I loved going to the museums in DC. It was quite an adventure and I learned how to catch the Metro. I had to change lines, catch buses and shuttles and mingle with all the people who know how to WORK IT! I even got on during rush hour. I made it to all of the Smithsonian museums except for the one by the White House and the zoo. The weather was cold and rainy. I looked like a homeless woman. Between the limp, a hat pulled over my ears, my hood up, winter gloves and an oversized bag, I'm sure I was a sight! But it was worth every minute.
Silly me, I thought the Smithsonian was one huge museum. No, the Smithsonian is a number of museums spread over miles of DC. I went to the information center which is the one that looks like a castle. Then on to the African Gallery, The Freer (Asian) Gallery and the Sackler Gallery which are all close to one another. Then on to the modern art/sculpture gallery. By that time, all were closed and so I went back. Harrison and I went to downtown Alexandria for dinner. Very cute town that I would love to go shopping in. I found some art stores that needed my attention but they were already closed.
The next day I went to the African American Gallery which is in the hood. I took a cab there and had to catch a bus and then the metro to get to the national mall. What a disgrace that the African American museum has to be so far out of the way and so tiny. The hotel clerks had never heard of it, even the cabbie didn't know where it was. The museum was small but there was a wonderful exhibit of paperdolls from someone's collection. I didn't know you couldn't take pictures and so snapped away until told not to. There was also a photographic exhibit of folks in hats. Wonderful, and inspired me to add to my collection of hats or at least take more pictures of folks in hats. There's a whole story to be made up when you see someone with their hat on just right. I remember a skit by Red Skelton (yes, I'm that old) where he used to change the shape of his hat or how he was wearing it to depict different characters. The guard suggested that for my safety I not walk to the Frederick Douglas house 2 blocks up, so I skipped it and took the bus to the Metro.
I was feeling so outraged at the state of the AA museum that I was going to skip the beautiful newAmerican Indian museum. Fortunately for me, my feet needed a rest before I could walk to another museum so I went in. I was really dejected when I saw the first exhibit about how the Indian population had been decimated. It was all about wars and guns and swords. A special exhibit was about Indian garments and I went to see that. Thank Goodness that this was much more enjoyable to me. I loved all the beading on the gowns and learning why certain designs were used. I watched every little movie and stayed there way too long. Then I went to the part about the lives of Native Americans. Much more enjoyable for me to see their culture. I was so inspired and renewed. Then I went to eat in the cafe where you can sample different types of Native American foods. I tried a couple of things. Here's a pic of one with different kinds of potatoes and cornmeal and cheese dressing. (Can't get the pic to go here, so it's above.
With my spirit renewed, I went to the Fine Art Galleries and was not very excited. Lots of statues and huge pictures. Very little that made me sing, but it was still worth the effort to see some of the beautiful colors and techniques of the old masters. And I was able to buy 4 Advil for $3.00 from the gift shop. I would have paid $20 if necessary! I didn't make it in time to see the sculpture garden or the botanical garden over there, but could see some through the gates. Cold temperatures, Freezing rain, and high winds made the day almost miserable so I stayed in museums the best I could that day. Harrison and I ate dinner at B. Smiths in Union station. There was a fund raiser going on for Obama. The tv cameras were there, but I didn't see anyone I recognized. Union station has shopping! I got new gymshoes and a blackberry thanks to Harrison. He set it up for me that night and in the morning I read some emails in the bed while drinking coffee and eating a McDonalds warm cinnamon roll. MMMMMMM. I'll have to stay away from those.
On my last day to the mall, I got a late start because I was extremely tired and had to rest in the morning and get more Advil! I went first to the postal museum which is very modernized and interactive. I learned how areas are targeted to received advertising mail based on their zipcode. I checked and we did not fit the categories and lifestyles of the people who live in Naperville Illinois. We don't look like, read the magazines or shop/play as described by the marketeers. Maybe that's why I throw out most of my junk mail. Anyway, I thought the kids would have liked this museum the best when they were younger. Shanda reminded me of a time when we dragged them to a museum and she had a bad attitude. That's what she remembers most-the attitude, not the museum.
On to the American Art and Portrait Gallery which reopened last year after a 2 year renovation. Lovely place and I enjoyed looking at the contemporary artists as well as some of the old masters. I went through the gallery of the presidents and would loved to have taken a picture with President Clinton's portrait, but it is huge and my head only came to his crotch. I got tickled thinking about the pose I could take with the Bill Clinton picture SO I DIDN'T TAKE ONE! I did manage to get one with Hilary. I have a camera that Harry calls the "My Space" camera because you can turn it around and take a picture of yourself. That's how I got to put myself in some of the pics. I stayed there til closing because by that time I had no energy left.
Harrison and I went to Georgetown in the car, but it was too crowded to get out so we ended up driving around. He was very impressed with some of the big houses and was tempted to go to one door and ask them if we could move in. The next day on our way to the airport we stopped at the Alexandria Black History Museum which was in the building of the first library built for coloreds. The museum housed artifacts from the early 1900's on domestic servants and showed a video of how 5 young men staged a sit-in in 1940 to read books in the Public Library. When they were asked to leave, they were arrested. Fascinating and interesting story about how 22-year old men worked hard to bring books to black folks. The museum had been renovated and had an interesting historical exhibit stretching from Africa through the middle passage and onto life on plantations. On display was one of the books that documented the sales of freed slaves. Descriptions of the individuals showed how hard their lives must have been. Many included descriptions of missing hands, fingers and arms; scars and burns; and missing teeth. On a side note, many in the artist community are altering cabinet cards. I had never seen any African American cabinet cards until the visit to this museum!!! Yahoo. I even got a picture of one on a brochure. Yippeeeeee. I have already thought of a story that goes along with the photo.
So now I'm back home and looking through the 300+ pics that I took. I am looking forward to my next visit to DC. I am armed with some new creative ideas and bursting with inspiration for using colors and textures in my own artwork. What a phenomenal trip for artistic rejuvenation.
Silly me, I thought the Smithsonian was one huge museum. No, the Smithsonian is a number of museums spread over miles of DC. I went to the information center which is the one that looks like a castle. Then on to the African Gallery, The Freer (Asian) Gallery and the Sackler Gallery which are all close to one another. Then on to the modern art/sculpture gallery. By that time, all were closed and so I went back. Harrison and I went to downtown Alexandria for dinner. Very cute town that I would love to go shopping in. I found some art stores that needed my attention but they were already closed.
The next day I went to the African American Gallery which is in the hood. I took a cab there and had to catch a bus and then the metro to get to the national mall. What a disgrace that the African American museum has to be so far out of the way and so tiny. The hotel clerks had never heard of it, even the cabbie didn't know where it was. The museum was small but there was a wonderful exhibit of paperdolls from someone's collection. I didn't know you couldn't take pictures and so snapped away until told not to. There was also a photographic exhibit of folks in hats. Wonderful, and inspired me to add to my collection of hats or at least take more pictures of folks in hats. There's a whole story to be made up when you see someone with their hat on just right. I remember a skit by Red Skelton (yes, I'm that old) where he used to change the shape of his hat or how he was wearing it to depict different characters. The guard suggested that for my safety I not walk to the Frederick Douglas house 2 blocks up, so I skipped it and took the bus to the Metro.
I was feeling so outraged at the state of the AA museum that I was going to skip the beautiful newAmerican Indian museum. Fortunately for me, my feet needed a rest before I could walk to another museum so I went in. I was really dejected when I saw the first exhibit about how the Indian population had been decimated. It was all about wars and guns and swords. A special exhibit was about Indian garments and I went to see that. Thank Goodness that this was much more enjoyable to me. I loved all the beading on the gowns and learning why certain designs were used. I watched every little movie and stayed there way too long. Then I went to the part about the lives of Native Americans. Much more enjoyable for me to see their culture. I was so inspired and renewed. Then I went to eat in the cafe where you can sample different types of Native American foods. I tried a couple of things. Here's a pic of one with different kinds of potatoes and cornmeal and cheese dressing. (Can't get the pic to go here, so it's above.
With my spirit renewed, I went to the Fine Art Galleries and was not very excited. Lots of statues and huge pictures. Very little that made me sing, but it was still worth the effort to see some of the beautiful colors and techniques of the old masters. And I was able to buy 4 Advil for $3.00 from the gift shop. I would have paid $20 if necessary! I didn't make it in time to see the sculpture garden or the botanical garden over there, but could see some through the gates. Cold temperatures, Freezing rain, and high winds made the day almost miserable so I stayed in museums the best I could that day. Harrison and I ate dinner at B. Smiths in Union station. There was a fund raiser going on for Obama. The tv cameras were there, but I didn't see anyone I recognized. Union station has shopping! I got new gymshoes and a blackberry thanks to Harrison. He set it up for me that night and in the morning I read some emails in the bed while drinking coffee and eating a McDonalds warm cinnamon roll. MMMMMMM. I'll have to stay away from those.
On my last day to the mall, I got a late start because I was extremely tired and had to rest in the morning and get more Advil! I went first to the postal museum which is very modernized and interactive. I learned how areas are targeted to received advertising mail based on their zipcode. I checked and we did not fit the categories and lifestyles of the people who live in Naperville Illinois. We don't look like, read the magazines or shop/play as described by the marketeers. Maybe that's why I throw out most of my junk mail. Anyway, I thought the kids would have liked this museum the best when they were younger. Shanda reminded me of a time when we dragged them to a museum and she had a bad attitude. That's what she remembers most-the attitude, not the museum.
On to the American Art and Portrait Gallery which reopened last year after a 2 year renovation. Lovely place and I enjoyed looking at the contemporary artists as well as some of the old masters. I went through the gallery of the presidents and would loved to have taken a picture with President Clinton's portrait, but it is huge and my head only came to his crotch. I got tickled thinking about the pose I could take with the Bill Clinton picture SO I DIDN'T TAKE ONE! I did manage to get one with Hilary. I have a camera that Harry calls the "My Space" camera because you can turn it around and take a picture of yourself. That's how I got to put myself in some of the pics. I stayed there til closing because by that time I had no energy left.
Harrison and I went to Georgetown in the car, but it was too crowded to get out so we ended up driving around. He was very impressed with some of the big houses and was tempted to go to one door and ask them if we could move in. The next day on our way to the airport we stopped at the Alexandria Black History Museum which was in the building of the first library built for coloreds. The museum housed artifacts from the early 1900's on domestic servants and showed a video of how 5 young men staged a sit-in in 1940 to read books in the Public Library. When they were asked to leave, they were arrested. Fascinating and interesting story about how 22-year old men worked hard to bring books to black folks. The museum had been renovated and had an interesting historical exhibit stretching from Africa through the middle passage and onto life on plantations. On display was one of the books that documented the sales of freed slaves. Descriptions of the individuals showed how hard their lives must have been. Many included descriptions of missing hands, fingers and arms; scars and burns; and missing teeth. On a side note, many in the artist community are altering cabinet cards. I had never seen any African American cabinet cards until the visit to this museum!!! Yahoo. I even got a picture of one on a brochure. Yippeeeeee. I have already thought of a story that goes along with the photo.
So now I'm back home and looking through the 300+ pics that I took. I am looking forward to my next visit to DC. I am armed with some new creative ideas and bursting with inspiration for using colors and textures in my own artwork. What a phenomenal trip for artistic rejuvenation.
2 comments:
Wow! What a trip.
Belinda
I'll be traveling to DC later this summer and I'm printing your blog entry off to use as a guide to the IOC-related art museums. Thanks for the great travelogue!
Angela in NV
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