Pictures from the Florence Griswold museum

This is the entrance to The Florence Griswold Museum.
















This is the Foyer to the museum.

Charles Ebert 1873 - 1959

" Hudson River in Winter" Ca 1915

Oil in canvas

( Private Collection)

Willard Metcalf 1858 - 1925

"Kalmia"

Oil in canvas

These Contemporary Art are from Sol Le Witt

1928 - 2007

"Gouache on Paper"

Dorothy Ochtna 1892 - 197os

"Clivia "n.d

Oil in canvas

She is known for her brilliant "still life" painting.

The back garden at the museum overlooking the river.

Plants in boom on the grounds of the museum.

Another lovely shot of the river... nature at its best.

"The Rambles" By Patrick Dougherty, born 1945. Ninety volunteers helped to make this beautiful structure from the environment. I am highly disappointed that the picture is not very clear.

One of the other buidings near Florence's house.

The Florence Griswold Boarding House. This is a magnificient home. I can only imagine how alive and vibrant it was in its hay day with all its famous and tremendously talent boarders like Willard Metcalf and Childe Hassam. The wonderful conversations they must have had.

The Parlor at Florence Griswold House.

Charles Warren

"Evening Quiet"

I cannot find my notes on this beautiful painting.

It caught my attention as I worked my way around the gallery. The colors are soft and the subject appears relaxed and engrossed in her book.

Another shot of the front entrance.

I really enjoyed my visit to The Florence Griswold's Museum. I wish I had more time and a better camera as some of my pictures were no good.

This class has been fun!

Willard Leroy Metcalf , American Impressionist

Willard Metcalf's work is also on exhibition at the Lyman Allyn Museum. The painting pictured above is another example of the American Impressionist.
"The Green Meadow" by Willard Metcalf, painted in 1919 on oil in canvas is breathtaking. As a lover of nature, this painting invoked a feeling of happiness and peace. As I studied the painting,I felt as if I was transported to that very spot in the meadow. His use of color and"wiry brush strokes" became his trademark in his paintings. The way he blends the various shades of green as he defines the dirt where the water settles is done with such care and determination. In this painting I see a rain drenched meadow and cows grazing in the distance.

Willard Leroy Metcalf or" Metty" as he was called by his friends, was born July 7, 1858 in Lowell Massachusetts. He attended the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and later, the Academie Julian in Paris. He also studied under Gustave Boulanger and Jules-Joseph Lefebvre. Willard began painting in 1874 and opened a studio in 1876 in Boston. He traveled extensively in Europe, Algeria and Tunisia. He also lived in several states within his home country including Vermont and Connecticut. During this time most of the paintings were"traditional renditions of peasant scenes". Metcalf was the first American painter to visit Giverny, the home town of renowned French Impressionist Claude Monet.

Willard is known for painting beautiful New England Landscapes. " He became known as the quintessential painter of New England Landscape in which he was born. The directness of his style and its absence of artificiality was not only appropriate to the subject but was prizing to his peers". Metcalf started out as a wood engraver before attending college. He also illustrated for Harper's and Century Magazines. He was one of the first artists to document the Indians of New Mexico and Arizona.

His Collection is exhibited at the Art Institute of Chicago, Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington DC and Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. His work can also be found among private and public collections. Willard Metcalf won the Webb Prize for "Gloucester Harbour in 1895. The Florence Griswold house has the largest collection of Metcalf's painting and personal artifacts. He spent several summers at Florence Griswold's boarding house where he painted many landscapes.

Willard Metcalf was a painter and teacher. He was encouraged by his friend Child Hassam, a brilliant painter in his own right to paint in the summer at Old Lyme. He made a phenomenal contribution to the Art world. His paintings are recognized at home and abroad. Willard Metcalf died March 9, 1925, he was 66 years old.

References:

http://www.flogris.org/learning/foxchase/html/willard_metcalf.php

http://www.lymanallyn.org

http://www.flogris.org

The Lyman Allyn Museum Experience

My cousin and I visited The Lyman Allyn Museum in New London. It was a sunny day with clear blue skies. As we approached the building, I noticed the sculptures scattered on the grounds. We were greeted by a pleasant older woman at the receptionist desk. In the foyer were three colorful lighted structures filled with water. The water is moved by kinetic energy , so as you place your hand on the structure the water moves around. At the top of the blog are some of the pictures taken at the Lyman Allyn Museum. The first picture is "Sunrise on the Matterhorn by Albert Bierstadt. The other paintings are by Guy Higgins, Willard Metcalf, Beatrice Cummings, James Dougherty and Morris Berd respectively.

The Lyman Allyn Museum was founded in 1926 by Harriet Upson Allyn in memory of her father Lyman Allyn. It was a gift to the citizens of the community so they could learn more about art and culture. On the grounds there is a September 11th Memorial Garden and the 1829 Deshon Allyn House. The building is neo- classical and was designed by Charles Platt. The museum has about ten thousand objects including European Art, American Fine and Decorative Art. Also seventeenth century works on paper, nineteenth century American Paintings and Contemporary Art. The museum offers educational programs for all citizens from pr-schoolers to senior citizens to enjoy. Every first Sunday of the month is free to help highlight the programs offered.

The very first painting that commanded my attention was "Boy with Bird" by Morris Berd. It is the sixth picture on this blog. The painting is done in oil on canvas. It is colorful and deliberate. It seems like the boy is in the middle of the jungle with only his bird for company. The art is framed in an aged wooden frame which really makes the painting stand out among the others. The boy has very strong features with a very determined look on his face. I feel like he is trying to convey a very strong message to the viewer just by the way he is poised with the bird in his hand.

Morris Berd was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1914. Morris was educated at the Philadelphia College of Art and the University per Strangeri , Perugia, Italy. He was an Art Educator, Lecturer and well known muralist. Mr Berd taught at his almer mater Philadelphia college of Art from 1936 to 1970. Morris was known for his historical murals, lithography and landscape paintings. His methods were easel painting, print making and graphic design. Some of the mediums he used were fresco and oil paint. His subjects included human activity like the" Boy with Bird", history and landscape. He did several commissions including History of Oil" for Sun Oil company and " History Of Architecture" for Gumbel Brothers of Philadelphia. Mr. Berd's contribution to the Art World will not be forgotten.

References:

http://www.lymanallyn.org

http://www.askart.com/AskArt/artists/biography.aspx?