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Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Prophesy, Robin

Rockin' Robin

We stepped outside our front door a couple of days ago to see the ultimate harbinger of spring sitting on our walkway.  Oh yes, my friend, do prophesy that season of hope.  We need it around here. 

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Today was coldish, but easy to bear, given the warmth that had spread through my bones over the weekend and into Monday.  Monday afternoon, I sat outside on the patio - the final Harry Potter in progress, a cold Diet Coke in hand, sunglasses perched on my nose, bare feet soaking in the sunshine.   Junebug joined me with his comic books while Doodlebug finished up an assignment.  When he joined us, they sat on the top step of the patio and played Set, enjoying the sun as much as I did.

We went to the National Gallery of Art today, and spent most of our time there in the East Building, viewing works by Picasso, Matisse, Modigliani and Alexander Calder.  My favorites were the Calder mobiles.  There's an entire room devoted to them, not to mention the giant one flying over the open space of the IM Pei building.  I was very interested in the Matisse cut-outs and was amazed to discover how big they are.  "La Negresse," a cutout inspired by Josephine Baker,  is probably 10 feet tall, and "Woman with Amphora and Pomegranates," is at least 6 feet tall.

Up in the tower were works by Philip Guston, with whom I was completely unfamiliar.  As we walked around the exhibit, Doodlebug looked up at me and said, "Well.  These are not impressive."  Actually, I had to agree with him.  Not my faves.

Of course, I don't have an entire tower room at the National Gallery of Art devoted to my paintings, either, so what do I know?

I know this - Calder makes me want to do more mobiles.  Big, gigantic, soaring wonders of creativity.

Hmmm...birds, mobiles...I'm starting to detect a theme.

6 comments:

  1. Diahn, these birds are so fun! I just love them.

    I'm with you on Calder. They had a huge exhibit of his mobiles in San Francisco a few years ago and I would have moved into the museum for the duration if they'd let me.

    Birds, mobiles... go with your gut!!

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  2. Sounds like you may have a future art critic on your hands. *smile*

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  3. I love serendipity. How cool that you've been experimenting with the bird cutouts and then you see these wonderful exhibits that tie in with that! Time to purchase some pretty, big scissors! DANG.

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  4. Anonymous9:32 PM

    Okay, now that's just cool! LOVE the collage!

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  5. We just saw our first robin yesterday, so they are back and spring must be on the way. I like both the sketch and the way you incorporated collage into it.

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  6. Yeah, you go girl! There are loads more of those spider hangers at Jerry's if you need me to pick you up a couple!
    :-D

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