Christmas Break
I suppose it's a bit late to post about Christmas break, seeing as it is almost late February. Nevertheless...
Sam and I rented a car, packed up Madge and our things and drove to the suburbs of Chicago for Christmas break. Besides the absence of my friends and family, it felt a lot like Salem. There were a lot of strip malls and suburbia seemed to stretch for miles in every direction. Sam's family was great and really made me feel welcome. Sam and I didn't do too much, which was fine with me as I needed a break. We did beat Gears of War if that can be called an accomplishment. We also made it to a couple of art museums.
Sam's grandma wanted to go to the Milwuakee Art Museum to see an exhibit on furniture from the Biedermeier period. I knew nothing about this, so it was pretty interesting. I also took the chance to see the rest of the museum's collection. I have to say that I didn't enjoy there collection that much, but there were a few things I thoroughly enjoyed.
This painting, called the Woodgatherer stunned me. I stood in front of it for several mintues absorbing it. The girl on the left seems as if she could leap off the canvas. Though frozen she seems alive and the painter, Jules Bastien-Lepage somehow managed to capture the feeling of her movement with his brushstokes. The woodgatherer behind her, old and worn down, seems to be on a different plane. He is frozen, and not just by the medium he is represented in, but by his age, by the weariness he feels. It's as though the life he has led bares down on him more than the wood he carries. If that weren't impressive enough, the woods behind them are painted so intricately that you have the sense that some woodland creature is going to come suddenly into view. Click on the photo for a bigger version. It's worth it.
I also saw Lichtenstein's "Crying Girl". Pop art isn't my favorite, but I know Tym likes it. So here you are.
On the day of New Years Eve we drove to Chicago and went to the Art Institute. They have a pretty large collection, but I was a little dissappointed. Their sculpture collection is really weak. Just a few works, several in plaster. They did have an impressive collection of impressionists, but it's not my favorite period. This piece, whose name and artist I can't recall, did impress me. The light is amazing. If anyone knows who the painter is or the title of the work, I'd love to know.
After we were done at the Art Institute, we grabbed an expensive dinner in Boy's Town, Chicago's gay area, and then rang in the New Year at a local club.
Overall, the break was good. It was nice to spend some more time with Sam's family and his friends out there. I think I put on about ten pounds with all the food Sam's grandma tried to feed us. Luckily, she's a pretty good cook.
I am looking forward to celebrating the holidays with our friends and family on the West Coast next year though.
If you want to see more photos, check out my Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/92012730@N00/
Sam and I rented a car, packed up Madge and our things and drove to the suburbs of Chicago for Christmas break. Besides the absence of my friends and family, it felt a lot like Salem. There were a lot of strip malls and suburbia seemed to stretch for miles in every direction. Sam's family was great and really made me feel welcome. Sam and I didn't do too much, which was fine with me as I needed a break. We did beat Gears of War if that can be called an accomplishment. We also made it to a couple of art museums.
Sam's grandma wanted to go to the Milwuakee Art Museum to see an exhibit on furniture from the Biedermeier period. I knew nothing about this, so it was pretty interesting. I also took the chance to see the rest of the museum's collection. I have to say that I didn't enjoy there collection that much, but there were a few things I thoroughly enjoyed.
This painting, called the Woodgatherer stunned me. I stood in front of it for several mintues absorbing it. The girl on the left seems as if she could leap off the canvas. Though frozen she seems alive and the painter, Jules Bastien-Lepage somehow managed to capture the feeling of her movement with his brushstokes. The woodgatherer behind her, old and worn down, seems to be on a different plane. He is frozen, and not just by the medium he is represented in, but by his age, by the weariness he feels. It's as though the life he has led bares down on him more than the wood he carries. If that weren't impressive enough, the woods behind them are painted so intricately that you have the sense that some woodland creature is going to come suddenly into view. Click on the photo for a bigger version. It's worth it.
I also saw Lichtenstein's "Crying Girl". Pop art isn't my favorite, but I know Tym likes it. So here you are.
On the day of New Years Eve we drove to Chicago and went to the Art Institute. They have a pretty large collection, but I was a little dissappointed. Their sculpture collection is really weak. Just a few works, several in plaster. They did have an impressive collection of impressionists, but it's not my favorite period. This piece, whose name and artist I can't recall, did impress me. The light is amazing. If anyone knows who the painter is or the title of the work, I'd love to know.
After we were done at the Art Institute, we grabbed an expensive dinner in Boy's Town, Chicago's gay area, and then rang in the New Year at a local club.
Overall, the break was good. It was nice to spend some more time with Sam's family and his friends out there. I think I put on about ten pounds with all the food Sam's grandma tried to feed us. Luckily, she's a pretty good cook.
I am looking forward to celebrating the holidays with our friends and family on the West Coast next year though.
If you want to see more photos, check out my Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/92012730@N00/
posted by Matt @ 8:19 AM
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