In July, I another fabulous retreat in Washington D.C. Chill days that were very hot and warm nights with the cool breeze of easy bike rides, a week in the big city did well for big city cravings. I had some delicious foods – a tough order coming from our great foodie town! Checked out some favorite museum spots, including an archival view of the cancellation of the Maplethorpe exhibit in 1989 at The Corcoran. It created quite a stir in the art community, as well as the public eye. The director withdrew the show to avoid the “ire of Jesse Helms” – and even that apparently backfired. This Washington Post article gives further insight on the non-event occurrence.
We also went to the American Art museum, I took a tour of the Supreme Court, and took a fast walk through the National Gallery of Art. Here’s a lot of cool photos I want to share.
The Halls of Justice
No Photos Allowed
This Alter was comprised of all the people to be remembered by the visitors. It was weighty, fluid, light and bright. Can you see the cut outs are a thin plywood. A station was set up so you could write one down and place it on the wall. 
New Age Knuckles
This guy and his miniatures
Weightlessness in Marble
John Travolta, Time Traveler
Sometimes it’s what’s going on “back there” that is even more intriguing.
In the sky, it’s a bird! No, it’s a plane! No, it’s a surprisingly oddly painted hay wagon?
I was inspecting this because it seemed someone had sharpied right on the lion’s face! The room attendant said when she first attended this room, she was SO SURE it had been marked. Apparently, El Greco loved this joke (but really, it does look like a sharpie mark over the paint!)
This El Greco, Jesus cleansing the Temple, was done a few different ways.
(The woman with the birds is all, “Who, Me?”
These easels were set up all over the gallery. What an exciting art class adventure!
Mary Cassatt – I don’t know if I’ve ever noticed the veil before. A theme arises!
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