The Huntington

Catherine and I spent a leisurely Sunday at The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens. If you like books, Romantic period art, and plants, then you will love it here.

The Library of more than 3 million volumes contains some of the finest rare books and manuscripts of Anglo-American civilization. On exhibit are the Ellesmere manuscript of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, a copy of the Gutenberg Bible on vellum, the double-elephant folio edition of Audubon's Birds of America, and an unsurpassed collection of the early editions of Shakespeare's works.

The Huntington Gallery, originally the Huntington residence, contains one of the most comprehensive collections in the US of British and French art of the 18th and 19th centuries. Romantic portraits and landscapes are not my favorite style of paintings, but it is a very fine collection.

Possibly the most relaxing part of the visit is touring the Botanical Gardens, which Henry Huntington began developing in 1903. Now they span nearly 150 acres with vistas interspersed with statuary, tempiettos, and benches. Approximately 15,000 kinds of plants from all over the world make up the botanical collections, many landscaped into a series of theme gardens.

So, as you can see, there is a lot to see. There is also a finely kept Japanese garden with a bridge and traditional architecture. The grounds are beautiful with habitats ranging from the sub-tropical to desert. Between the thick jungle and the sand of the desert are sprawling lawns with lily ponds. At the outer edge of the grounds we reached the cacti filled desert gardens.

For anyone that has spent time in the Southwest a cactus is a familiar sight. For someone from the Northeast, well, not so familiar. It didn't dawn on me just how unfamiliar until I saw Catherine reaching her hand out to touch a cactus. This was her first in-person cactus. It was too late to stop her. Twenty little needles were now protruding from the tip of her finger. Ouch! She was able to pull out all the needles except for three small tips that broke off under the skin. She's a tough New Yorker, so there were no tears. I think she was just more surprised than anything. There's not really much wild nature around to attack you in the heart of New York City :)

Only Skin Deep: Changing Visions of the American Self

The San Diego Museum of Art will be holding a special exhibition named, Only Skin Deep: Changing Visions of the American Self, the exhibition is held from October 1, 2005 to December 31, 2005. Only Skin Deep draws on public collections, including those of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Schomberg Center for Research in Black Culture, to present more than 250 historical and contemporary photographs. Divided into five sections, each analyzes how photographs fuel myths and create false stereotypes.

The works in Only Skin Deep range from vintage postcards, film stills, prints from negatives, and digital images. The exhibition also spans a wide range of genres and movements, including commercial photography, portraiture, social documentary, photo journalism, ethnographic and scientific photography, Pictorialism, Surrealism, reportage, and erotica. This exhibition offers a wide variety of the history of photography.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Back in 2002, I had the opportunity to visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. From a distance, it appears to be a black wall carved out of the earth. Starting to get closer, it's a black wall with a bunch of names. Few steps closer, you then realize that these are the names of real people- people who have sufferred and died for our country. It hits you. There are so many names, so many people. I hope everybody gets a chance to see this powerful sculpture. Along with this, I would also recommend to see the Korean War Memorial and the Iwo Jima statue. By learning about public art in class, I am able to understand the significance of these artworks and overall have a greater appreciation.

Name Your Favorite Mesoamerican God...

From Tlaloc the Storm God to Quetzalcoatl, there are many different Mesoamerican Gods. They are depticted in varying ways in many mediums. From architecture to stone carvings, to murals, we see their presences represented. They remind us of what is important and sacred in life. Name your favorite God and where the God is depicted, in your experience of Mesoamerican art.

Art Deco

I would have to say that Art Deco is my favorite architectural style. It has a modern look, yet reflects 1920s/1930s styles. The Chrysler Building is my favorite building in New York and during my visit there I was lucky enough to walk by it everyday and get a glimpse of such a monumental structure. It's finial top, geometric shapes, and shiny stainless steel luster make it New York City's most elegant and sophisticated building.

Wignall Museum/Gallery Student Art Show

My husband and I went to see the Student Art Show at the Wignall Museum/Gallery today. The current exhibit features photography, art and digital media by students at Chaffey College. Black and white photos caught my attention especially. I like the pleasant photos of the dog, zebra and hummingbird in particular that are included in this posting for viewing. The exhibit lasts until December 8th if you'd like to attend.