Tag: national gallery of art

art · life curation

Meet the Artist: Carrie Mae Weems

MstldelanoLeave a comment

On Tuesday, February 6th, the National Gallery of Art (NGA) is hosting acclaimed artist Carrie Mae Weems. This event is a lecture that will discuss Weems’s Kitchen Table Series, a set of photographs capturing (as NGA describes it), “[…] the story of a woman’s life as seen through the intimate space of the kitchen—the traditional sphere of women and a site of sanctuary, creation, shared experiences, and emotional honesty”.

Carrie Mae Weems

(Photo of Weems, courtesy of the MacArthur Foundation)

Weems has won numerous awards during her career, including the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship. It’s going to be a treat to listen to her discuss her work during her lecture at NGA. You won’t want to miss this event!

art · luxury

Classical Art Sale at Sotheby’s London

MstldelanoLeave a comment

Sotheby’s is having an Old Masters Sale on December 7th, and I must admit, I would love to own one of these incredible works. After attending the Drawing Salon at the National Gallery of Art, I discovered a new level of appreciation for classical works. As a result, I am always interested in the Old Masters and all manner of classical art.

I love all art with Black faces, especially classic art. So I was delighted to see this one, even if the Black woman depicted is a servant. I’m amused that the Princess of Zanzibar (an archipelago of Tanzania, an African country) is a European woman. I would think that the princess of any African country or region would be a woman of color, but I digress.

Screenshot 2017-12-02 at 11.58.58 PM - Edited

(Portrait of The Princess of Zanzibar with an African Attendant by Walter Frier)
During the drawing salon that I attended, we studied the significance of the Madonna paintings. So I’m partial to any rendition of the Virgin and Child.
Screenshot 2017-12-02 at 11.57.49 PM - Edited
(Virgin and Child with a Pear by the Workshop of Joos van Cleve)
Screenshot 2017-12-03 at 12.02.50 AM - Edited
(The Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist by Antonio del Ceraiuolo)
Screenshot 2017-12-03 at 12.12.14 AM - Edited
(Madonna and Child by School of Bruges, second half of the 16th Century)
These paintings are expected to fetch between 10,000 and 90,000 GBP (approximately $13,000 and $121,000 USD). It’ll be interesting to see how well these sell in a couple of days!
The sale will be held at Sotheby’s London. Oh how I’d love to be there when this sale occurs!
art · culture

Return of the Drawing Salon at The National Gallery of Art

MstldelanoLeave a comment

drawing-clip-art-drawing-clip-art-1

(image courtesy of ClipArtPanda)

Recently, I shared that the National Gallery of Art hosts Writing Salons, to assist all interested in getting in touch with their inner author. However, the Writing Salons have a counterpart that is equally as, if not more, popular: the Drawing Salons. NGA has finally began accepting reservations for the Drawing Salons, and I’m here to tell you all about it, both as an art enthusiast and as a former salon attendee.

Similar to the Writing Salons, the Drawing Salons are hosted monthly and the salon topics vary for each session. The Drawing Salons also run from now into the springtime, though they end one month after the last Writing Salon session. There are also only 5 Drawing Salon themes, as opposed to the 6 Writing Salon themes available this season.

The topics being explored during this season of the Drawing Salon are as follows:

American Impressionism

Cézanne’s Landscapes

Picasso’s Palette

Rodin’s Sculptures

Matisse’s Cut-Outs

I attended one of the Drawing Salons in 2015, and thoroughly enjoyed it. NGA provides supplies and is well equipped for each group of budding artists. I found that the art instruction was solid and appropriate for any skill level. I liked that the groups were small enough that the art instructor could provide each attendee a measure of one-on-one attention. But the most impressive part of the session was the art history lesson provided to attendees: the historical context deeply informs the sketch that attendees create during the session.

So, much like the Writing Salons, if you have a chance, GO! You won’t be disappointed!

art · culture

Return of The Writing Salon at The National Gallery of Art

MstldelanoLeave a comment

One of my favorite museums in Washington DC is the National Gallery of Art. It’s technically not part of the Smithsonian Institute, but the museum has an awesome art collection and lots of superb activities and events.

Each year, the museum hosts Writing Salons, which use art as a focal point when discussing different writing techniques. I am excited to see the lineup of Writing Salon topics for this upcoming season! 
cliparts101

The topics that will be explored during this Writing Salon season are:

  • Memoir: The Power of Metaphor
  • Historical Fiction: Reimagining the Past
  • Point of View: Narrative Choices
  • Poetry: The Rhythm of Color
  • Character: Exploring Identity
  • Flash Fiction: Building Tension

 

The events occur monthly, from September to April (except during the month of December). The event page lists when the tickets are available (usually one week before the event starts). This is a great opportunity to received specialized writing instruction in an intimate setting. The tickets are free of charge but they go fast, so you must quickly register if you’d like to attend.

I’m thinking about taking a few of these courses: I love writing and can always use more instruction and experience. Have any of you attended a National Gallery of Art event? Let me know in the comments below!