Alone. But Never Lonely.
Take a solo trip to the Museum
Portland Art Museum 2022
So I gave myself a Christmas present this week and renewed (and upgraded!) my membership to the Portland Art Museum.
Since I was already there, I gave myself over two luxurious hours to wander the museum all by myself!
I also enjoy going to the museum with other people. It's fascinating to see what excites and sometimes repeals others.
But if you’ve never toured a museum alone, it’s a very different experience.
I guess it's part of getting older - but I'm proud to say I'm much better at keeping my own company and being content with that.
Maybe that's why I resisted pursuing an artistic career for so many years - I couldn't bear to be locked up in the studio by myself until recently.
Of course, at the Museum, you're not truly alone. There are all these artists with something to say to you.. can you hear them?
I love the museum. I don't visit often by myself, but when the world feels too much, I like to go there.
It's quiet. It's calming. It's a place striving to understand what it means to be fully human in a world that's often difficult to comprehend.
I know some museums are bigger or flashier than our little jewel box of a museum here in Portland. But we have Monet and Van Gogh, and…we currently have a Joan Mitchell painting on exhibit!
Joan Mitchell is one of my favorite abstract painters. My knees buckled, losing myself in her painting “Soldats des Bois” currently on display.
There’s a truly spellbinding exhibit by native artist Oscar Howe. Mr. Howe's use of color - his use of perspective of the human form! I mean… wow.
Oscar Howe used Casein Paint in his works. I was totally unfamiliar with Casein paint, but I intend to investigate further. Thank you, Oscar Howe.
There's a current exhibit of Japanese woodblock prints that are brilliant - and there are so many of them…
And the artist Otis Quaicoe's work (cowboy pictured above) is really captivating.
As an artist, this level of work is inspiring and humbling. I have to keep trying.
I encourage you all to visit your local museum. Alone or in a herd! :)
Cheers & Happy Holidays!
Garrick
P.S. It's not too late to get a beautiful original work of art for Christmas! I'll ship UPS, and I'll hand deliver it and hang it on the wall if you're here in Portland!
Shop online and start stuffing those stockings with art…
