Tuesday, June 6, 2023

Art Galleries

Ridgefield is fortunate to have several art galleries in or near the downtown. 


 RPAC Art Gallery on Main Street is hosting a show of works by local artists.  Clarice Shrivell displayed drawings and paintings emphasizing quiet contemplation.


Terrence Mahon's exhibit at RPAC Art Gallery includes paintings of three female heads.  I recognized Audrey Hepburn in the middle and Sophia Loren on the right.  The Loren head was created with many white dots and the head on the left with white vertical lines.


Colabella Fine Art Gallery is a half dozen doors further up Main Street.  A large white rotating head is in the window.  I didn't go inside so I don't know anything about it.  


I went past the gallery at night and saw that the rotating head has internal colored lighting.  The rotating head reminded me of the famous rotating head of Franz Kafka that I saw last December in Prague.

Monday, June 5, 2023

Mark Twain

Norwalk's City Hall has at least four murals depicting scenes in Mark Twain's books, painted in the mid-1930s by Justin Gruelle.  They were originally on the walls of a predecessor city hall, but have been removed, framed and placed on the walls of the current municipal building.


In this scene from "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court," Sir Lancelot and his knights are riding in on 19th century bicycles to save Arthur from being hanged. Twain placed 19th-century technology in conflict with the medieval superstition of the magician Merlin in this satirical novel published in 1889.

This is another scene from "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court."  The main character, Sir Boss, is living in Connecticut at the height of the Industrial Revolution when a head injury sends him back in time to King Arthur's court.  Here, a young maiden, Alisande, leads Sir Boss to a rescue when he is overcome by the heat.  Alisande uses his helmet to collect cool water to relieve his discomfort.


This panel depicts a scene from Twain's travel book, "Roughing It," published in 1872. The book was an embellished account of his adventures in the West from 1861-1867, where he had traveled at the invitation of his brother who was appointed Secretary of the Nevada Territory.


This painting depicts a scene from Twain's best-selling account of his travels through Europe and the Middle East, "The Innocents Abroad," published in 1869. Twain is shown observing the Great Sphinx of Giza, Egypt, even though it had not yet been fully excavated in the mid-19th century.

Linked to Monday Mural.

Sunday, June 4, 2023

Kindergarten Art Show


The younger granddaughter is finishing kindergarten this month.  Families were invited to the art show.  She was very proud of the fish painting she made by coating it in paint and pressing it on the paper.

They studied Frida Kahlo and made Mexican hats.  Guess who made a basket instead.

They did self-portraits.  Guess who adorned hers with flowers.

Absolutely nothing wrong with marching to the beat of a different drum.

Saturday, June 3, 2023

Richmond Street From Above

 I was looking down from a roof deck in the old Jewelry District of Providence.

Many colors, shapes and angles.  A geometry lesson in one frame.  

A woman and her dog walked into the scene.  Click!

Friday, June 2, 2023

Prayer Wall

A local church has placed a chalkboard wall where passersby can write a prayer.

A cute little girl stood in front of the prayer wall so her mother could take a photograph of her.  

Her mom said it was OK for me to take a photograph, too.

Thursday, June 1, 2023

Smile

 She has reached an age at which she will no longer smile for the photo when her mother or Grandpa asks.

Her little sister thinks she is hilarious.

Linked to City Daily Photo's theme day.

Wednesday, May 31, 2023

Memorial Day Parade

 


Every parade needs bagpipers.


The parade went on and on.


Does your town have little fencers march in the Memorial Day Parade?



The Ridgefield High School marched.




Another marching band.



Scouts.