Local, Near and Far: Our journey of exploring the world.

Tag: Art (Page 3 of 3)

Visit Madison: Wisconsin State Capitol & Madison Contemporary Art Museum

The Wisconsin State Capitol

An absolute must when you visit Madison is to visit the Capitol. This is a beautiful granite building that sits in the heart of downtown and displays some of the finest architecture and furnishings in the state, including 43 different types of stone from around the world. The Capitol is open to the public throughout the week. There are also free tours available every hour that last about 45-60 minutes. The Capitol does max out the tour size at 130 participants but unless you are planning a school trip, you shouldn’t have any problems. If your group is over ten, the Capitol’s website offers an online registration system that is helpful. There is paid parking available in various garages around the area, none of them are too far but will require a small walk of a couple of blocks.Capitol Dome and marble

Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to think when we planned on going there. I love architecture but I didn’t get my hopes up. Upon arriving on Saturday morning, we went in one of the side doors and weren’t necessarily sure where to go, so we just walked toward the middle under the dome. The signage for the tour wasn’t great, but we finally found the information desk which is where the tour starts. We ended up being on a tour with a group of Boy Scouts. At first, I was a little bit worried about being on a tour with a bunch of kids, but it worked out great.art and furnishing of wisconsin state capitol

The tour guide was fantastic and very knowledgeable about the Capitol and its history. One of the Wisconsin representatives was a special guest on our tour so that was nice to hear about his proceedings in the building and how decisions are made. We were able to go into the different areas like the Supreme Court, the Governor’s conference room, and the various chambers. Each room tells a story and you can almost feel that sense of history that goes on. I was so impressed with the various artwork and furnishings that are throughout the Capitol. Each room is adorned with various stones, marble and woods from all over the world, yet still celebrates the unique resources and gifts of Wisconsin. The Capitol does display a replica of the Liberty Bell which is a must see. For those who love Italy, it is worth checking out the council chambers as they are modeled after the Doge’s Palace in Venice. Atop the Capitol is an awesome bronze statue called “Wisconsin” that perfectly fits the building.woodwork inside the wisconsin capitol

Overall, I really enjoyed the Capitol and highly recommend checking it out. It is worth the hour or so of your time to see the art and furnishings that adorn the building. The tour was super educational yet also entertaining. While we were not able to go to the observation deck because it was closed, this is a must see! It is a great way to see the Madison isthmus. Be prepared to climb some stairs though. The weekend is a good time to go because it is substantially quieter and less popular than during the week. This is a great family friendly thing to do because it is good for the kids and entertaining for the adults; best of all, it is budget friendly since it is free.the capitol dome

The Madison Museum of Contemporary Art

Located a few blocks away from the Capitol on State Street is a true Madison gem, the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (MMoCA), it is one place that is worth checking out when in the area. From the title, the MMoCa collects Contemporary Art which mainly focuses on pieces beginning as early as the 1970s. Many will define this period as Postmodern Art with some similarities to Modern Art but is more confessional and autobiographical. The art does not necessarily have a center and it reworks and mixes various past styles. Some of the main artist of this time are Gerhard Ricter, Cindy Sherman, Anselm Kiefer, Frank Gehry, and Zaha Hadid. Enough of the art lesson, let’s get to the MMoCA.

The building is absolutely beautiful and has a fantastic glass exterior with exposed beams that lets in natural light. If you are a fan of architecture or just want to see a wonderful building, you must go check this place out. The layout is a little weird but it isn’t confusing and celebrates the Postmodern style that allows visitors to chart their own course. Admission to the museum is free which is always fantastic (donations are suggested) and is open every day but Monday, so plan accordingly. There is no photography allowed at the museum which is a bit of a bummer. There is plenty of parking located in garages around the area, but you will have to pay for it and you will have a slight walk but nothing too bad. The museum also has a restaurant, Fresco, located at the top that features a nice, although slightly obstructed view of the Capitol and the surrounding area, including the museum’s sculpture garden.

The museum itself offers a pretty good variety of Contemporary works from artists such as Romare Bearden, Deborah Butterfield, John Steuart Curry, Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Cindy Sherman among others. There are the typical offerings of paintings, sculpture, photography, prints, and drawings that offer a great look into what Contemporary Art is. The museum also offers traveling exhibits that showcase Wisconsin artists, young artists, and other predominant Postmodern Art collections that will appeal to lovers of contemporary works of art. For those who enjoy Postmodern Art, the museum has a permanent collection that is pretty substantial but of course not all of those are displayed.

The museum overall was ok for me and I enjoyed most of the collection. It was nice to see a few pieces from noteworthy Postmodern artists that I otherwise would not have seen or known about. My favorite part was the sculptures that were absolutely fantastic. One piece to check out is the sculpture by George Segal called “Depression Bread Line.” The artistry and skill to do this piece was amazing. The details and capturing the mood truly exhibits what storytelling is in art. You can feel the depression, hurt, and pain on these men as they stand in this line. Truly a must see!

The MMoCA offers different events throughout the year so when visiting or living in Madison, see what is available and go check it out. If you are not a fan of Modern art or Contemporary art, you may not really enjoy the artwork that is offered, but it is still worth checking out. This is a great way to spend an hour or two looking at an impressive collection.

Chasing Caravaggio – The Cardsharps

Every Friday we take a break from our regular blogging schedule to allow the authors an opportunity to feature a certain topic they are passionate about. Through this and other future posts we hope you’ll enjoy reading, we hope to share with you our personalities, passions, and interests on a more personal level.

As part of our continuing desire to bring beauty into focus, From Texas to Beyond will periodically feature brilliant pieces of art that have influenced our lives.  We are excited to showcase these universal works of beauty with you.

As a follow-up to my earlier review of the Kimbell Art Museum, there is one artwork by one artist in particular that I absolutely love:  The Cardsharps by Caravaggio.

Discovering Caravaggio

Caravaggio’s creations reignited my love of art.  As a child, I always loved art.  However, in 8th grade, I quickly learned that others were much more talented than myself.  Gradually I lost interest as I realized I would never be a great artist.  Or a good artist.  Or even a mediocre artist.

What I learned recently is a simple truth: you do not have to be an accomplished artist to appreciate the artwork of others.

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The Collection of Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass

Through May 24, 2015, the Kimbell Art Museum is featuring a special exhibition, The Collection of Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass.  An influential family in Fort Worth, the Bass family, is graciously sharing their private collection.  Works by Monet, Pissarro, Renoir, van Gogh, Picasso, Matisse, Miró, Chagall, Rothko, Rodin and Maillol normally inaccessible to the general public, are on view, for FREE.

This collection has so many masterpieces that it is hard for me to pick favorites. However, there are a few pieces in particular that need mention.

I think the stars of the show are two pieces by Vincent Van Gogh, Street in Saintes-Marie’s-de-la-Mer and Enclosed Field with Ploughman. Displayed side-by-side, look for the drastic change in style that occurred between the two paintings, created only one year apart.

The Renzo Piano Pavilion

The Renzo Piano Pavilion

I love Claude Monet’s work. The Bass’ piece by Monet, The Gare Saint-Lazare, Exterior View, does not disappoint. The steam engine and train had just been invented, radically altering life in Paris. Monet captures these changes in his series of paintings of trains and train stations across the city.

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Kimbell Art Museum: Fantastic Art & Architecture

Today, we explore my favorite destination in Fort Worth, the Kimbell Art Museum!  The Kimbell is the most well-known of the three art museums in Fort Worth’s Cultural District.

Rebekah and I have visited the Kimbell Art Museum more than thirty times.  Always fresh and new, the museum exhibits traveling collections, hosts lectures, shows movies and offers concerts.

The Exterior of the Kahn Building - Kimbell Art Museum

The Exterior of the Kahn Building

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An Introduction to David

Howdy!  My name is David, one of the four traveling Texans.

Ok, I have to admit, I do not normally use the word “Howdy,” but it somehow seems appropriate today.  Unfortunately, there is a certain university in Texas that has destroyed that word for lots of Texans, but that is a story for another time.

I graduated from The University of Texas with a degree in architectural engineering in 2007.  Hook ‘Em Horns!  Since then, I have worked for a Fort Worth-based civil engineering company as a construction manager and licensed engineer.

How does an engineer end up blogging?  I am not exactly sure, but let me try to explain.

As I mentioned in my first post, a passion for travel was awakened on a trip to Kenya in 2009.  However, I was exposed to the adventures of travel as a child.  At the age of 5, my dad accepted a short-term job transfer.  For seven months, my family lived in Stavanger, Norway.  During this time, we visited the Netherlands, Denmark and London, England.

Throughout my childhood, my parents did a wonderful job of providing me with new experiences across the United States.  Family summer vacations landed us in new places.  On these trips, we explored historical sights and museums, as well as more important places for a young boy like the beach, the mountains, and Disney World.

I grew up in Houston, Texas.  Houston is a giant city, the fourth largest in the United States.  Without knowing it, I was definitely a city boy in a state known for its country.  This abruptly changed during college.

David Grilling Over a Wood Fire

David Grilling Over a Wood Fire

For three summers during college, I worked at a horse ranch in Gainesville, the quarter horse capital of Texas.  Without knowing what I was getting myself into, I bought a cheap pair of cowboy boots, a straw hat, and a couple of Wal-Mart pearl snap shirts, and headed to the country.  I learned a lot about ropin’ and ridin’, shootin’ and grillin’ steaks over a wood fire.  I also became an expert in cleaning horse stalls and digging fence posts.  By the third summer, I was promoted, and even taught riding classes!  Overall, it was a great experience that has shaped my life in many ways, including my love of cowboy boots.

Since graduating college, I have traveled internationally to Croatia, the Czech Republic, France, Italy, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Israel, and Kenya (twice).  I have also continued exploring Texas and other domestic locations.

When traveling, I love soaking up the unique culture, natural beauty, history, art, architecture, food, beer, music, politics and language of each location.

My love of travel has led to my second passion, art.  I tried unsuccessfully during grade school to become world-renowned artist.  After realizing I was not the next Caravaggio, my favorite artist, I learned to appreciate the art already around me, put in place by other gifted artists and by God for the world’s enjoyment.

This appreciation for art led to a third passion, photography.  During a trip to Italy, Matt  introduced me to the world of photography.  Since that trip, he has helped me become a better photographer.  The photos posted on From Texas to Beyond have all been taken by Matt and myself.

Travel indirectly led to my fourth and most important passion, my beautiful wife.  Now that I am married, my favorite travel partner is my lovely wife, Rebekah.

I have been very fortunate in life to travel.  My goal for From Texas to Beyond is to capture the best experiences from each unique destination, so I will always remember the experiences that have shaped my life.  Along the way, we desire that our journeys will lead you to having great adventures of your own.  We hope you enjoy these stories as much as we enjoy sharing them!

David Hiking the Cedar Falls Trail in Petit Jean State Park, Arkansas

David Hiking the Cedar Falls Trail in Petit Jean State Park, Arkansas

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