Ever have one of those days that has something for all five senses? Ironically after working on a chapter about this very thing in a new project about living as an artist(in balance!) specifically, how to tempt the muse... I had a whole day that perfectly touched on all five.
Originally it was what Bryan had planned for my birthday several weeks ago, but got bumped due to crazy schedules and commitments. I didn't care, but what a treat to finally experience the day he had planned for me (whata guy). So off we went, Bryan, Daniel and I on to the metro towards downtown DC...
First it was brunch at Co Co Sala Chocolate Lounge and Boutique.
Yea.
It is hard to believe you can have a brunch where the primary focus is on chocolate, but they pull this off nicely without making you cry uncle.
TASTE AND SMELL beautiful food...
SOUND Between CoCo and the museum was a craft festival complete with live jazz...
SIGHT
Inside the museum was a show that I had been wanting to see. A combined exhibit of Georgia O'Keeffe and Ansel Adams at the newly re-opened American Art Museum. Nothing can replace seeing these works of art live and up close, and as compliments to one another. The two of them had been friends and had similar approaches to their art even though one a painter, the other a photographer.
After being inspired by the colors and brush strokes and feeling like the day was at its close, we wandered through the portrait gallery.
TOUCH, OR BEING
Another surprise.
Walking down the main hall an image caught me out of the corner of my eye in a side room that I was walking past. Having passed it I stopped, and backed up, and entered this tiny room that held an amazing portrait.
I didn't know this was here...
A portrait that I had never seen in person but had an indelible memory of stood in front of me. It is the portrait that Degas painted of the American, woman, Impressionist, Mary Cassatt. I had recreated this painting in detail from a picture in a book as a project in junior high. Funny how a memory like that can rush in like a flood with only a visual prompt.
The assignment was to find a person in history that you admired and create a scene in which you would place yourself literally as that person in a living history museum type presentation. The final presentation was rows and rows of stalls of students siting or standing motionless depicting their chosen person for a number of hours while parents walked through the embodiment of the newly acquired knowledge. What a great way to engage a bunch of seventh graders. Clearly the lesson worked because I will never forget it. Of all the people we could pick I had inquired of my teacher about women artists.
There weren't many, especially in Cassatt's time. I seem to remember being focused on impressionists which also narrowed the options, and I am pretty sure the assignment was for american history... So american-woman-impressionist meant, Mary Cassatt. I fell in love with her work was inspired by her determination at odds with the culture, and for a time even tried to paint like her. Funny, now I paint more like O'keeffe.
What a perfect way to finish a day, standing in the presence of this amazing work of art by an amazing artist of another amazing artist. The air had an electricity around it.
I wonder if anyone else noticed.
Degas' Cassatt
Smithsonian American Art Museum
catching the back of Daniel's head on a beautiful night in DC.
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