Life its own self

[ellid]

Let's see...

Work was okay this week, although the Office Manager has expressed a desire to have lunch with me at some point. Since anything over half an hour would require me to take personal time I'd rather use for something else, I am hoping she forgets this idea. I've never socialized with co-workers in my life and have no desire to do so no, and the idea of having to use my benefits so she can make nice with me...*sighs*

Regardless - Friday night I finally did what I'd been wanting to do for years and went to the art museum at Smith. Admission is free on the second Friday of the month, plus they have snacks, music, and children's activities. The current exhibits are amazing -

The one that really blew my socks off was the African Beaded Art exhibit. It was STUNNING - Yoruban royal regalia (one mantle was accompanied by a photograph of it being worn by a former king in the 1950's), ceremonial pieces and furniture from what is now Cameroon, clothing and tobacco bags from the KwaZulu region...oh, it was gorgeous! The workmanship was stunning, the artistry was absolutely top-notch, and I felt a tremendous loss that I hadn't studied this magnificent tradition before. If you live in Massachusetts, go. It's well worth it!

I also visited the Bruyn altarpiece, the one significant medieval work in the collection, and a fascinating exhibit of book bindings by Easthampton artist Daniel Kelm (fitzw would love it). The cream of the collection is still the 19th century American school and Impressionist works on the third floor, but the museum itself is excellent, and this time in particular I was happy to go.

It's snowing pretty hard and sticking, so Concentus practice is cancelled and I am staying home tonight. I did laundry, so everything's clean, and tidied up a bit so I can start serious work on outlining and typing in all my notes on the patchwork paper.

As for Super Tuesday...either of the Democrats is fine with me, although I prefer Obama. I'm also thrilled that Mitt Romney has finally realized that no, pouring your own millions into a campaign does not mean you will win, especially if you have not been consistent in your views. Also, telling the Boston Globe about the time you put your dog on the roof and drove to Canada despite the dog losing bowel control from sheer terror did not help your cause. *rolls eyes*

Finally - I am very grateful for good news on the health front for several people I know, including kitlizzy, FR, and JB. May this continue for all of us.

Comments

[tekalynn.livejournal.com]

Yes, an animal abuser. Exactly the person I want in the White House.

[craftykim.livejournal.com]

LOL at your office manager.

[fitzw.livejournal.com]

… a fascinating exhibit of book bindings by Easthampton artist Daniel Kelm (fitzw would love it).

I do like Daniel Kelm's work; he's a master binder in truth. He and I do have one fundamental difference in our approach to bookbinding: He's primarily an artist binder, and I'm primarily a craft binder. The sample on the website, "Mars", is a good example of art binding: The binding itself is the content (and in this case some of the content is additional bindings), rather than a vessel for the content (although there are a lot of books where both the text and the binding make an integrated whole).

There's nothing wrong with that, of course. There are quite a few book artists, and their knowledge of bookbinding is incredible (especially because they're not limited by needing to follow a traditional text layout for the interior of the book).

I always take a look at the listings of classes from his workshop in Easthampton, to see if the classes he's teaching match my area of interest. I always laugh at least a little when I read the descriptions for the classes on metal bindings (metal covers with piano hinges), because I know of metal bindings in period (yes, with hinged covers) and am curious how they would compare with what he is teaching. So far, though, I haven't had an opportunity to attend one of those classes. ;-)

How long is the exhibit going to be at Smith College?

It looks like the rest of the collection in the Mortimer Rare Book Room is worth seeing as well.

[ellid.livejournal.com]

Woe! The exhibit closes tomorrow! :(

The African beaded art one continues until June, however.