W: Wyeths, Wrigley, Whimsy, and Wasps

 #atozchallenge   W: Wyeths - I grew up near Brandywine, PA and the art of the Wyeths is in my soul.  The grandfather Nathaniel Wyeth illustrated tomes. Andrew Wyeth painted Christina's World, windows, fields, and barns. We always joke that my family loves bleak and gray. Yep, the Wyeth palette seeped into our blood.

 Jamie Wyeth continued in his father's path with landscapes, pigs, and he also did portraits such as Warhol. The Brandywine area is gorgeous. Visit the battlefield and also the Wyeth museum and grounds. The area reeks of history, nature, and art.

Wrigley Field is part of the Holy Grail for baseball fans. Ray and I visited Chicago and attended an afternoon game. Wow!!!! The ivy wall, the buzz of Cubs fans, and the intimate baseball field is awesome. This is baseball at its best.

Whimsy -  by Joanne Faries
The Bright Spot

Black shoes, blue jeans, gray sky
polka dots a conscious choice
pajama soft, the socks’
white and yellow spots
dance under cuff
touch of whimsy perk
this dreary afternoon


Wasps - Ray's allergic, so we always have Raid Wasp Killer at the ready. Wasps are incredibly lethal with their vicious stinger. Quite scary because reaction time is within an hour.

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