A rare day

Yesterday was a bit of rare day for me. 

It involved a train ride,

 lots of walking and looking up at the windows of office buildings

while admiring unintentional art compositions on some.

This way?

 

Or this way?

Some art was on purpose.

Some was the kind that feeds your senses.

It sounds odd to admit, but the wallpaper blew me away

 as did my view at lunch.

In case you haven't guessed, Saturday was a day in New York City. Even midst the heat, it was fun to explore, see new art, visit Habu as well as the Museum of Art and Design and reminisce about my last trek to the Big Apple in February to meet Fiona and Barry.

More about the day and the art...especially the wallpaper...to come. Right now there's a party to get ready for. 

My little urchins graduated from preschool on Friday and a celebration is in order.

Oh! If you have a chance, pop over to Flags for Peace Project - 2012 to see what I did this week.

Searching for Roy G Biv - indigo

indigo monoprint series that I started in 2011

 Detail of vest I purchased from Juanita Girardin at the 2011 Smithsonian Craft Show.

Constructed from vintage indigo dyed Japanese cotton.

Handwoven, pieced, stitched.

 

 Shihoko Fukumoto's Tea Ceremony Room.

seen at the Museum of Art and Design with Fiona and Barry 

exhibition of kimono at 2005 Surface Design conference

my indigo stash

A day to remember

Saturday was one of those rare days that involved a trip into New York. This time to visit the Museum of Art and Design, but, most importantly, to meet Fiona and Barry...in person, that is! I've been fairly dancing in place all week trying to contain my excitement...Australia being a fair distance from Connecticut and all.

We've had kind of...well...yucky weather this past week, but Mother Nature cooperated yesterday with a sunny warm winter day. I took the train in as usual and enjoyed a brisk walk to the museum. While waiting for the light at one point, I was perusing the skyline when something in an office window caught my eye.

 Can you see it?

 The bat signal?

Needless to say, a Holy smoke Batman! It's the bat signal escaped my lips only seconds before a chuckle did which was followed by a big smile at childhood memories of watching Adam West, Burt Ward, Julie Newmar and Eartha Kitt and others. The light soon turned and it was off to MAD to meet up with Fiona and Barry.

Fiona and me. Photo taken by Barry.

Currently at MAD is the exhibit Hanging Around, Necklaces from the MAD Collection. Two of my favorite pieces are Giorgio Vigna's glass bubbles necklace, Gorgoglio and

Choonsoon Moon's necklace of cardboard, plastic and elastic. The graphic simplicity coupled with the materials and textural aspect of this piece were fascinating. My fingers were itching to touch and try it on. Alas, the glass enclosure and ever watchful guard ensured otherwise.

staircase looking down

The other piece that held me entranced was Shihoko Fukumoto's Tea Ceremony Room.

Woven with indigo dyed linen, it was ethereal and my photos are poor representations of this magnificent work. As I studied and admired it from outside, I imagined the experience of sitting inside its quietness, watching the breeze play on the linen panels while the scent of jasmine tea teased the air. Serenity.

Junco Sato Pollack's Cascade II of folded and stitched silver, silk organza and gold leaf was another that teased the senses. 

While photographing the stitching and the finished edges, the shadows caught my eye.

All too soon, it was time to exit MAD, but not before I chanced another upward glance...this time from the bottom of the staircase.

Over lunch, Fiona, Barry and I chatted and laughed, exchanging stories like old friends who haven't seen each other in a while, catching up on our lives and discussing future plans. It was...well... quite simply, wonderful. A treasured time. A day to remember.

Thank you Fiona and Barry for including me in your vacation. I hope the rest of it is as enjoyable as yesterday.