Uman: "After all the things"

 Uman now lives in upstate New York but her work draws on childhood memories in Somalia and Kenya, before diasporic experiences in Europe and the United States.

Uman's colorful paintings were hung against rich red walls, a terrific curatorial decision.  

I am not the person to interpret contemporary non-representational paintings, especially those done by an artist with a very different background from mine.  But, I can say that they made a strong positive impact on me and on the others who were in the gallery at the same time.

Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art

 Ridgefield is fortunate to have a high quality art museum on Main Street.

It was a rainy Saturday, a perfect day to spend a couple of hours inside.  The administrative offices are in this older building on the front.  

The galleries are in a newer building below.

I looked out at the older building from the second floor of the newer one.

There were some very good exhibitions.  All were foreign-born artists who had wandered elsewhere before coming to the United States.  Photos from those exhibitions will be here in the coming days. 

Pink

 I am back in Connecticut two or three weeks earlier than in recent years, so I can see trees in bloom.

A handsome cherry tree is on the corner of the First Congregational Church's property at the intersection of Main Street and West Lane.  On the left is a fountain designed by noted architect Cass Gilbert, who lived nearby and donated the fountain to the town.

Funky Vehicles

 I come across interesting vehicles.

This is an odd one, but I am originally from the Boston area, so I liked the Celtics hat on the front.

Nice paint job.  And rattan seats!

Spare tires can be pretty boring, but this guy put it to good use.

This belongs to a friend in my community.  He has another car for bigger trips, but he is a non-golfer so he uses this Moke to get around the community the way many of us use golf carts.

If you think I am running out of things to post from Naples,  you're right.  Posts from Connecticut begin tomorrow.

Naples Grande

 Naples Grande is an ultra high end hotel on the Gulf of Mexico in Naples.  It is closed for upgrades and renovations through the rest of 2026.  

Out for a Ride

 

Lucky dog.  Or lazy dog.

Coastland Center

 Coastland Center Mall is an older mall in Naples.  It has been struggling for years.

Some restaurants have been built as outbuildings in recent years.  Uncle Julio's was a Mexican restaurant that did well for a few years.  (I love the mural wall.)  Sadly, it closed for good a month ago.