I visited two great art museums in Phoenix, the Heard and the Phoenix Art Museum (art if their middle name - they sell a T-shirt with that on it.) I commented to someone from New York that Washington DC has one of the worlds greatest collections of museums that are free of charge. I was careful to word that because New York has some of the world's greatest museums, but they charge to enter.
Art reflects the human experience. Seeing it, feeling, it experiencing art brings meaning to our lives. I have described myself as artistically handicapped, I struggle with create art that represents reality.
Learning to paint, even paint badly, I learned more about color, how colors blend, how colors relate to one another, than I have from any other experience in my life. If you have never painted, try it.
In college I took a silver casting and construction class. I needed an art credit, and knew the professor who was teaching and knew that he was kind with those of us who struggle. One of the projects was a hollow construction. You start with a sheet of flat metal, form it into a shape, solder the seams, add a top and bottom, solder and finish the seams. My first attempt ended in disaster as I tried to rush the process and it flew off the polishing wheel and smashed into the floor. My second attempt was 1/2 inch by 1 inch, and took me about 30 hours of work to finish. I was just looking at it, it is not perfect, but pretty good. And in creating I learned that I am capable of concentrating on the details, for long periods of time. I learned about patience, in an art class. I should go back to metal work again, I enjoyed it.
The photo on top, can you see me? The sculpture is huge, probably three stories tall.
No guarantees of sanity, but try to create something this week.
The US does grand museums so well. I am just wondering if there is a museum covering black person history.
ReplyDeleteThere is a very large one here in Washington DC, opened a few years ago.
DeleteI’ve never taken a metal work class. Albert Paley was one of my art professors. His works are incredible. His teaching was a bit impersonal at the time.
ReplyDeleteRon at Rollins was wonderful to work with.
DeleteI have often thought that "creation" and "creativity" are the best words in the English language.
ReplyDeleteAre we content creators?
DeleteCreation takes many forms and yes - putting a blog out there is surely an act of creation.
DeleteYes, we should enjoy art now. Because if Musk and HWSNBN get there way with investigations into funding for the arts and into NPR and PBS. their total funding will be cut.
ReplyDeleteAnd when they are gone, the funding will come back
Delete"art is their middle name" -- hahahahaha!
ReplyDeleteAt Rollins College we kept Art in the Museum, the museum director was Art Blumenthal when I was there. It was a good place for him.
DeleteI love that piece of art and I get to see it everytime I go to the symphony or opera. It's located just outside of symphony hall.
ReplyDeleteI'll see what I can create this week. Thanks for the inpsiration.
The ABA House of Delegates was meeting on the 3rd floor of the Convention Center, I entered through that side.
DeleteYou certainly get to a lot of interesting places, David! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteIn part because I enjoy travel, and I look for opportunities or reasons to travel.
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