FLOWERING ART PART 2

The Minneapolis Institute of Arts (MIA) is a true gem in the Twin Cities, and the quality of its permanent collection is first rate.  What I find most surprising though, is that the museum is still able to offer free general admittance every day (there is a small fee for featured and visiting exhibits). 

I love this Picasso Arrangement.

Lobster phone.

A beautiful interpretation of the lantern.

After not visiting the museum for many months, I found myself there twice in one week.  During my first visit I attended the Habsburg exhibit, and this time the Art In Bloom exhibit was on my agenda.

Flowering Frank Lloyd Wright.

Every dog longs for a fire hydrant.

The museum’s permanent collection is impressive, and it’s always fascinating to see several of those pieces interpreted in over 150 floral arrangements.

The Minneapolis Institute of Arts is a real blessing to our community, and I have several favorite pieces in their collection.  I have been visiting MIA ever since I moved here fourteen years ago, and it never gets old.  There is always something new and wonderful to stir my soul and fuel my imagination.

***Do you have a favorite local museum?

 

FLOWERING ART PART 1

Over the weekend my friend Marisa and I attended the Friends of the Institute Art In Bloom exhibit at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts (MIA).  This was only my second year attending the weekend long event, but it is definitely one of my favorites.

This lovely sight greeted us as we stepped inside the museum's doors.

Some arrangements were quite literal.

The dragonfly.

This year marked the 32^nd anniversary of this annual celebration of spring, which hosts over 150 floral interpretations of artwork from the museum's vast collection; encompassing a variety of mediums.

The lions at MIA set the tone for the exhibit.

The sign on the stairs asked guests to not climb on the walls by the lions.

Funds raised by donations from generous sponsors, from revenue from ticketed events and lectures, selling Art in Bloom programs, and from wonderful items from the Pop-up Garden Shop, provide educational tours and transportation for school children as well as support for exhibitions, activities, and free lectures throughout the year.  Last year over 82,000 students made trips to the MIA for guided tours!

The annual Art In Bloom event is free to the public, and I’m amazed, and grateful, that MIA is still able to offer such quality and innovative exhibits at no cost, especially since there is no admittance fee to the museum throughout the year.

***Does your community offer an event similar to Art In Bloom?

TIED BOUQUETS

I added this lovely set from The Bow Tie Shoppe to my collection over the weekend.


***Do have a favorite bow tie and pocket square set?

THEMATICALLY SIMPLE

"The folk artist is usually satisfied with somewhat more anonymity; he is less concerned with aesthetic context, and less with specifically aesthetic purpose, though he wants to satisfy his audience, as does the popular artist. His art, however, tends to be thematically simple and technically uncomplicated, its production—the folk song, the duck decoy, the tavern sign, the circus act—not so strongly influenced by technological factors. Popular art is folk art aimed at a wider audience, in a somewhat more self-conscious attempt to fill that audience's expectations, an art more aware of the need for selling the product, more consciously adjusted to the median taste."

-Russell Nye

***Do you enjoy folk art as well as popular art?

SOLO SHOT SATURDAY: POST PARADE

Happy Derby Day Everyone!!!

***Are you watching the Kentucky Derby today?

THE ART OF BOW TIES

I mentioned in an earlier post that the Minneapolis Institute of Arts is celebrating its 100^th birthday this year, and is doing so in a variety of ways. One of those ways involves my friend Renee Larson from The Bow Tie Shoppe.

Renee has been selling her handmade, one-of-a-kind bow ties in the Museum's gift shop for some time now, and is well known to the folks at MIA.   In honor of their birthday, MIA has commissioned Renee to design a line of bow ties that are inspired by pieces in the Museums permanent collection.  That collection of bow ties is now appearing for sale in their gift shop.

This week, in honor of Bow Tie Friday, I’d like to showcase some of the bow ties that MIA commissioned from The Bow Tie Shoppe. 

In addition to the 100^th birthday collection, Renee also offers an ongoing assortment of bow ties in the Museum's gift shop.

On the day I was there, I ran into my friend Chad who just happened to be wearing one of Renee’s bow ties.  While he was too shy to let me post his photo, he did consent to let me post a photo of his tie, which was custom-made for him from two of his long ties.  The end result is really beautiful!

Renee Larson at The Bow Tie Shoppe is one of my favorite local bow tie artists in the Twin Cities, and I am so happy to see this new collection at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.  Be sure to stop by and check out these amazing bow ties, but do it soon before they all sell out.

***Do you have any art inspired clothing or accessories?