I have fallen so behind these last weeks! (I have myriad personal excuses, but will spare you the details.) This has been all the more frustrating, since there’s been SO MUCH I’ve wanted to write about. So, here are a few things, in no particular order, and in truncated form: Chalkboard Drawings Did you hear … Continue reading Catching Up
Martín Ramírez; or, My Artistic Education at the Post Office
I learned of a major gap in my knowledge of the art world last week while at the post office of all places. I was sending birthday presents to my niece and nephew who live on the other side of the country, and while contemplating my shipping options I saw one of those sheets of … Continue reading Martín Ramírez; or, My Artistic Education at the Post Office
Development at the Site of the Boyd Theater
Apropos of my post yesterday, Inga Saffron of the Inquirer wrote this piece about Pearl Properties' development plans for the old Boyd Theater. She says, "That isn't architecture; it's a colorful form of weatherproofing." And further, "You can see mediocre metal boxes just like this going up all over Philadelphia. Actually, they're appearing in cities across America." … Continue reading Development at the Site of the Boyd Theater
Philly Loses The Boyd Theater, Art Deco Treasure
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about a win for the arts in Philadelphia with the Association for Public Art’s acquisition of Roxy Paine’s Symbiosis. This week, I’m writing about a big loss for the arts in Philadelphia. While running errands in Center City, I stumbled upon a demolition in progress. I was a … Continue reading Philly Loses The Boyd Theater, Art Deco Treasure
The Joy of Seeing, The Joy of Creating
Last week I was really sick. I had one of those illnesses (some sort of evil virus?) that made me weep when I tried to swallow and spiked my temperature. In the morning, I went upstairs to get dressed and inadvertently took a two-hour nap. One of those. Lucky for me, my husband was home … Continue reading The Joy of Seeing, The Joy of Creating
Hooray for Public Art!
This past fall, my schedule worked out so that I was home with my son on Mondays. To give us both something to do, I decided to start taking him to a toddler story hour at our branch of the local library. We would walk there since it’s such a pleasant walk, winding past the … Continue reading Hooray for Public Art!
Midwestern Landscapes Addendum
Last week I wrote about the allure of the Midwestern landscape as well as some works of art that recreate those landscapes. It occurs to me that I made a major omission by not mentioning the work of contemporary photographer Terry Evans. Her photographs embrace the grand scale of the Midwest, often using an aerial … Continue reading Midwestern Landscapes Addendum
Landscape, Memory, and Home
I have spent the last seventeen years—minus a brief stint in Minnesota—living in the East. Though my adult life has been spent among the rolling hills and forests and strip malls of the East, my heart is firmly entrenched in the open skies and yawning spaces of the Midwest. When I was a kid my … Continue reading Landscape, Memory, and Home
Why Antiques Roadshow is the Best/Worst
I am a bit hesitant to publicly admit my soft spot for Antiques Roadshow. But I have a blog now, so I guess it’s time to divulge some of my dirty secrets. When I was pregnant, my husband and I would look forward to Monday nights because Antiques Roadshow was on. He taught a writing … Continue reading Why Antiques Roadshow is the Best/Worst
Old Architecture: My Happy Place
I have spent the last several days hunched over fine print and my eyes are feeling crossed and my spirits a bit squashed. Finishing up my work for the day yesterday, I decided to cheer myself up by looking at the pictures I took when I travelled to Moscow for my dissertation. Since I study … Continue reading Old Architecture: My Happy Place
Ellen A. Hurst 