Five on Friday

March 8, 2024March 8, 2024 Vicki5 Comments

ONE
I tagged along on a #whirlwindarttripwithkate to Minnesota last weekend. The impetus for the trip was a visit to the Minnesota Marine Art Museum in Winona to see a show by Karen Goulet (Ojibwe) and Monique Verdin (Houma) titled Aabijijiwan / Ukeyat yanalleh (It Flows Continuously) for an article that Kate is working on for Arts Midwest. (Click that link to see her pretty face, then scroll down to peruse the articles she’s already written for them.)

We visited MMAM for the first time last year to see two other shows: Liz Sexton: Out of Water and Courtney Mattison: Undercurrent.

All of those shows are mind-blowing. I took photos but, seriously, the museum does a much better job and visiting those links is well worth your while… and there is much more to entice. I am certain that I’ll be visiting that museum again!

From Winona we drove north along the Mississippi to Minneapolis. We stayed at a very fine hotel downtown, enjoyed some lovely meals & drinks… fancy digs for visiting thrift shops & used book stores! It was great.

I picked up a bug on the way home, though, and was pretty sick on Monday/Tuesday. I’m finally feeling close to 100% today. Thank god, just in time for the weekend!

TWO
I brought knitting along, of course. I even brought Ali’s blanket panel — determined which colors I’d need, so I wasn’t schlepping more than necessary — but, of course, I didn’t knit a stitch of it. I did do a little looking ahead to Maddy’s panel, though, and put in an order to replenish some colors that are running low, along with more black for the border. It’s amazing to actually be contemplating knitting the border!

THREE
That’s not to say that I didn’t knit! My current Musselburgh isn’t suitable for travel — I’m still figuring it out, so it’s neither mindless nor relaxing at the moment. Instead, I cast on a Garter Yoke Baby Cardi (Rav) for a coworker’s new baby girl, and I made some progress.

I had just sorted through a bunch of yarn, y’know, and came across this crazy hank — some bright blue, a little light pink, and quite a bit of purple. Purple : Amethyst : February Color (birthstone). I’m sticking with that. I added a slip stitch every 10 stitches in an effort to minimize weird pooling/flashing, and I like it… I also like that, by some stroke of luck, the pooling is happening in a pleasing & pretty symmetrical way!

That photo was taken a couple of days ago. I began the garter stitch border at the bottom edge of the cardi last night. I should have a finished sweater next week!

FOUR
Everyone’s summer schedules/plans are on the calendar and I’m already exhausted! Kate’s heading west for work in mid-May, Rusty’s joining her in early June for a West Coast road trip, they’ll return in time for Maddy’s arrival, at which time Ann & fam will be wrapping up their month-long visit, and Viv will still be due to arrive!

There’s also a temporary change at work coming up this spring wherein I won’t have my lovely long weekends, but, in exchange, I will likely grab an extra day here & there throughout the busiest part of summer when I’ll need it most.

FIVE
With all that in mind, Rusty & I took a good look at the calendar to plan a last-long-weekend-get-away… while we still can! So, last night I booked a sweet motel in Escanaba, where we’ll stay on a Friday night next month as we get a head start on our way to Sault Ste Marie! I originally looked at doing some of the Lake Superior Circle Tour, but really would like to just do a little exploring here & there while I mostly sit & watch boats go by. I found a sweet Airbnb for three nights on the Canada side, only about half-hour from Soo Locks, that looks perfect!

I would like to drive up the east side of the lake to Wawa… a little nod to nostalgia. My dad took us on the Circle Tour in about 1970 (don’t do the math — that’s an unfathomable number), which is the last time I was in that area. I’ll have to queue up Gary Puckett & The Union Gap for the drive…. that was the soundtrack of that trip! Have a great weekend!!

#whirlwindarttripwithkate · Travel - Wisconsin

Art trip

January 17, 2024January 17, 2024 Vicki6 Comments

Not quite an official #whirlwindarttripwithkate (one of those will be bubbling up again soon) — it was a trip, Kate was there, and there was art — Kate, Rusty & I took a little jaunt down to Sheboygan to visit the Art Preserve of the John Michael Kohler Art Center. We visited JMKAC last summer, too, and our first visit to the Art Preserve was in February 2021 (Beta version)… but this time I have photos.

The Art Preserve is a museum that focuses on artist-built environments as much as the work of the artists… and it’s also like a museum about museums. Racks, cabinets, shelves & drawers full of work that are normally behind closed doors are right out in the open. Storage space & exhibit space work together. It’s different… and cool.

It starts at the entrance… where you walk through this “forest of trees” to enter the building.

One of the current exhibits is Bea Fremderman and Grottoes.

This one was just…

…incredible. I could have looked at that for hours and still discover new things! (Click one of those gallery images to see/scroll through bigger.)

Bea Fremderman lives in NY (I think) but we have some pretty great grottoes here in Wisconsin, including The Dickeyville Grotto & Rudolph Grotto Gardens, along with many smaller ones. And then there’s “Fred Smith’s Rock Garden” — officially the Wisconsin Concrete Park & Rock Garden Tavern, which is now owned by the Kohler Foundation, and there are pieces from the park on display at the Art Preserve. We used to pass by that park whenever we took Hwy 13 to the cottage when I was a kid. It was fascinating… even the many times that we just drove by (Dad was always pretty focused on getting to where we were going).

Anyway, I was just delighted to spot this:

Those are just the perfect tap handles for the Fred Smith Bar!

Aren’t they just adorable?

I think we’ll have our own little homage to Fred Smith in the front yard next summer. Rusty was inspired to erect a “standing stone” out front last fall and, well, it looks like it’s awaiting the inscription for whoever lies below! I just chuckle when I think about what the neighbors might be thinking. Anyway, plans are to turn it into an art piece. Lord knows I have enough “material” to make it happen… and I have all the mastic & grout for the long overdue mosaic tables project.

Also of interest at the Art Preserve was an exhibit & model of Mary Nohl‘s property, some of which I’d previously seen at JMKAC.

I took almost this exact same photo then… fascinated by how interesting a collection can be. Scissors. Shovels. Drill bits. This is the tiniest section of a large wall that’s on display. Another thing that you could stand in front of for hours…

She also had some work that reminded me of Ruth Asawa’s (who was inspo for a #whirlwindarttripwithkate to St. Louis in 2018).

Speaking of collections.

I’m still in love with these button & pencil displays. It’s all in the HOW. Anything can be interesting if presented in an interesting way!

This is a very small part of a “staging of tableaux” from the home & studio of Ray Yoshida, an artist & teacher in Chicago, including his work as well as the work of others.

(Click one of those gallery images to see/scroll through bigger.)

There was SO MUCH MORE — from these artists/exhibits and several others that I haven’t even mentioned.

I had Airbnb guests here for a football game a couple of months ago. I always reach out to guests with suggestions for things to do around here, though I don’t usually think they’ll venture quite that far (about an hour away) on a weekend that’s already filled with activities, but they asked me specifically about JMKAC & The Art Preserve as it was on their list! I was happy to confirm that it was definitely worth their time. They were also into supper clubs, so visited a couple of those, too.

Have I mentioned that Ali is giving Airbnb a go with the apartment above the coffee shop? We have a regular dynasty happening over here!

The “dreamer” referred to above is Rusty, but we all do a lot of daydreaming. heh.

#whirlwindarttripwithkate · 2020-Asheville, NC · Travel · Weekending

(Last) Weekending

February 17, 2020 Vicki8 Comments

I am so happy that we decided not to skip a visit to Biltmore this time! IMHO, it seemed like a hefty admission price — even without all the optional add-ons (of which we opted for zero) — but now that I've visited, I can see why. The house is gorgeous and well-cared for — loved, even. It's off-season, so there were some things happening, such as refinishing of the wood floor in one of the halls, and repairs to the walls. The walls were plastered and stenciled, so there was a craftsman touching up the paint and it was so cool to watch him for a few minutes! Spring is just barely beginning to spring, so there were obvious signs of work being done in the gardens.

Oh, the gardens!

But first…

Yes, I sprung for the tourist trap photo op!

I took a few photos inside, but honestly, it's difficult to capture — and, sometimes, I'd just be stunned by what I was seeing that I'd just forget that I even had a camera, or know that I wouldn't be able to capture half (swimming pool, bowling alley, kitchens and store rooms).

This servant's room, with its sweet "counting sheep" garland at the foot of the bed, certainly caught my eye. It was quite a nice room, too, and the staff was paid very well (New York City wages) back in the day.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B8kPw2Tp3wa

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I shared an orchid-centric post on IG the other day, so I'll (mostly) spare you those photos here. The Conservatory was…

…well, it's February and we came from cold snowy Wisconsin…

…it was so warm and green and colorful! And huge.

I love that orchids can be so different. That little wisp of a thing was quite small, though not the smallest. It was just something to see, as was that BLACK variety. The orchids were mostly gathered in a specific area. There was another amazing flower at every turn!

There was also a separate room for cacti and succulents — a cool variety of size, color, and texture.

In terms of plant life, there wasn't a whole lot happening in the gardens yet. I was enchanted by the walls with their espalier trees, and was very happy to find blooming hellebores.

The admission price also included trolley transportation to different locations/parking within the estate, and a wine tasting, which we really enjoyed. Overall, I think it would be a very different experience to visit in high summer — there were definitely people around, but it wasn't crowded in the least and we didn't have to wait for anything.

So, that's pretty much a wrap on our Asheville highlights… except for a word or three about food.

We enjoyed lunch at Farm Burger on Saturday, knowing that it would be good because we ate there last time, too!
On Saturday night we went to Sierra Nevada Brewing in nearby Mills River (actually, right in between Asheville and our Airbnb)… and I cannot get over it! It wasn't even on our radar, but we saw the sign a few times and it had good reviews when we searched for nearby dinner options (plus, I'm a huge fan of SNB's Hazy Little Thing) (and now I have some swag)! It was enormous, and the drive/entry to the property was amazing (lighting shaped like hops). We had a little bit of a wait, so went upstairs to the "High Gravity" room and enjoyed a beer and some live music. Our dinner was fantastic!! Along with Biltmore, I would definitely visit SNB on another visit to the area!
And Ingles. I remembered Ingles from last time… and, I just have to say, what a fantastic "grocery" store. I want one.

I hope you had a great weekend!

#whirlwindarttripwithkate · 2020-Asheville, NC · Travel

Direction

February 14, 2020 Vicki6 Comments

Y'know, they are #whirlwindarttripswithkate (a four-day trip, two of which were all driving), but we pack in as much as we can… this will be my last post about our visit to Black Mountain College Museum, and then there will be a post or two about our visit to Biltmore.

We all, I suppose, hope to in some measure, at some point, achieve fineness in our work, but what is really exciting is the feeling that we are growing, that we are discovering things that we hadn't known before—and especially that there is so much ahead that has not been realized. And, for me, Art is the name of a direction, not a product.

–Joan Potter (Sihvonen) Loveless (1928-2009) from Three Weavers (University of New Mexico Press, 1992);
she studied weaving with Anni Albers at BMC 1944-1948

Oh, that last sentence!!

Experienced weavers were invited to sit down and work on this piece! My experience is limited to a child's BRIO loom — I have no idea how those foot pedals work — so I just admired.

Here are a few more pieces from Question Everything! The Women of Black Mountain College that stood out to me.

Lolita Georgia, Weaving Class Notebook, 1935

Lolita Georgia was the spouse of Black Mountain College faculty & founding member, Frederick R. Georgia. She was at BMC from 1933-1937. This is a page from her weaving class notebook, from a class taught by Anni Albers.

Anni Albers, Untitled, 1950, cotton and bast

Anni Albers (1899-1994) originally intended to study visual arts, but the way things worked at the Bauhaus in 1922, female students were restricted to the weaving workshop… which is terrible but also terrific & serendipitous, as Anni Albers became one of the most influential textile artists of the 20th Century! She and her husband, Josef, came to BMC in 1933, after fleeing Nazi Germany; Josef was head of the new school and also head of the painting program, while Anni taught weaving and textile design; they left the school in 1949.

Elizabeth Jennerjahn, Untitled, ca. 1960, textile with applied fabric wall hanging

Elizabeth Schmitt Jennerjahn (1923-2007) first attended BMC in 1943-44 as a student, studying art with Josef & Anni Albers. She left to study dance in New York City with Martha Graham, returning in 1948 with her husband, Warren (Pete) Jennerjahn, to study with Merce Cunningham, also working as a student teacher in 1949; the Jennerjahns left BMC in 1951.

Susan Moore, Composition with Dot, date unknown, oil on canvas

Susan Moore (1926-2013) was a student at Black Mountain College in the summer of 1946, studying design and painting with Josef Albers and Jacob Lawrence.

Evelyn Williams Anselevicius, Untitled (from the Geodesic Series, ca. 1970s, tapestry

Evelyn Williams Anselevicius (1923-2003) was a BMC student in 1947. She became known internationally for her large-scale woven tapestries, often using Mexican rug weaving techniques and wool that was spun & dyed in Mexico.

And, of course, Ruth Asawa (1926-2013), who attended BMC from 1946 to 1949.

Have a great weekend!!!

#whirlwindarttripwithkate · 2020-Asheville, NC · 3TT: Three Things on Thursday

3TT: Question Everything

February 13, 2020 Vicki9 Comments

Joining Carole & friends for a follow-up to last week's post about three artists at Black Mountain College (the obvious idea of which only occurred to me this morning as I was brushing my teeth).

1 – Suzi Gablik

Tropism #3, collage and oil on canvas

I learned that Suzi Gablik was only 16 years old when she attended Black Mountain College in the summer of 1951, and studied both painting and writing.

It was one of those defining choices in life. Although I was only there for two months, in that unorthodox environment, my maverick self, which was not easily accommodated at home, had the time and provocation to emerge.

She gave up practicing art in the 1970s to focus on writing art history and criticism, believing that she could effect more social change that way.

2 – M.C. Richards

Snow, letterpress on paper
(Portrait of) M.C. Richards, Skywinding Farm, Scaly Mountain, NC, ca 1970s,
Type C print by Jonathan Williams

Raku pot
Alchemical Form, stoneware

I'd ordered M.C. Richards' book, Centering In Pottery, Poetry, and the Person, before leaving for NC and it was waiting when I returned… never even thought to ask Kate if she had it, because she has A LOT of material about BMC. (And she does have it, of course!)

The person that had the strongest and most far-reaching effect on me was M.C. Richards. Albers opened my eyes. M.C. opened my mind and I will be forever grateful to her. –Carol Singer Kalbfeld, BMC student 1947-1948

3 – Hazel Larsen Archer

Interior of the Quiet House, gelatin silver print
Ruth Asawa, ca. late 1940s, vintage gelatin silver prints

Hazel Larsen Archer taught photography with an emphasis on "seeing" rather than on technique.

Question Everything! The Women of Black Mountain College was a beautiful show! We also wandered through the reference library and more exhibits in the lower level, and both left with some items from the shop… including the last two tote bags they had in stock (which we both need like a hole in the head). Ha. They're so USEFUL.

I'll have one more post about our visit to Black Mountain College Museum!