Calder Mobiles - National Gallery East Wing

Calder Mobiles – National Gallery East Wing

Yesterday I had an artistic inspiration day in downtown Washington DC with my husband and some friends.

First stop was the East Wing of the National Gallery–one of my all-time favorite places.  I’m fascinated with this room of Alexander Calder mobiles–the colors, the interplay of shadows on the walls, the movement. I go to see it every time I’m there and it never gets old.

We also stopped in to see the Ellsworth Kelly: Colored Paper Images exhibit–pure color that seemed almost quilt-like in some of the pieces. I wasn’t able to get photos, but there’s one up at the exhibit link from the gallery above.

Next was the Ai Weiwei “According to What?” exhibit at the Hirschorn

"Grapes" Ai Weiwei work at the Hirschorn Museum

“Grapes” Ai Weiwei work at the Hirschorn Museum

Gallery–must have been a modern art day! Ai Weiwei is a contemporary Chinese artist whose art often makes comments on modern life.

This sculpture at right was called “Grapes” and it was created with wooden stools molded together. The seats of the stools did look like a cluster of grapes inside. You might ask “what does this mean?” I liked one explanation that using utilitarian, everyday objects in a new and different way forces you to look at your surroundings differently and not take anything for granted, even something as simple as a wooden stool.

Texture in Wooden Sculpture by Ai Weiwei at the Hirschorn

Texture in Wooden Sculpture by Ai Weiwei at the Hirschorn

Another of his pieces made of wood at left–unfortunately I forgot to write down the name of the piece, but the textures are incredible.

It was a great day that left me ready to come back and create some art! Today was a day for adding texture with stitching lines to a new piece that I need to have finished by Thursday, when the photographer is coming–I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it gets done on time. Hopefully I’ll have some snapshots to show tomorrow.