Art & Appetite at the Amon Carter Museum

The Amon Carter museum, invites you to a feast. “Art and Appetite” go together. From lush oil paintings of fruit to Norman Rockwell’s famous Freedom From Want picture of Thanksgiving turkey to Andy Warhol’s Campbells soup can, you can stroll through America’s changing approach to food. From times of depression to overindulgence, food has brought people together. Paintings of picnics and a half empty diner (Edward Hopper's Nighthawks) adorn the Amon Carter walls.  

One picture and poem stood out. Marsden Hartley’s “Fisherman’s Last Supper” shows a gathering after a funeral. Several members of a family drowned at sea. His poem for the painting begins

“For wine, they drank the ocean/

For bread, they ate their own despairs”

Quite heartbreaking. 

In contrast, best to grab lunch prior to your visit. Or after seeing Wayne Thibaud’s slices of pie painting, you’ll hanker for dessert.

Fort Worth Treats

A glorious Saturday in Fort Worth's Cultural District. Here is a sneak peak at the new Renzo Piano Pavillion. It sits opposite the Louis Kahn designed Kimbell Art Museum.  The Pavilion will house the library, auditorium, education rooms, and has underground parking. It is understated and yet elegant, and adds to the Kimbell campus. I'm looking forward to taking a tour.

 Meanwhile, at the Kimbell, there is a huge exhibit called The Age of Picasso and Matisse courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago. The show features not only Picasso and Matisse but other radicals in their day - Brancusi, Duchamp, Kandinsky, plus Dali and Miro.  Cubism and Surrealism are not my favorites, but I can appreciate the history and influence in these master works.

 Over at the Amon Carter, this Color! exhibit on American Photography is really worthwhile. At the time, serious photographers sneered at the advent of color. However, in viewing the growth and experimentation, one can see how "color can simultaneously describe objects and stand apart from these objects as pure hue." (Amon Carter program).

One final small but fascinating exhibit is Hotel Texas: Art Exhibit for President and Mrs.JFK.  The Kennedy's spent the night in Fort Worth prior to the eventful day in Dallas fifty years ago. For their stay, sixteen famous works of art were used to decorate Suite 850 of the Hotel Texas. Thirteen of these works are now on display at the Amon Carter. Apparently Mrs. Kennedy was quite "amazed by the beauty of the works, and truly appreciated the effort." The keynote piece was Thomas Eakins "Swimming".

The Fort Worth Cultural District is a treat on a lovely fall day.

Big Pictures - Amon Carter Museum

 Friday March 22nd, enjoyed a members reception at the Amon Carter Museum  http://wwwcartermuseum.org  in Fort Worth. The museum director, Andrew J.Walker, gave opening remarks. The curator, Katherine Siegwarth, explained her motivation and the "what to look fors" in the show. Very informative.

Onward to a very tasty reception - lots of yummy finger foods. My friend, Rebecca Thorne, and I talked with our mouths full and caught up on respective life news. After wiping crumbs from our faces, we trodded up the steps to the exhibit all. Wow - this exhibit of approximately forty photographs is stunning.

One photo called Landscape reveals the back of a boxer. The muscles, shadows, and sinewy back offer a terrain. Another photo of a huge tree in Brooklyn allows one to feel as if you are standing underneath the branches.

Barbara Morgan's photo of Martha Graham is electric. Motion, action - in a stark black/white/gray contrast.

I shall visit the Amon Carter again before the Big Pictures show closes. It is worth a second look.

Amon Carter Museum: Allure of Paper

Rather than go to musuems for the huge popular crowd events, it's worth taking a Sunday and wandering into your local museum for a peek at the small treasures. I enjoyed my afternoon in Fort Worth, and left feeling enriched.

First, fortify at the cafe in The Modern . The view is spectacular and the brunch choices are flavorful.

Next, the Kimbell Art Museum. It's prepping for Caravaggio's visit. Meanwhile, a guest of honor from Italy, Titian's La Bella: Woman in a Blue Dress is breathtaking. Also on view is a new acquisition - one of Poussin's seven sacrament paintings. Rich in color and detail, it is a coup for the Kimbell.

Finally, we strolled past construction as the Kimbell's new annex created by architect Renzo Piano takes shape. Onward to the Amon Carter Museum and enticed by The Allure of Paper. This special exhibition features a wide variety of drawings, charcoals, watercolors. Delicate and detailed pictures abounded. It was difficult to choose a favorite.

I vow to return, dodge the crowds, and poke into corners. Artistic gems await.

Arts in Fort Worth, Tony's on TV

Confession - haven't been writing much or editing either. No good excuses. Flat out - been swimming/water aerobics and exercise is beneficial and healthy. Been reading a lot - sometimes it goes in spurts and, currently, I have a pile of extraordinary material ( The Passage, Pretty in Plaid). Busy at work which involves me sitting at a computer screen for seven and a half hours straight. (okay, yes, I take thirty minutes for a bag lunch and peruse the Wall Street Journal).

Sunday - I chose to view other artists, and treated myself to a Fort Worth day. Strolled through the Kimbell and enjoyed their Asian art on display. Then lunch (!) - tasty turkey on walnut bread plus assorted salads. Yes, I chose their "small" platter and no dessert. Onward to the Amon Carter for a true treat. Ansel Adams:Eloquent Light featured sixty photographs from a master. Black and white vision, patience, and beauty.

Walked briskly back to The Magnolia Theatre at The Modern to see the film Please Give. Artsy angst. It did seem long, but it had some great lines and I love the actress, Catherine Keener. I'd say it was a mixed reaction from fellow film-goers. One man said to his wife, "Now can we go see the A-Team?" Yikes.

Finally, Sunday night, my husband relinquished control of the big screen and I watched the Tony Awards. Love them - great productions, excellent presenters, the winners gave eloquent speeches, and I'm ready to head to New York to see everything. Chatted with my father and we agreed - Come Fly Away - Twyla Tharp choreography to Frank Sinatra music - wow!

So, I might not be creating art at this juncture, but I'm sure appreciating others' talents.

Rolling Art Adventures in Fort Worth

Note - I'm still learning how to use my scanner. Saturday was art adventure day in Fort Worth for Ray and me. First the Kimbell. I got to view the Private Collections of Texas exhibit through Ray's eyes. He was busy counting how many times he heard the word "metaphor" as people discussed a piece or students scibbled furiously on paper for an art appreciation class. Ray rolled his eyes.

I enjoyed listening to a father discuss art with his three sons, ages four to eight or so. First discussion. The father says, "This one is called Guitar on a Table. What do you think?" (It's a Picasso. ) The youngest boy says, "He can't draw."

Moving on, they are in front of a Mondrian talking about the different size blocks and colors. The father says something about circles. Again the young wise child says, "Maybe he can't draw a circle."

That's what has held me back in the art world.

Onward to the Modern which had an Andy Warhol exhibit: Warhol, The Last Decade. Some of the prints and silkscreens are cool. Some are "different". Again Ray rolled his eyes. My favorite piece at the Modern, in their regular collection, is a floating ladder. Something about it appeals to me and I don't know that I can explain it. Perhaps it's a metaphor for life. (Ray rolled his eyes at me)

Finally, after lunch at Dos Gringos (yummy nachos), we strolled to the Amon Carter and enjoyed their American Moderns on Paper - stunning drawings and watercolors by Edward Hopper, Stuart Davis, Georgia O'Keefe, and one by my fave Andrew Wyeth. Subtle and detailed. Ray agreed and did not roll his eyes.

Visiting the three museums - experiencing so many facets of art, listening to people discuss art, seeing pictures through the eyes of a child, and rolling your eyes at some art - made for an excellent adventure day in Fort Worth

Look up

Splendid Saturday in Fort Worth, TX. Lunch at the Modern overlooking their reflecting pool. Normally this is a calm oasis, however, last Saturday thanks to the wind it was whitecapping.

A stroll to the Kimbell to revel in classic art. They are currently preparing a new exhibition on the Renaissance Period, so the large main galleries were closed. Guess I'll have to return.
This picure, courtesy of Ann Summerville, is the vaulted exterior of the Kimbell. She was taking some pictures and I said, "Look up. Such a clear blue sky, cool arch, amazing architecture. Snap it for me." Thanks, Ann.

Indeed, it's good to look up. Gain a new perspective. This concept was brought home at the Amon Carter Museum's featured exhibition, Barbara Crane Challenging Vision. This woman's 40 year retrospective is fabulous. She truly does look at the world in a unique way, and I came away from it with an enthusiasm for my writing. Keep the thesaurus handy and compose. Twist words. Overexpose. Have fun with creativity. (And get out to museums. Support the arts!)

Joanne