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Loved March

What do you love about where you live?

I dashed into the National Museum of Women in the Arts last weekend, and was drawn to all the “floral still-life” paintings. Whenever I’m in need of inspiration, I’ll hop the Metro into DC to be absorbed in culture from the local galleries or museums. I’m drafting my summer garden and was immediately drawn to the skillful illusionism of works by women artists from Antwerp to Amsterdam 1600-1750. The blooms emerging from the picture plane, illuminated against the dark background are how I want my flower gardens to look this year…… vibrantly beautiful!!!

There’s something deliciously elegant about having a neighborhood bakery and café that dishes up warm breads, delectable pastries along with stunning cakes, and delicious coffee’s all while creating a most inviting feeling. Occasionally, I’ll pop into our local Paris Baguette for a few almond croissants, a fresh loaf of bread, and a cappuccino to ease into the weekend.

The Signature Theater outside of DC in Arlington, Virginia was our hangout on Sunday evening. A few of my friends and I got together to see the last performance of I’m Here: Black Broadway. The review was phenomenal with vocalist Awa Sal Secka paying tribute to Black shows and the history of Broadway such as The Color Purple, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Porgy and Bess and The Wiz.

The weather this month has been quite dramatic such as; severe thunderstorms with high winds, a minor heatwave for a few days, and then plummeting temps back to extreme cold. I relish these varying stages, as we’re given a taste of each season in a relatively short amount of time, but am always glad when conditions are moderate …. not too hot or cold!

Stay stylish,
Kathleen

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Musée du Louvre Exhibition

What do you enjoy doing most in your leisure time?

In my leisure time I enjoy researching the dynamic qualities that take place in the art world. The promoting and selling of art, reading articles or learning of new artist, and secretly relish art heist.

While visiting the Musée du Louvre last month there were several exhibitions that conveyed additional information that wasn’t taught in my college art classes. The first exhibition was the Carracci Drawings: The Making of the Farnese Gallery. The Palazzo Farnese, now home to the French Embassy in Italy holds one of the most celebrated examples of painted decoration in Western art in the Carracci Gallery.

The work of Annibale Carracci [1560-1609], who worked with his brother Agostino [1557-1602] and his artistic partner and cousin Ludovico Carracci [1555-1619]. There was also a small group of pupils who worked with the Carracci’s and were commissioned by cardinal Odoardo Farnese and his older brother, Ranuccio after inheriting their prestigious family titles, possessions and art collection.

The Farnese Gallery was an essential model for artists, and great care was taken to preserve the preparatory drawings which were displayed retracing the history of such decorative work allowing us [the patrons] to analyze what made the Gallery in Rome such a masterpiece. 

Live creatively,
Kathleen