happy Museum day!

this is bad.
I haven't even been accepted into a Master's program yet and I'm back to my old, college way of leaving writing assignments (which take me forever as it is) until the last minute. my 1,500 word statement, demonstrating writing proficiency and including information about my specific goals, teaching philosophy and thoughts on contemporary schools and current movements in education, is due Friday.
I took some notes and decided it was time to blog instead!
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Friday I got to sleep in (whoowho, 7:15!) and after a leisurely morning, we took the train in town to the Museum of Fine Arts. I wanted to check out the new American wing for myself.
overall, not bad!
I have never been one to be able to retain too much information. I had to use flashcards to pass art history in college and nine years later, I don't think I could tell you much. when I teach about art history, I do the research again and take notes, that I now know to keep for the next year. and hopefully, after using the information, I will remember. 
so, the museum: most of the portraits from the 18 and 1900s were new to me. I had never seen the people, well except for George Washington... and Paul Revere's face is on the label of my favorite beer.... so I had seen some of the people before, but for the most part, did not know the people OR the artists. and after a few rooms of portraits, I got bored. I did enjoy the inclusion of furniture and housewares and the period decorated rooms and the look of textiles behind the paintings. and, when you go to the next floor up, you go through time, getting closer to today.
after this museum trip, I have come to the conclusion that I prefer more modern art and folk art. I greatly appreciate the skill it takes to paint portraits, but only so many really capture my attention.

Alexander Calder

Louise Nevelson (Frank Stella)

oh yea! we stopped in the gift shop on the way out, and I got an Art of the Americas calendar for $1.58! so now I can share George Washington and Paul Revere (and Sargent and Hopper and Cassatt) with my students!