My visit to The New Britain Museum of Art

My husband and I spent last Saturday afternoon at the New Britain Museum of Art. It was a sunny, beautiful day with a light breeze. I was quite taken with the sculptures on the grounds of the museum especially the figure of an extremely thin fellow which you have just seen. The figure made me smile because it seemed comical in a good way. At the top of my blog you will also see three examples of Allen Blagden's work. You may find these paintings at www.margotrosefineart.com/a_allen.html

The New Britain Museum of Art was founded in 1903. It was the first museum in the country dedicated to American Art. The original museum was created to foster education, art and a sense of community . The museum is an independent non profit organization. There are several private contributors over the years who have helped to make the museum what it is today. The museum is housed in a modern building with glass, stone and steel detail. It is beautifully landscaped with a variety of trees and flowers.There is seating near the entrance of the building where one can sit and enjoy the landscape.

There are a variety of paintings, sculptures and watercolors available for your viewing pleasure.

One can see over one thousand watercolors from the nineteenth century to present and oil paintings including those of Winslow Homer, Childe Hassam and John Singer Sargent.There are European Masterpieces, American Impressionism, Ancient Art and Contemporary Culture. I also viewed some impressive illustrations that are popular in magazines, books, and newspapers.

It is difficult to focus on just one artist as the artwork overall were impressive in their own way and had so mush depth and character. Allen Blagden's work caught my attention. His use of color and textures are well thought out and executed with great care. The painting that genuinely captured my attention is called"Eleuthra". Unfortunately it is one of those pictures that was not clear as my battery was dying. I feel compelled nevertheless to share this experience with you.

I hope my description will help you to visualize this painting.

The painting is considered "abstract" which was consider popular at the time. "Lifelike watercolor" is one of the mediums used by Allen Blagden. It depicts a man leaned against a weather beaten boat anchored on white sand near the water as the skies loom above. The subject is alone on the beach and he appears reflective and peaceful. The landscape around him lends a feeling of tranquility. The beach is my most favorite place to be. I find it most peaceful despite the fact that the waves thrashing about can be quite loud at times. The scene in the painting beckons the viewer to pay attention to the delicate colors and scratchy textures. You feel the energy of the art and one is transported to the very scene depicted. The use of light and shadow is very evident and a true example of "American Realism".

Allen Blagden was born in 1938 and and began learning his craft while at Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Connecticut. He comes from a family of artists, his father played an important role in his training. Allen later attended Cornell University where he earned a Bachelors of Fine Arts and did a summer fellowship at Yale University. He taught at his almer mater Hotchkiss and illustrated for The Serengheti National Park in Kenya, the Department of Orinthology in Washington DC, Abercombie and Kent in East Africa and other institutions. His accomplishments are many including awards and exhibitions both at home and overseas. his works can also be found in publications like "Painting The Landscape by Elizabeth Arnold, "Artist Guide to Using Color by Wendon Blake.

He was influenced by Homer, Eakins,Wyeth and Hopper whose paintings are from the American Realism genre. Allen is described as the "outstanding watercolorist of his time", his technique is so intricate yet well defined. " He prefers dry brush, working slowly and meticulously with small delicate brush strokes to create a subtle magnificence of contrast and textures in addition to watercolor he is adept in medium of oil and lithography". Mr Blagden's work is shown locally and internationally. I am extremely proud that Allen is a native of Connecticut and still resides here today.

References:

http://www.margotrosefineart.com/a_allen.html

http://www.fineartstrader.com_allen.htm

http://www.nbmaa.org

Hi everyone,

Here are some pictures from my second museum visit. I visited the New Britain Museum of Art. My paper will follow.

My Wadsworth Experience

I visited the Wadsworth Atheneum alone. My family had other plans and I needed some quiet time so it all worked out to my advantage. I have always admired the museum, its architecture is quite imposing, but I have never visited before now. Finally the chance to explore this magnificent structure. As I walked up the steps and entered the foyer, I was greeted by a vibrant mix of color on th left hand side of the wall. The swirl of colors had an immediate effect on my spirit. The receptionist was genuinely pleasant and helpful.

The Wadsworth Atheneum was built in 1884 and it is the oldest public Museum of Art in the United States. It was built by Alexander Jackson Davis and the 'castle' was designed by Ithiel Town.The architectural style is Gothic Revival. The museum was constructed on the property of Daniel Wadsworth. Daniel Wadsworth was an affluent member of the community and wanted to share his love of the arts with his friends and neighbors.

The collection is seeped in history and culture that spans over five thousand years. The museum is said to have fifty thousand objects from various period including Renaissance, Baroque, French American Impressionists and African American Art and artifacts. There is also a display of eighteen century procelains. The museum is under new construction and certain sections are not available for public viewing. Nevertheless I was quite impressed by the exhibits I did see.

The artist I would like to focus on at this point is Robert Colescott. The painting that captured my attention the most is "Sixth Sense 1992". The medium is acrylic on canvas and the painting depicts the negative ways in which African Americans are sometimes perceived by others. That despite the fact that slavery has long been abolished the shackles somehow have remained intact in other ways. Robert Colescott is well known for his satirical view. The painting shows black figures with their expressionless faces and mouths taped shut. His use of of primary colors with his subjects all clustered together gives the art work a sense of urgency, like there is no escaping the urgency of the message he is trying to convey. A very powerful and sad image . It is thought provoking but at the same time it is also a reminder that as a people we can continue to rise and attain great heights.

Mr Colescott was born in California in 1925. He was a World War II Veteran and served in Europe. He earned a bachelors in Painting and Drawing and later a Masters Degree in 1952. He taught art for many years at Berkley, Cairo, Portland State and Tucson Universities. Robert often explored satire and crowds invoked with comical undertones. He studied under Fernand Leger in Paris and represented his country proudly in the Art World. Robert Colescott was considered a" figurative painter". His works can be found at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and other museums across the united States.

References:

http://www.iub.edu/~iuam/online_modules/aaa/artists/colescott.html

http://www.wikipedia.com

http://www.WadsworthAtheneum.org

The Wadsworth Atheneum

Hi everyone, here are some of my pictures from the Wadsworth Atheneum. I am not a photographer by any means and this is my first attempt at posting pictures on a blog! My pictures are not in order and I don't know how to switch them around at this point. You should see five pictures posted.

The picture to the right was done in oil on canvas by Joseph Wright from Derby, England in 1773. This is from the Renaissance period. It is called "The Old Man and Death". The painting caught my attention because the man seemed terrified of the skeleton which represents death in the painting. This is taken from one of Aesop's Tales. The landscape and use of color are well defined. The next picture below is a wall in the lobby of the museum, I thought of it as art too. The colors are vibrant and invokes a feeling of happiness.The other picture shows a section of the first floor display of other Renaissance pieces. The next picture shows framed photographs of some of the brave men who participated in the Montgomery Bus Boycott as illustrated by the African American artists Bradley McCullum and Jackquline Tary 1996 & 1963. Their work was done in oil on canvas and linen, also toner on silk.Below you will also see the front entrance of the Museum.

I really don't know where I'll go from week to week that will depend on my family's schedule as well as work but I'll get the work done somehow. I really enjoyed my visit to the museum, it was fun!

Claudia.