Virtual Visit to the Florence Griswold Museum

-
It's Memorial Day weekend during a pandemic.  It is a weekend to remember the fallen.  Usually, a parade in every town of America would take place.  Giant flower wreaths are placed on the Memorials of our local heroes.  This weekend especially seems a little odd to me.  As, we still are under orders here in New Jersey to only leave our homes for our essential needs.  The weather isn't helping either, as it is gray, rainy and today it is chilly.  So, it is hard to write with any optimism.   I did choose a Museum dedicated to American Impressionism.   I think after doing all of these posts I see why I like Impressionist paintings so much.  If I compared walking through a museum to life, the impressionist period would be what brings the most feeling of happiness and joy.  Walking through the rooms we see the paintings from centuries before and they are dark and most of the subject matter is solemn.  But, when you walk into a room full of impressionism the paintings are full of light, color, and happy subject matter.  It makes a difference that the paintings are actually painted outside.
Childe Hassam used American Flags as subject matters and loved to paint crowds of people lining the streets for parades.  He spent some summers at the colony in Old Lyme, Connecticut.  
I loved  my day I spent at the Florence Griswold Museum with my nieces and nephew.  The grounds were beautiful and I loved the fairyville village that was on exhibit while we were there.  I also loved seeing the grounds that were painted, and seeing the paintings inside.  The best example of painting on walls, and the use of light were in this house, also.
I was fascinated that Woodrow Wilson spent summers here, while his wife painted.

Quote of the day:  “We grow great by dreams. All big men are dreamers. They see things in the soft haze of a spring day or in the red fire of a long winter's evening. Some of us let these dreams die, but others nourish and protect them; nurse them through bad days till they bring them to the sunshine and light which comes always to those who sincerely hope that their dreams will come true.” 
― Woodrow Wilson

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Peace Be With You

-
Image
Living alone with the holidays quickly approaching can be difficult. I indulged in something for myself this year. It is an advent calender from Lauduree with parisian sweets. I am kinda obsessed with Lauderee. It is a french bakery and confectionery store originating in Paris. I became familiar with it from social media and artists who would paint pictures of macarons. I collected a few cookbooks. And, when Kaylyn and I visited Paris in 2008, it was high on my list of places to visit. It had a line outside and it was very cold. I hate to admit this, but I wanted the bag, tissue paper and ribbon more then anything. I still have it, because I would like to do some crafting with it. I want to decopauge shells and make a mobile as a homage to where I am living. The name of my apartment is the Versaille Chalet and I have been sharing snippits of my place a little bit in my stories on instagram. I felt an instant connection with this place when I saw it on the internet. I sa
Read more

The Fork in the Road

-
Image
I am in this really deep place on this journey to joy. I don't know how to look forward without looking back. So this morning I was looking in the rearview mirrow. I was listening to the same music I listened to in my dorm room back in college when I was 19. Forty more years later, I feel pretty much the same. I am thinking of the future, not really knowing what it is going to be like. I have an idea of how I would like it be, just don't know how it will turn out. I am still sorting, purging and donating. In a week I move out of the house I have been living. The house I was supposed to retire in. The house to rest easy in. Instead, I am packing my bags and getting ready to move on. I am thankful every morning to wake with a feeling of optimism. I also still feel no matter what choices I made in life, they have all been good ones. I have lived a good life and am looking forward to all that life has to offer me. I am thankful I live in the land of hope and dre
Read more

A new dawn.....a new day

-
Image
 I love Sunday mornings.  I love to reflect on the past week and look forward to the start of another.  What I learned this week painting, was what working on the minis, made me realize.  The first one I was looking at the flower more while painting and by the third I felt more free and the brush just took me to the painting.  I was in more of a flow.  So, the more time I take, the less I had to think about it, and could just enjoy it happening.  Like life, right? I learned from the computer there is a park in Roosevelt Island called Four Freedoms and currently has a staircase covered in a huge image of sunflowers in a field celebrating the 100th year of the womens' vote. It is also in Eleanor Roosevelt's honor.  So, I'll be sharing a lot of her quotes.  It was a good week for Ian as he was featured in a cover story in the Tri-City news.  Kaylyn  is busy working and taking good care of my grandson.  He is growing fast and has six big painful teeth already!   Love seeing all
Read more