Poll | 01/06/2009 1:00 am

When's the last time you visited an art museum?

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Diana T
I make it a point to visit the Columbus Art Museum whenever I’m up there. Actually, Columbus has many art museums and galleries to visit that are excellent. The Franklin Conservatory up there houses a major Chihuly collection, and they are getting ready to have a major Chihuly exhibition there with Chihuly delivering lectures. Louisville has a wonderful museum called the Speed Museum. I just was in the National Gallery, the Sackler and the Corcoran up in DC, and will soon go to the Cincinnati Museum because there are some ancient pieces I want to see again. DC has so many museums that one simply can’t visit them in one trip. They had just opened the new oceanic/earth museum the week before I was there, and my sister and I zipped through it to check it out when we have more time. Air&Space Museum out at Dulles Airport is awesome. And, of course the Smithsonian houses so many museums that are unequaled, in my opinion. And, to think they are free! I am looking forward to an exhibit that will start on March 22 here in Lexington at the Art Museum of the University of Ky., named Excavating Egypt: Great Discoveries from the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology. One of the great museums for anyone that will be in London is the V & A. I just love it there. And, the Churchill War Rooms, where Churchill ran WW2 is one of the most fascinating places I ever visited because they have left everything in virtually the same place as on the last day of the war. If you ever have a time when you simply don’t know what to with yourself or your kids, go to the nearest museum….
By Diana T on 01/06/2009 1:52 am
joan larsen
At Chicago’s famous Art Institute on famed Michigan Avenue resides my uncle’s collection — largest in the world — of armor. A new and larger room is being built as we speak for it - The George F. Harding Armor Collection. As a child, he had a private castle showcasing it, shown to the public by invitation only — but I lived close-by - just several blocks from the Obama mansion - so I could go in when I chose. As a small child, turning on the low lights, seeing the armor surrounded by the red velvet surroundings was eerie. The suits of armor and swords were huge - still are - and I always felt that men were inside, ready to move. At his death after many trials, it was given to the art museum — and is their prized collection among their many famous paintings. My first job - at 16 - was a the museum membership offices as had been my mother’s and my aunt’s — so we are really going back in time. So yes, I think of it “as mine” when I walk in the door. But my true favorite is the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum in Boston. I would have loved to have known this woman, whose portrait by John Singr Sargeant hangs in the Italian palace she saw built for it in Boston, climbing ladders to see that everything was right. In its center is Fenway Court - an open area with balconies surrounding it - and an outstanding array of paintings and artifacts from her world-wide travel. Symphony orchestras have played in the open court. She herself, a widow when this was completed, lived in an apartment on its fourth floor. Even today her favorites - violets - are changed and placed in her memory at her wish in the apartment. It is a journey into another world - a palace in Boston that is the first place I make my memorial visit on going there. And there she still is - the violets a reminder - and then her large full size portrait in white. She is a woman I have always admired for her tenacity, and her will to travel in less free times to gather the treasures she felt would show off well in her own museum. I deem this a”don’t miss”. Ever!
By joan larsen on 01/06/2009 6:31 am
Diana T
Joan, you have had a fascinating life! I love the Chicago Museum and wish I could get to it again…but, you reminded me of the wonderful time I spent with my sister in the Isabella Stewart Gardner in Boston. I loved that place.
By Diana T on 01/06/2009 9:40 am
EKA -
Oh Yes, the Gardner ! Two of my sons graduated from New England Conservatory , almost across the street, and had a chance to play in the center court. A Beautiful museum !!
By EKA - on 01/06/2009 9:35 pm
joan larsen
Small world, isn’t it? And what did your sons do with that education? Just curious as I haven’t known anyone who went the musical route. Don’t you just LOVE the Gardner — and we had a guide last time that as I remember took us behind the scenes — I always try for that - as why not??? Just heard from my daughter on e-mail and she has just arrived at the southernmost town in the world tonight — and it is almost midnight and still light out!
By joan larsen on 01/06/2009 9:44 pm
EKA -
Well, first of all, Bon Voyage to her, what an exciting adventure, and what an amazing woman. It is apparent to me now that she is a real chip off the old block, that her sense of adventure came from a mother who sees life as a constant opportunity to learn and explore. I hope we will hear from her soon. I don’t have a daughter, but boy, would i love one like her. Interesting how we seem to set a path for our children. I never played an instrument ( catholic school education ;-( ) but music has always been a religion of sort to me, and my husband is the same, plus he has a great ear and a beautiful voice. We raised our 3 boys surrounded by all kinds of music and when they hit 4th grade, like all kids, they started an instrument and a couple of sports, never knowing which direction they would go. Our town is known to have one of the best music programs in the state, excellent and deep, and they began to flourish. In High School the middle and youngest began to win national awards and scholarships to the best music schools. Skeptical of that path, we asked professionals if they were THAT good and we were assured they were, plus they had decided that that was what they were put on this earth for, so we bit the bullet and said go for it. NEC is a wonderful school, a well rounded education and Boston campus. One graduated in 99, lives in Colorado, and is a bass player for a neo-soul singer from Detroit, and is constantly on tour, heading to Europe next month. The other graduated in 06,sax player, lives in Brooklyn and will be on a european tour next month also. Not an easy life, but they love it. I’ve told them often that if they can spend their life making music they’re better off than most of us, and so far so good. Plus in this economy, they’re doing better than their friends getting laid off from banks !
By EKA - on 01/07/2009 1:22 am
joan larsen
EKA, I was hoping you would set to rest my curiosity, and as I read I ended up saying: Wow, our early home lives really can make a difference in the direction the children go —- or is it in the genes? That they have been able to jump into their prospective professions as they have not only means they are very good . . . but fortunate, as to be able to combine their love with travel will enable them to open up their worlds considerably in the process. And as life itself is a growing a and learning process, they are enjoying the best of both at a very good age. I know that we saw to it that each of the children went to Europe for a semester - one while in high school, one in college - and long before we were to get there ourselves. They still talk about specific memories there with laughter and knowledge. Did I do something that stirred my own children, I wondered tonight? Perhaps instill them both with more than a little of my insatiable curiosity, of course, but our love of nature and the outdoors exceeded most. My daughter was the only person I have known who got three summer-long National Science Foundation Grants in high school of all things, going on with it in college and even taking astronomy — and, if I remember right, last summer doing some writing on WOW with the other 4 genuises on astronomy (one of them you if I remember correctly) - as well as holding her own with you on a few other things no one else had such a handle on. How is that for ‘Small World’?? A letter this evening from her from the southernmost town in the world rang with enthusiasm and delight of someone not missing a single moment of seeing her first vicuna in the wild, and as a birder, seeing her first condor over the Andes. And I am thinking: “Just wait, just wait. YOu haven’t seen anything yet . . . just wait until you see your first iceberg and realize that those we saw in Alaska were like toys in comparison … and so much more!” Travel may not be my life . . . but it certainly IS my world and fills my being!! And EKA, I hope I don’t need to ask. I hope you will fill me in on the boys as often as you hear. I so believe that when you are doing work you are so happy in doing, it is no longer “work” at all. Too few find their niche as yours are. I feel joy FOR you - so much joy!!!
By joan larsen on 01/07/2009 3:14 am
Dona Howlett
To Diana, EKA and Joan Larson……………. Thank you…….Thank you. I was just on the Ann Coulter Thread………I was becoming so disgusted with all the negative comments. Such nastiness among women………..who in reality say NOTHING. I was seriously thinking about leaving Wowowow for good. Then I read all of your wonderful writings……….so Intelligent, so informative………. Such ‘Joy’ you are willing to share with the rest of us. You enrich my life and I again say THANK YOU…………..
By Dona Howlett on 01/07/2009 7:34 pm
joan larsen
Dona — I just am not into “nasty” and “nastier” — and I know how wild the threads can go there — and life is too short - well, isn’t it?? As if what WE say is going to make any difference at all who is going to be in the Senate or what someone big said to another — that is another world that we would not want to take part in — But you must not leave us — EVER - and I mean EVER — as you are the delightful gal that we love — so make a promise, cross your heart, and we will always be there for you — OK???? Sending love!!! Joan
By joan larsen on 01/07/2009 9:34 pm
Dona Howlett
Joan, You are so encouraging to me…………… By the way, the addition to my house is almost finished. Originally it was supposed to take 5 months…………. Here we are 10 months later…………Hopefully my son and his wife can move in by the end of the month. I’m so sick of all the noise and inconveniences that I’ve decided to hold off on having my kitchen redone for a while. The finished rooms are really beautiful………….It’s 850 Sq feet………2 rooms with bath and tiny kitchen. Both rooms have Cathderal Ceilings………..they are so pretty. I still have unfinished work inside the main house to complete. So I guess it will go into a year from beginning to finish. It’s a good thing I didn’t know it would take this long or I probably wouldn’t have done the project. I cross my heart………….If I ever decide to leave I will announce my departure so you don’t have to wonder about what happened to me. I wonder so often where all the ladies have gone.
By Dona Howlett on 01/08/2009 3:23 am
Tee Zee
Dona and Joan…please, please, please don’t ever leave…I look forward to the wisdom and grace in each of your posts.
By Tee Zee on 01/08/2009 9:04 pm
Dona Howlett
Tee Zee, I also enjoy your posts…………… We really have some interesting woman on this site. I promise, If I’m going to ever leave I will give notice…………… If I just suddenly disappear (20 years from now) Know that I’ve gone to the “Other Side” I think I should put a note in my Will……….notify Wow! LOL
By Dona Howlett on 01/08/2009 9:32 pm
Tee Zee
Please try and let us know so we can surround you with our “light” to sustain you on your journey, peace.
By Tee Zee on 01/09/2009 10:28 am
C jay
As a young grad student, then a spouse and mother, I lived at the Gardner. The symphony rehearsals (then $1) were my 2nd respite - my 4rd infant first moved during one of Münch’s insistent repetitive phrases (loved than man - we never progressed far in the score but … ). Thank you for the trip back in time.
By C jay on 01/11/2009 6:27 pm
joan larsen
Hi Merrell … and what a very very small world. Did you read that the director of Art Institute wrote me about 9 months ago and said they were BUILDING an entire room that was to be made to order to exhibit the collection better. But can you imagine me - a little girl - always welcome in the castle with the turrets, and then opening a door, turning on dim lights, walking up some stairs and having men in armor that were huge that seemed to look at me from behind the head piece. Lots of it has still been in storage in Chicago — so maybe you will have to come when the new room opens. I will let you know. I know it is silly … but when I go through the room of the armor collection, I always think of it as “mine”. Maybe you understand — as it was implied as a child that it WAS mine to see whenever I wanted. And a glance and I am back with a mother and father and the good times we had — and the memories just flow. I loved it that you love it — as then we share something, don’t we???
By joan larsen on 01/07/2009 10:00 pm
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