(PHX) Phoenix Art Museum

Phoenix Art Museum

Phoenix Art Museum Website

my Photos of The Phoenix Art Museum

My travels take me next to Phoenix.  I know that there is art everywhere I go, and I am glad to seek it out.  This museum was very easy to find and accessible by public transportation from the airport.  It is a small museum, however it does display some great works of art that should not be missed.

Canyon Country ~ Georgia O'Keefe 1965

"Desert Rain God" 

What is always fun about going to a new museum is seeing their current exhibitions.  It is always an adventure and I love to see the creativity of what is displayed and how they introduce the works of art.

The Cape:

"I saw the whole man slowly emerging from the window and begin to craw down the castle wall over the dreadful abyss, face down in his cloak spreading out him like great wings..." 

Dracula, Brahm Stoker 1897

Read My Pins

"Before long, and with out intending, I found that jewelry had become part of my diplomatic arsenal.  Former President GHW Bush had been known for saying, 

"Read my lips".  I began urging colleagues and reporters to "Read my Pins" 

~ Madeline Albright

I was looking to see western art and I was not disappointed.

Last, but not least I came across the very interesting sculpture.  I studied it from many angles, and was intrigued at the amount of emotion others displayed when they were looking at the work of art.  Many people walked by and looked at it with curiosity not knowing what to make of it.  One child that was with a school group asked if the rest of his body is in the white box.  That is what art is all about, making us think and ponder the "where is that, or what is that" question because the answer is different every time to the onlooker. 

(SJU) Museo De Arte De Puerto Rico

After the past few weeks of wintery snowy freezing cold weather, I thought long and hard to where my next stop would be on my quest to visit art museums...it did not take me too long to decide that I wanted to go somewhere warm and sunny.  A book and a beach was my quest.  When I did some research on San Juan, I was excited to see that they did have an art museum of their own, and then the quest was to make the necessary plans to make it so.

With my employment at Southwest Airlines I am able to fly on different carriers on a space available basis.  Southwest does fly to San Juan, however currently there is not a non-stop flight from Boston.  I therefore chose to fly JetBlue, which conveniently had a midnight flight to San Juan.  This worked with my schedule as I was able to get on a plane after working a 16 hour day.

The Museo De Arte De Puerto Rico was about a 15 min walk from my hotel.  Lucky for me on Wednesdays the museum is free and open until 8:00pm.

My photos from the Museuo

Interconnections.

I did not see any Monet's or Van Gogh's in Puerto Rico, instead I saw works of art that depicted the history and culture of the island.  Presently the museum has organized its collection not by artist or timeline, but instead by theme.  Works of art are intermingled that range from current to back to the 1700's.  It is a small museum that packs a punch with minimal galleries.  

"The Battle of Algiers" ~ Antonio Martorell ~ Silkscreen on paper

This is a striking print that caught my eye.   I was drawn to this piece of art because of the emotion in this womans face.  The vivid green contrasting with the black and white pops off of the page and grabs the viewers attention.

Wood Carving for Printing

One of my favorite techniques is woodcarving for printmaking.  Like the German Master Albrecht Durer ( albrecht-durer.org ), a story is told by the carving out of the wood and then transposed onto paper with ink.  It is an art where the image is crafted backwards so as to print forwards.  It is all about the details and the intricate strokes of the cutting tool.  Side by side they are amazing.  On the left is the wood carving, on the right the print on paper.

"En San Juan" ~ Dennis Mario Riveria ~ Self Portrait

Plena

A huge mural made up of 20 masonite panels overtakes the center stage of the 4th floor gallery.  There is so much going on in this piece of art that looking at if for only a short period does not give it justice.  I sat in awe and absorbed as much as I could at first glance.  There is a "map" for interpretation on the side so you can get more out of the meaning of the painting....

"Plena" mural~ gallery

                                      

"Plena" and map of art work

What is Plena?

Between 2 distances

"...the concept of distance and movement, or travel, as unavoidable conditions with the globalized information society..."

Lastly, a sculpture that has whimsy and function that is actually a "working" piece of art was in the basement of the museum.  The display has the bicycles and there is a video of how they came to the museum that is playing next to the sculpture.  Well worth the watch as you will be amazed how well this works!

"Assemblage with 6 bicycles and a wheelchair" Jorge Cordero

Video snap shot

If you get the chance to visit San Juan, take the time to enjoy the art of the island and visit this museum.  It is well worth your time and you will enjoy what you see and hear!

(MDW) The Art Institute of Chicago

Dallas is where I came up with the concept/idea, however I was already in Dallas so I did not need to get on a plane and make plans to visit an Art Museum.  So in looking at our flight schedules and the loads I researched my next venture...

The Art Institute of Chicago (click for website)

The Art Institute of Chicago

On Columbus Day my son Stewart and I ventured to Chicago for the day.  We were able to get on the 6am flight, arrived at MDW, and took the Orange Line to downtown.  My son opted to visit the Museum of Science, while I ventured to the Art Institute.  It was so exciting to be on such a great adventure.

Since this concept conception in Dallas, and this visit I had a lot to think about how I wanted to blog about the experience.  In Dallas I really did not take many photos of the art.  Not true with Chicago.  I could not stop myself from blissfully hitting the button and keeping the shutter actively taking photos.  When I go to a museum, I love to be surprised.  I do not like to look at the catalog of the collection until after I have visited the museum, that way when I come across a piece, that I have only seen in books, I am filled with joy that is indescribable.  Case in point it happened this day.  In the European collection I was just walking on by and saw this painting by Paul Cezanne:

The Gulf Of Marseilles Seen From L Estaque

It seems like a simple painting, as it is just a common view of some houses and water.  I love the simplicity, use of color and the works of Cezanne.  He is one of my favorite artists of his era.  I had this as a print in my college apartments many years ago.  I think that is why I was so nostalgic about seeing the real painting, after only seeing in on a poster.

Here are some photos of the art that I saw and loved.  I hope it inspires YOU to visit the Art Institute of Chicago!!!

Click here to see: My Art Photos ~ Chicago

(DAL) It all started in Dallas....

As an avid art history junky I seek out art museums when I am visiting a city if I have the time and opportunity.  Now that I am working at Southwest Airlines it is my goal fly to each city Southwest services, and find an art museum to view works of art that are on display.  I came up with this idea when I was in Dallas last June during my Southwest Customer Service training.  While I was in Dallas each day we were in class and at night we were either studying or hanging out at the hotel.  I googled to see if there was an art museum, and found that the Dallas Museum of Art was open on Thursday nights.  I arranged for the hotel shuttle to drop me off at the museum after class.  When I arrived at the museum I was fortunate enough to arrive on a day that it was free admission.  The museum was abuzz with many activities for the public.

The first Art museum while flying SWA:  Dallas Museum of Art (click here for website)

Dallas Museum of Art

It was exciting to visit a museum so unexpectedly.  I was pleasantly surprised at the variety and the quantity of art at this museum.  The architecture of the museum is very modern and easy to walk through to observe the various collections.  I had 2 favorite collections, one was the recreation of the living room of Coco Chanel.  Picasso, Monet and Renoir were painting that hung on her walls.  Truly amazing.  I am very grateful they are now in a museum for the public to view.

My other favorite collection was a single Van Gogh in a small room that was a recreation of the entry way of a famous Dallas resident ( I cannot recall).  Sheaves of Wheat was a piece that I saw in an art book many years prior, and it was thrilling to happen on this while visiting Dallas.

If you are in Dallas, make sure you take the time to find the treasures inside this art museum, you will not be disappointed.

Here are a few photos that I took at the museum: Dallas Museum of Art