Pixel Party: Faberge

The Houston Museum of Natural Science is amazing!  Not only does it have the best Paleontology Hall and the stunning Cockrell Butterfly Center, but it hosts Pixel Parties.  I'm sure you don't know what that is, but on occasion, they put word out and invite photographers to show up and check out an exhibit after hours. 

I got in on this last one, the temporary Faberge exhibit.  One word.  STUNNING!  All us photographers were given 2 hours to photograph as much as we wanted.  I could have spent another 2.  There were so many tiny, beautiful trinkets, all with such intricate details that you had to stare.  I plan on giving you a brief glimpse of my walk through.  If you are in the Houston area while this is here, it's well worth the visit.

Tiara: By Faberge Workmaster August Holmstrom

Statuette: By Faberge Workmaster Mikhail Perkhin

Opera Glasses: By Faberge

Bonbonniere Eggs: By Faberge workmaster Mikhail Perkhin

Kelch Rocaille Egg: By Faberge workmaster Mikhail Perkhin

Parrot: By Faberge workmaster Mikhail Perkhin

Brooch: By Faberge workmaster Oscar Pihl

Scent Bottle: By Faberge

Pendant: By Faberge

Cloisonne Egg: By  workmaster Ivan Khlebnikov

Cloisonne Egg: By Faberge workmaster Feodor Ruckert

Bell Push: By Faberge workmaster Viktor Aarne

I had to show off the tiara again.  So pretty and sparkly.  I'm not a girly girl, but wouldn't mind sporting this for a night. 

I'm sure the thing that surprises you about my post (and surprised me at the exhibit) is that there weren't more eggs.  There were quite a few, but I had no idea the amount of jewelry, cigarette cases, cufflinks, pins, picture frames, statuettes, etc there was.  Seriously amazing exhibit and hope that at least a few of my readers will get the chance to see it.  Please let me know if you get to go.

I also cannot wait to go to another Pixel Party.  Thank you Houston Museum of Natural Science for an amazing night.

My Experience at the Museum: Part 2

If you missed yesterday's post, check out Part 1 here.

Jumping right back in.

I really liked the detail in this painting.  I think capturing the essence and energy of a city scene is difficult.

Pont Neuf Paris, Henriot

Next to each painting there is a description and the description for this one had me laughing out loud.  Apparently, to get the people to stand still long enough to sketch them accurately, Henriot had his brother go out and strike up a conversation with them.  Ingenious!  

This was the painting I hated the most.  I found it unfinished and kind of disturbing.  Let me explain after I show it to you.

The Cradle, Monet

One thing I learned when drawing/painting any living being, that you must capture light in their eyes...otherwise they look dead.  Create some sort of a reflection in the eyes.  This baby's eyes (by the way, this is Monet's son and wife in the painting) are black.  Solid black...it creeps me out.  The baby looks dead.  Also, Monet's wife looks like she has had one too many and is going to fall out of that chair.  Overall...HATED this painting.  Not the best way to depict your family.

Onto the painting that I wanted to steal and hang in my kitchen, because let's face it, my kitchen needs some decoration.  

Three Peaches, Latour

I found this still life just perfect.  The use of color and brush stroke made the wood grain appear as if it were photographed.  The tones were rich, the peaches looked good enough to eat and I loved the contrast that the plate creates.  

I was so excited to see a Degas in person.  What little girl doesn't dream of being one of the dancers depicted in a Degas.  Such beauty and grace.  Okay, maybe not all little girls dream of that, but I did.

 Dancers Backstage, Degas

This painting doesn't exactly depict the beauty and grace that some of his others do, but I was just super excited to see a Degas in person.  This was also a very small painting.  It was smaller than an 8x10 inch photo. 

I was also super excited to see a Seurat in person.  What type of crazy do you have to be to create large paintings using nothing but dots?  I think I fully understand that level of crazy, because I have done a drawing like that and LOVED doing it.  By the way, the style of creating a picture out of dots is called pointillism. 

The Lighthouse at Honfleur, Seurat

There were two Seurat paintings there, this one I enjoyed much more than the other.  I love seeing beautiful seascapes void of people.  Maybe it's because I love to walk along a beach by myself, I find it so soothing and relaxing.  I would love to have a little piece of beach all to myself.  This painting makes me think that is possible. 

Onto the last two painting, both of which were done by Van Gogh.  My reaction to both paintings were opposite to what I expected to experience. 

Roses, Van Gogh

I have seen this one in many art books and thought it was nothing special.  That was until I saw it.  It is so stunning in person...it took my breath away!  I told my husband after seeing this that I would eagerly trade in every TV in the house to have this hanging in our house.  The way the paint was layered onto the canvas gave this an almost 3D effect.  Some of the flowers really looked like they were coming out away from the canvas.  It was really neat.  

Self Portrait, Van Gogh

Van Gogh did a lot of self portraits throughout his many years of painting.  This one was towards the end of his life.  If you know anything about Van Gogh it is probably that he cut his ear off and he was crazy.  This self portrait gave me a sense of anger and desperation when I looked into his eyes.  It gave me a very creepy, eerie feeling.  I can't say that I enjoyed it, but I definitely respected it.  I think he painted himself as he was.  There was no lying to himself when he created this.  

I hope you all enjoyed the museum with me.  If you live anywhere near Houston...go see this exhibit before it is gone.  It was an unforgettable experience and I have so many great ideas that need some refining.  It gave me a great creative surge that I need to gain control over and put to work.  I also need to get back to the museum and check out some of their permanent collection!!!

My Experience at the Museum: Part 1

First of all, can I just say "WOW!"  Seeing the Impressionist and Post Impressionist Exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston was AMAZING!!!  I also have no excuse not to check out the permanent collection because I am now a member.  Houston has an amazing museum district and I highly recommend checking it out.  I have been to several museums in this area, just not the Fine Arts Museum...until yesterday.

I experienced such a range of emotions during the exhibit, it is so hard to describe, but I am going to try.  When I first walked in, I was surrounded by Cezanne, Bazille, Monet, Manet.  It gave me chills!  I literally had goosebumps.  It's been a long time since I have been surrounded by this many masterpieces.  In the first room was one of my all time favorite paintins and it did NOT disappoint.  It gave me a new appreciation for it's beauty.

Woman with Parasol, Monet

The subjects in this painting are Monet's wife and son.  The woman has such an ethereal feeling about her because of the way the light radiates from behind her.  I thought that seeing one of my favorites right away would put a shadow over the rest of the collection, but I was wrong! 

Madame Henriot, Renoir

This was the next painting that had me awestruck.  Such a beautiful portrait and reminded me of Anne Hathaway.  Such timeless beauty.  So feminine, so delicate and just so beautiful.

 

The first disappointment of the exhibit for me was this painting below.

 

Japanese Footbridge, Monet

How could such a classic that everyone knows fall so flat for me?  I don't know, but it wasn't as great as I had imagined it to be.  I imagined the colors to be a little more vivid (because lets face it, most of these paintings were more vibrant and intense in person), I imagined that I would have more of an emotional response.  It was honestly, just a nice painting.  Never could I have imagined saying that about such an iconic Monet.

Mary Cassatt is one of my favorite painters.  I love the way she paints, I love that she paints a lot of women and children with such beauty.  She truly has the ability to capture the emotion and liveliness of a child.  She is able to capture the beauty and femininity of a woman.  I was so happy to be able to see this painting.

Child in a Straw Hat, Cassatt

When I saw this painting, I wanted that child to jump out of the painting just so I could give her a hug.  This little girl, you can tell is sad, her cheeks so rosy and her lips pouted.  My heart just poured out in a way that it has not done before when viewing a painting.  It was unbelievable.  It reminded me I was a mother and I love my children.

I was introduced to an artist that I don't recall learning about in Art School.  In all honesty, I probably did, but had forgotten about.  My art history classes crammed so much information is such a short period of time that they are honestly a blur.  

The Harbor at Lorient, Berthe Morisot

This artist creates such beautiful paintings, that I was sad to learn that she stopped painting after she got married.  Unfortunately, that was very common back then.  I would have loved to see more, so much more.  I left Morisot's paintings just wanting more.

Do you want more?  Please stay tuned tomorrow for Part 2.

Van Gogh, Seurat and Monet...OH MY!

Today, I am at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston checking out their Impressionists and Post-Impressionists exhibit that is currently on loan from The National Gallery in Washington, D.C.  I have been geeking out about this since I found out I could go with some girlfriends minus children.  I love taking my kids to museums, but seriously...did NOT want to take them to this, at least not the first time I see it.  I know my kids don't have the patience that I do when it comes to admiring works of art of this caliber.  I could easily catch myself examining any one of these paintings for at least 20 minutes. 

I cannot wait to see some of these pieces in person.  I love the feeling (the almost indescribable) feeling that you get when you are awestruck by such beauty. I am going to get to see these tomorrow!  My stomach is a flutter with anticipation.

 Self Portait, Van Gogh

 Dancer, Renoir

 Seascape, Seurat

 Japanese Footbridge, Monet

Woman with Parasol, Monet

The biggest disappointment...I won't be able to take any photos!  Museum policy.  I am seriously bummed by that.  I would love to have my photo taken next to any one of these stunning masterpieces.  I am just going to have to settle for a small reproduction or postcard from the gift shop.  Oh well...still so excited.  I will report back tomorrow with how my visit with these beauties went.