the minority population in society. It provides the avenue to establish and enforce laws that affect all Americans. Being a “Black-Female”, this is a reality that I face, when I look at our laws surrounding civil rights, immigration, and affirmative action.
The interests of African, Hispanic, and Asian Americans can be properly represented by encouraging the minority population to voice their opinion by elected officials that have our best interest at hand, by registering to vote and supporting our elected officials.

In summary, the majority of my paralegal and volunteer work is done on a 90% pro-bono basis and I think that I have outlined above why I do so!

I possess a strong commitment to all of the organizations that I am involved in. I know first hand the challenges of being a minority, the stress of having a child with a Chronic Illness, the financial strain of medications and treatments not covered by insurance, the cost of raising a family, the financial burden of trying to finance a college education for myself (who will be a first generation graduate) as well as my daughter and most of all the stress and need for more community involvement and representation of us as a united people.

Laticia A. Mewborn

Museum Etiquette

2006-08-30T22:03:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Stephanie's great post, I'm reminded that I wanted to put out some guidelines for doing your work in the museums.

-It's true... never use a pen, always a pencil. Conservators can remove pencil should it get onto (heaven forbid) on an artwork.

-The general rule on photography in most museums is that it is permitted but absolutely no flash. The intense light of the flash is damaging to the artwork. It is always a good idea to check with a guard... they will usually say thanks for asking!

-Work that is borrowed from another museum for a special event is never allowed to be photographed.

-Of course, never touch anything directly. It's sometimes hard to resist touching a sculpture. The oils from your skin can be damaging.

-A tripod for your camera is out... it can trip up other patrons.

Enjoy!

The Wadsworth Antheneum Museum of Art

2006-08-30T19:25:00.000-04:00

Over the weekend my husband Dan and I took a trip out to Hartford to The Wadsworth Antheneum Museum of Art. I had decided to get up to Hartford first thing to avoid traffic and let me tell you, opening is the BEST time to go. We got to Hartford right at 10am and had the whole place to ourselves, it was great! We were also presently surprised to find that students get in for half price. So for those of you who haven’t gone yet defiantly let people know that you are with a class. We did however need to obtain a photo pass from the guard. Oh and bring pencils, NOT PENS for any notes you plan on taking!

The picture that I wanted to share with all of you from my first outing is Claude Monte's Nympeuse Water Lily.

I was so exited to see an original piece. I have loved his work from the time that I was a little girl. When I was growing up, there was a book that my mother used to read about a girl who visits France with her mother and walks through Monet’s gardens. It was called Linnea in Monet’s Garden. If you are a parent and want your children to develope a love for art, this is the book to do it.

I think that I am attracted to the softness of his work. The subtle cool colors have a very relaxing effect on the viewer. Quick fact… The reason Monet has no clear lines in any of his work is because is was severely near-sighted! Did you know that?

Ok Class this weekend I will be close to home. I’m headed to Yale. Stay tuned for more exiting adventures of this art enthusist and her culturally sheltered husband!

2006-08-29T21:44:00.000-04:00

Hi guys, thought I'd show one of my favorite pieces. Simple, clean lines by Piet Mondrian. For some reason this kind of art really speaks to me? I'll be heading to the Wadsworth on Saturday for the "Shifting Terrain" exhibit. Also, I'm pretty amazed at all your blogs...nice job! All the best, Tad

2006-08-28T19:12:00.000-04:00

Yale Art Gallery Gate, High St.

Entrance to Yale Art Gallery

The neo-Gothic architechture of the Yale Art Gallery can be seen in its archways, windows, and stonework. This is the part of the Museum that was built before the Great Depression (later parts are modern, such as the Khan building).

On the first floor, there is an exhibit of ancient Greek, Roman, and Egyptian pottery, glass, sculpture and tilework (see photograph below).

Be sure to check out the ancient Mimbres pottery on the third floor... I was thrilled to see ancient Mimbres pottery at the Yale Art Gallery. The Mimbres tribe lived in New Mexico from about 100 A.D. to 1150 A.D. and disappeared (no one really knows why). The pottery, although largely utilitarian, is quite beautiful in shape with intricate designs. You can view a slideshow that includes quite a bit of Mimbres pottery from the Deming, New Mexico Museum here.

There is, too, an interesting story behind the Trumbull Wing (on the third floor); Mr. Moynihan, guard and keeper of the rickety elevator, will be happy to tell you more. John and Sarah Trumbull are buried in the basement.

Yale Art Gallery, 1st Floor

Jeremiah Dictating His Prophesy

Washington Allston

[Internet graphic]

In the Trumbull Wing, I found Washington Allston's

painting of the Prophet Jeremiah, dictating his prophesy

to Baruch, a young scribe. I admired Allston's use of light

and balance in symbolism.

For two examples, the Prophet Jeremiah

and the scribe are bathed in light...

The upper right symbolism and lower left

symbolism are nicely balanced.

Beyond the Prophet (upper right) are the prison walls

of the prison in which he was confined

for dictating the prophesy.

The earthen green bowl (lower left) represents

God's ability to destroy Jerusalem like pottery

(as in Jeremiah's prophesy).

Mike's first post

2006-08-28T17:54:00.000-04:00

Grace and Peace EVERYONE,

My name is Michael Scott III, I’m a sociology major at AMC. I hail from the diverse streets of New York City, Jamaica Queens to be exact. Currently I work at a local Alternative Incarceration Center, where I serve as a Client Supervisor. I have been a student at AMC for a little too long and look forward to graduating soon.

How to Post to The Blog

2006-08-28T16:52:00.000-04:00

Some of you may still be having trouble posting to the blog. I just created this movie which will guide you through all of the steps. Once you have done it it will seem easy! The file is about 8.4 mb large and you'll need speakers or a pair of headphones to listen to the audio. You can pause, stop, rewind and replay the movie as often as you like until you are comfortable with the process.

http://blip.tv/file/66527

WEEK 2

2006-08-28T15:49:00.000-04:00

Hello Class,

Here we are beginning week 2 and it is time to get engaged and get going.

The first thing to do is to dive in and GO to the museum... take your time, take a free tour, use the audio guide if that museum has one. Plan your outing carefully... know when tours are offered, etc. Be open, be amazed. Take pictures, report back on the blog. Organize your thoughts into a paper. Use the questions I posted on the syllabus as well as the help provided at the Wesleyan and Dartmouth writing centers, linked from the syllabus.

The first paper is due on September 5^th. Email me your paper. Include photos in it of the piece you are writing about. Papers will be due each week on a regular basis from that point on. Don’t let it slide and don’t make the mistake of thinking that this class goes to the bottom of the work pile because of its format. Art is a delicate and subtle thing. I don’t want to bludgeon you with a mountain of material.

This class is very different than most! Most classes present a body of material that you have to memorize and learn. Then you take tests and are usually glad when it's over. In this class, about appreciating art, I'm more interested in your open, perceptive, honest discovery of the places and works you encounter. You are the creator of the content of the class, in effect. I will help you tune your papers and help with your images. In thinking about and responding to the questions I asked, you will learn a tremendous amount... and hopefully discover something that will enrich you for the rest of your life.

This is not something that can be pulled together all at the end. Your work and your grade will suffer. This is a process of discovery that must unfold over the course of the 8 weeks.

You already know much more about art than you think you do. It is important to use some of the vocabulary and style of description that this discipline employs. I just want you to keep it honest, real and engaging. You can’t fake that. The entire experience IS the class and the grade. You have to keep up with it. Some of you haven’t posted yet to the blog, or declared your intentions yet… That starts to get me concerned. As adult learners you are doing this because you are more in control of your destiny now and you WANT to do this. This class requires that you become a purposeful, intentional learner. We have an amazingly rich set of museums all over the northeast and in Connecticut. These are treasure houses for what is fine and good about the human condition. Enjoy your outings! Keep us informed!

:-) -Jerry

2006-08-27T22:45:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone,

It looks as though some of you have gotten a good start. I can;t wait to start my visits. I feel a little aprehensive, cause I don;t kniow where to start or what to look for. I'm glad some of you already started posting your 'museum experience' because it gives me an idea of what to do. If you have any suggestions as to how I should approach this let me know. Thanks all!

Sunday Night Thoughts

2006-08-27T20:39:00.000-04:00

Burial of Atala (répétition of 1808 original), 1813
Anne-Louis Girodet-Trioson (French, 1767–1824)
Oil on canvas; 81 5/16 x 104 1/2 in. (206.5 x 265.4 cm)
Musée Girodet, Montargis

From the Major show on Girodet at the Metropolitan Museum of Art... The show just closed today.

Dear Class,

I just made some small changes to the format on the blog... I added a title bar for you to use and allowed the blog to show messages on the main page for up to 150 days at a time before archiving them.

Debbie, Karyn's and Kristin's posts are a good model for you to follow on the blog. Everyone will benefit in seeing some images from your travels and your general impressions of what you saw.

I took my mother to the Met in NYC last week and among other shows, spent time at this major focus on the work of Girodet. This canvas was monumental in size, at 7' X 9' and depicts the burial of Atala, a romantic character in a novel published in 1801. Girodet is not well know but the show was impressive! He wad a student and protege of David but unlike his mentor, who was almost rigid in his classicism, Girodet foreshadowed romanticism and flights of spirit. His use of light and his consummate painting skills really impressed me!

From the Getty Museum.... ""Whosoever had not known that this young maiden had once enjoyed the light of day would have taken her for a statue of virginity asleep," wrote François René Chateaubriand of Atala in his popular Romantic novel of 1801. Taking inspiration from such poetic lines, the artist, painting in a style similar to Anne-Louis Girodet de Roucy Trioson, let the rays of the moon play upon Atala and cast over the whole a dreamlike, mystical, magic light, establishing a decidedly Romantic mood. In this scene, Atala's beloved American Indian lover--looking like a Neoclassical version of a Roman hero--and a missionary lay her to rest after she has committed suicide rather than break the vow of virginity she made to her dying mother."

2006-08-27T19:33:00.000-04:00

Hello again - as I've said, I visited the Florence Griswold Museum today, Sunday. I thought a rainy day would be a good day to spend inside viewing the art in the museum. I was correct on viewing the art, but what I didn't realize that there are lovely gardens at the museum as well.

Part of the attraction to the artists who stayed at the home of Florence Griswold was the views, the gardens and the New England charm. This picture was taken from the back porch of the museum. The chairs are set along the Lieutenant River. I would have loved to spend time out along the river and walking the gardens but the pouring rain prevented spending much time outside.

I plan on returning on a sunny day to spend some taking pictures.

2006-08-27T19:21:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone - I visited the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, CT today. The collections there are wonderful but I found that I enjoyed the American Impressionist works much better. I have to thank Matt, a curator at the Museum, for the pictures I was able to take inside. We were not allowed to take pictures inside, only outside and the gardens, but was looking for literature or copies of the three paintings I selected. Because we couldn't find anything on all three, he walked me to the paintings I liked and he allowed me to photograph them. I can't even say these are the ones I liked the best, because I liked so many paintings.

This painting is done by William S. Robinson, it is named Laurel and done in 1921. I love the colors, the different tints of pinks and the texture of the painting.

2006-08-27T16:31:00.000-04:00

Hi all,

I visited Yale University Art Gallery yesterday. It was great! It was a nice, quaint way to start my museum experience for this class.
I thought the "To know the Dark" exhibit was pretty neat too. The exhibit showed evening paintings from various artists. I could not post any of those shots, because the room was too dark. I really enjoyed Edward Hopper's "Rooms by the Sea". The museum itself has so much character! It was originally built in the 1800's, although it has been renovated a few times since. The spiral staircase is cement, with rod iron railings. It is so unique! Hope you get a chance to visit!

2006-08-26T14:19:00.000-04:00

Hello, Hello how is everyone today? Do hope well!

First let me say that I am most impressed by everyone's posting thus far, you all seem so enthusiastic. In-particular with the great job that Kristin did presenting her trip to The New Britain Museum of American Art. Good to meet everyone.

Now to the intro. My name is Sean and I have been attending Albertus for a year now, I did try college right after High School, but failed to maintain focus and dropped out. I must say that I have really enjoyed returning to school as an adult learner and find the program, here at Albertus, to be both educational and efficient (as I have already taken 12 classes this year alone). With less then ten classes left, I hope to graduate in the spring and thus have already started looking into where I might like to get my graduates degree (MBA).
Here is a pic from a trip out to Boulder, CO last winter. What a great place to visit if you like the outdoors! I took a quick jaunt down to New Mexico while there, Taos and Santa Fe. Talk about museums, the Georgia O'Keeffe was amazing!

As I enjoy visiting museums whenever and wherever I can, good money is on this class being very enjoyable. I am looking forward to learning from and corresponding with, everybody!

2006-08-24T22:38:00.000-04:00

Hi Class, this is my first blog ever, hope it pans out! I'm Tad. Couple of quick facts, moved from Arizona (where photo was taken, I'm the one on the right, brother Jamie on left) a couple years back, and now work at Sikorsky full time. This is my 2nd class at Albertus, and looks like it will be an interesting one! Good luck to all, see ya hopefully at one of the exhibits. Tad

2006-08-24T22:32:00.000-04:00

Kristin saw this painting, The Cycle of Terror and Tragedy: September 11, 2001 at the New Britain Museum of American Art. It was commissiond by the museum to commemorate 911 and was painted by Amherst, MA resident Gaylord Parrish. Tom Haines, a travel writer visited it recently and recorded some beautiful observations... as well as those from 3 visitors to the painting. Take a look and listen here.

The other images Kristin posted are from the museum as well.