New Britain Museum of American Art

Richard McCoy
Albertus Magnus College

New Britain Museum of American Art
Trip Date: 05/05/07
Focus: The Cycle of Terror and Tragedy
By Graydon Perrish

My trip to the New Britain Museum of American Art was a fun little adventure. I took the 45 minute ride from Milford with my sister, Stephanie, in anticipation of seeing Graydon Perrish's The Cycle of Terror and Tragedy: September 11, 2001. I unfortunately couldn't have picked a more wrong day to visit the NBMAA. As Marc mentioned in his visit to NBMAA, the museum was undergoing some movements so many pieces were either missing or out of their normal place. The day I went I found the reason for all the rearranging was the museum was in the final preparations for a silent auction. Much of the permanent work from the main lobbies and show rooms was down, and in replace were pieces from contributing artists that would be included the silent auction. All of the work that I saw that would be included in this auction was impressive. I was able to take pictures of some really nice work.

When we first arrived to the museum we were greeted by a very friendly staff member at the front desk who apologized for the look of the museum and gave my sister and me free passes for a future visit. She also let us in for the day at no charge, which was nice of her. I had asked about Graydon's work and she mentioned that it was on the second floor in the contemporary art area. The building was magnificent and I found that it was completely brand new. It had only been opened for about a year. There was an older building that was connected to the one we were in and I found that was the original NBMAA.

When poking around the entrance to the museum I found tables being set up for the auction dinner and also that certain areas of the museum were blocked off. Despite the little setbacks it didn’t hold me back from taking photos.

Title: Cathedral (1949-1950)
Artist: Theodoros Stamos

Title: The Declaration
Artisit: John Atwater
Auction Piece

Title: Puss in Boots (2006)
Artist: Walter Wick
Auction Piece

When reaching the stair case, I was beginning to become excited because I knew I would be arriving at the 9-11 piece shortly. As I approached the top of the stairs I walked into a small room with more work for the silent auction and noticed that one section of the modern art area had been blocked off by a gate with a small walking entrance into the exhibit area. I was crossing my fingers that this wasn’t where Graydon’s work was being displayed because I didn’t want it to be one of the areas that was blocked off. Luckily, I noticed a few other visitors were on that side so I had walked to the gate in hopes to walk through and mingle in with the crowd. As I approached the gate I noticed a museum attendant was walking the small group out and had then closed off the area entirely. I approached the gentleman and had asked if Graydon’s piece was on the other side. He said it was, and that is when I politely asked if he could sneak me on the other side to catch a glimpse of the marvel. He was a very friendly and kind person and allowed for Stephanie and me to take a quick peak at the painting. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to get close to the painting because there was a table set up in front of it for the dinner / auction but I managed to squeeze in two shots before we had to leave.

To sum it up, this painting is unbelievable. I have been reading up on Graydon’s work all week long and even have a picture of this painting embedded in my head, but for those few short seconds that I was there in front of it, I could not believe what I saw. This painting represents a terrible, unforeseen tragedy, a tragedy to the world that no one can ever fix. 9-11 brought sorrow and painstaking heartache to everyone living in America that many still cope with to this day; but I have to admit and can not believe how this painting brought on a sense of relief. A feeling of relief that one person in this world can create without words to change the lives of many.

The attendant that let us through was extremely nice. He told me a little bit more about the auction which was interesting. All pieces were donated from artists and that 80% of the proceeds of each piece went towards the museum with the remainder going to the artists. He was a very helpful person and very kind hearted. I thanked him for letting us through and then went around one of the open areas in the contemporary section to see other work.

Title: Wildflowers
Artist: Tony Klotz
Auction piece

Title: Bumps
Artist Melanie Carr Eveleth
Auction Piece
I found out when speaking with the attendant in contemporary art that Melanie works at the museum as another attendant. Go Melanie!

The trip wasn’t as fruitful as I would have liked it to be but was still an enjoyable outing. The museum was stunning despite being turned upside down due to the auction's preparation. New Britain has a true gem with this museum. Now that I have free passes I want to go again in the coming weeks and view it when things aren’t so busy there. I traveled back downstairs and visited the gift shop. Bought a few postcards of the Cycle of Terror and then traveled home.

Richard McCoy

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met

Richard McCoy
Albertus Magnus College

Metropolitan Museum of Art
Trip Date: 04/28/07
Focus: Circus Sideshow
by Georges-Pierre Seurat

On Saturday 4/28/07 I visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art with friends. Luckily, I was able to attend the museum my friend Jess (an artist herself) and her boyfriend Phil. Since Jess was an artist and had visited the Met previously, was able to walk Phil and I around most of the areas while provide her feedback on some of the art on display. One of the areas that I absolutely had to see was the ancient Chinese art area. I have a keen interest in Chinese art and its culture because I have noticed that the culture shows a deep appreciation for rich historic values. Call me a traditionalist but in my opinion it is remarkable to see family and cultural values, beliefs and history withstand the test of time and flourish into future generations.


We began our tour and spent a good portion of the day in the Asian art area. The starting point for Asian art began in a very large room with a beautiful wall painting that almost covered the entire back wall. This elaborate wall painting was created sometime in the 13 century during the Yuan Dynasty (period Genghis Khan would become first Yuan Dynasty emperor).


This painting, created by water based pigment done on clay, is of The Buddha of Medicine. Buddha was seen as a being that has reached enlightenment or nirvana. In this wall painting Buddha is the center of painting with many different people surrounding him. This painting was a true marvel. Reading up on the 911 inspired painting Cycle of Terror by Graydon Perrish, and finding that Perrish's piece took 4 years to create due to its detail and size made me wonder how long an ancient piece of art like this would have taken to complete.


This is a picture of a ancient Chinese board game called Liubo. The statues that surround the board appear to be greatly into their game. Liubo (pronounced Lu-bow) in Chinese means six sticks, was created during the Han Dynasty (207 BC - 220 AD). The exact rules for Liubo can not be determined but have been said to be similar to chess.


A piece of ancient limestone. I would be really interested to understand what it reads. Made during the Tang Dynasty (618-907).





Photos of additional pieces from the Chinese art area.










The pictures below are a replica of a house built during the Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644). This area was unbelievable. I couldn't believe how real it felt. I felt like was taken out of where I was in terms of time and location. True beauty.























While walking around the European paintings I walked into a phenomenal painting called The Bathing Pool by Robert Hubert (1733-1808). This painting had such a hidden approach to it which I found soothing. The trees surrounding the body of water gave a feeling of protection to the people using the pool. The ruins in the area look as if this was a place once of great worship and livelihood but has since been forgotten. The trees seem to hide all forms of light and keep others out except for this small group of bathers.



The painting that I chose for my focus was Goerges-Pierre Seurat's Circus Sideshow. Seurat who invented a type of artwork, called pointillism, uses it in Circus Sideshow. Pointillism is a style of painting in which small distinct colors create the impression of a wide selction of secondary colors (www.wikipedia.com). Seurat used a number of dark colors to capture the feeling of night (a first for Seurat while using oils). Before viewing this painting I knew of pointillism but I never knew its correct terminology or that it was a form of artwork. This piece shows a musician playing a tune in attempts to bring in more patrons for the circus show. It was a very nice piece that taught me the meaning of pointillism and some of Seurat's history.

Below are some additional photos from the Met.

At the Lapin Agile - Pablo Picasso



















Visiting the Met made for a very nice trip. I am already scheduling another trip to this museum within the next couple of months to go back.

As I mentioned earlier my friend Jess is an artist. She is an astounding painter and is just as good in photography. Here is a link to some of her artwork. Enjoy.

http://www.myspace.com/thruartisticeyes


Until we meet again classmates.

Rich



Resources

Liubo

http://history.chess.free.fr/liubo.htm

Wikipedia - Pointillism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pointillism

The Wadsworth Experience

Richard McCoy
Albertus Magnus College

Wadsworth Athenium
Trip Date: 04/20/07
Focus: The Nooning
by Winslow Homer


On Friday, April 20 I visited the Wadsworth Athenium museum in downtown Hartford, CT. It was a great day to take the trip to the Athenium because the weather could not have been better.

From across the street I noticed the magnificent design structure of the museum itself. It looked just like a castle standing there amongst surrounding buildings. I knew immediately, I was in for a nice trip from the looks of the outside itself. The building showed great honor and appeared to be a distinguishable landmark of Hartford. Since 1842 the museum has been a keystone to the city of Hartford and the United States of America as it is the country's oldest public art museum (www.wadsworthathenium.org).

The Athenium gave such a historic feeling inside just as it did from the outside. I think what made the Athenium an extraordinary visit was the fact that it was built for me, well the visitor. The museum’s founder Daniel Wadsworth had a vision that he wanted to share with the general public. He wanted to show everyone the beauty of art. Wadsworth wanted to provide everyone with an opportunity to view art first hand and make lasting impressions.

Upon entry I paid for my admission and walked to the front counter grabbing a floor plan of the current exhibits. I toured the entire museum enjoying everything I came across. From the Wetmore Parlor to the Avery Court Fountain I found my eyes aglow, my mouth open in astonishment and myself happy because of the experience I gained in my state’s history. I walked across the entire museum and took many great photos.

The section of the museum that I enjoyed the most was the Wetmore Parlor. I found myself drawn to this area for quite sometime standing and taking in the atmosphere of the room, trying to relive what it was like growing up in the grandeur that is The Wetmore Parlor. From the creaks of the boards beneath my feet, to the sent of the aged wood in the room, I felt the history of this house and of its history in the city of Middletown.

The pieces that were around the room were exquisite. This tall standing grandfather clock was in such pristine condition for its age which surprised me. I would have never thought a piece over 230 years old would have been in the condition that it was. This time piece according to its description was one of the rarest of its era. It was something that not many families owned due to its high value. It was something the Wetmores included in their home as a tool for entertainment and to provide an upscale look to visitors.

A dresser found in the Wetmore household.

A painting of Ann Jarvis, a friend of Seth and Hannah Wetmore.














My favorite piece from the Athenium was a painting entitled The Nooning by Winslow Homer. The painting is of a small farm boy sitting in a field in front of his home. According to the painting's details it was created to symbolize good nature and bring back a calm to society during hard times brought on by the Civil War. Homer known for his expertise in water color paintings and sheer marvel for creating pieces of the sea, are reasons why he is a legend in American Art.

I really felt the message that Homer was delivering with this painting. He wanted to instill confidence back into the country during times of confusion and pain brought on by internal war. Painting the picture of a child lying comfortably in the field in front of his house in what appears to be the south, provided a positive and hopeful look at life during that rough era.

I enjoyed Homer's piece because I thought it was pure. It was a detailed painting with simple features that symbolized a very deep message. I would like to know how many people were inspired by this painting as much as I was. In a time with war present in the world, artwork like this should be embraced and encouraged. You never know what lives can be changed by viewing art work such as this. I hope Mr. Homer delivered his message well.

















The rest of the museum was fascinating. I had an opportunity to take photos of some really great artwork. Here are some additional photos of pieces I liked. Until next time my fellow classmates.

Richard McCoy























Sources:

Factmonster Website
Winslow Homer Bio
http://www.factmonster.com/ce6/people/A0824048.html


Wadsworth Atheneum Homepage
http://www.wadsworthatheneum.org/learn/museum-history.php

Mattatuck Museum - 4/14/07

On 4/14/07 I took a trip (with my grandmother) to visit the Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury, CT. This museum fit nicely into the center of town and was surrounded by many little shops. Compared to my last two trips in New Haven, parking at the Mattatuck was a dream. There is a parking lot right behind the museum for museum visitors. When entering the museum there were a few hallways that you had to pass by before reaching the main desk. My grandma and I were by greeted by the museum attendant. The museum coordinator was very helpful. He explained there was a 10,000 button museum display on the third floor which I was interested in seeing. Also, the first floor of the museum was an artistic industrial tribute to the city of Waterbury and the surrounding cities in the Naugatuck Valley. I found this museum to very small but that it held a great history. I found the first floor to be the most interesting. This floor itself was a dedication to the industrial life between the years of 1650-1950. Walking around this section of the museum with my grandmother was great. She was able to recall a number of items from the exhibits from her past. I found that the lighting made it very difficult to take pictures but I gave it my best.

The first floor was filled with a number of photographs, pieces of mechanical machinery and furniture that observed the history of Waterbury and the surrounding cities of Connecticut.



Workers from the Tuttle Company taken in 1880.

I found this photo of the Tuttle Workers interesting because it reminded me of stories I heard from my great uncles (Uncle Jack and Uncle Sam below. Taken the day of my museum visit.) during the time they themselves worked in factories. They were factory workers shortly after returning from their period in the army after the Korean War.



These two photos are of houses in heavily populated residential environments. The pictures were taken sometime in the 1960s or 1970s and reminded me of what it was like growing up in the inner city. There is nothing like growing up in the city life. It something that I would never take back. This photograph is great because it shows how life was and how it hasn't changed much in the area (you'll see later).

I loved this photo. A concept of a Micky Mouse clock.


This picture is of what appears to be children's recreational toys from the early 1900s. There is a baseball bat, balls, a sled, roller and ice skates.






Growing up in an Italian family, I have heard some tremendous stories from my family members of Rome, Venice and Florence. I unfortunately have not had the opportunity to travel to Italy yet, but when I do get the chance I am taking it! This painting by John Ferguson Weir was stunning. It showed a sunset filled evening overlooking the grand canal in Venice. This lighting and shading he did in this painting couldn't have been anything less than perfect. I thought that this piece was incredibly well done and took a great amount of talent. When looking at the history of Mr. Weir, I found that he was the first director of the Yale Art School in New Haven, Connecticut and that he designed the Bennet Memorial Fountain in the center of New Haven Green (New Haven History Walk).

Some of the paintings below reminded me of what it was like to grow up in New England.

Snow...

More snow.













Button shots (3rd floor)

This photo is a of a nearby apartment that is visible from the museum parking lot. I saw this after the trip when my Grandmother and I were walking back to the car. I found it very similar to the photograph above of the woman hanging out clothes. It shows that things in history can sometimes stay similar. Which isn't a bad thing at all. :D



While leaving the museum my grandmother and I thanked the attendant and walked down the hall. A second later I saw a smile on my grandma's face as she pointed out of a nearby window at this!
I'm not quite sure what it is. Dinosaur? Man? It was an interesting figure.

I liked this museum. I found it to be quite small, but it had its historic pieces and paid a great tribute to the community and the community's respective artists.

I think this Friday I am going to rearrange the schedule again and go to the Wadsworth Atheneum. I am holding off on my NYC trip until it gets a little warmer. Hopefully next weekend will be really nice. We'll see.

Anyone else do the Brady Bunch shot?

-Rich

Source

New Haven History Walk
http://www.scrcog.org/Trails_files/Trail%20Map-NewHavenHistoricWalk.pdf