Sunday, October 20, 2013

A Little Museum

This weekend I met a friend in Pasadena.  Our main intention for going was a visit to the Pasadena Museum of California Art, but we took advantage of being in Old Town to do some shopping as well.

The day started with a trip to DSW, the mother ship a huge shoe store. stuff 278
stuff 303I had received a gift card last month and wanted to put it towards a new pair of shoes.  Instead, I came home with three new pairs of shoes.  (sigh)  In my defense, I haven’t done anything but work or sleep since August, so I think I probably deserved them.

We also stopped into Dick Blick, who was having a sale, for art supplies. 
stuff 304I never go into that store with a plan so I leave with impulse buys, but when I get home remember all the things I should have put on a list. 

Also in Pasadena is the Norton Simon Museum.  I visit there regularly, and one of the many highlights is Sam Francis’ Basel Mural I.
2011-07-26-basel_mural 2011-07-26-basel_mural_closeupAbstract art isn’t always my cup of tea, but the technique, detail, and the sheer size of this work make it one that I enjoy visiting. 

When the Pasadena Museum of California Art opened its Sam Francis exhibit in August, seeing it was on my to-do list.  It took two months to get there, but I finally made it there this weekend.

stuff 302

Up until yesterday, I had not visited the museum which only opened about a decade ago.  It was founded, and aptly named, to highlight California art. 

There are three collections being highlighted at this time, but the Francis exhibit is by far the largest and most impressive of the three.  It is very comprehensive, documenting his art career from the beginning.  It was interesting watching his style change from his start, which was very realistic, to his abstract pieces, which he is most known for.   stuff 299stuff 297Unfortunately, photos weren’t really allowed in the exhibit.  So I just sneakily caught a few.  Abstract art is always controversial.  “Well, I could do that,” is often heard when viewing abstract art.  I’ve been known to say that myself a time or two.  But his work is really quite technique driven.  The best part of a museum is to get up close to the work and really see it.  There is a lot to see in Francis’ work.

The parking lot, which sits under the main floor of the museum, is a kick.  It was fun walking around and looking at the art down there too.
stuff 281stuff 279 stuff 280
PMCA is quite a small space for a museum, but it was a very nice visit.  We were able to take our time and see everything in a couple of hours.  The exhibitions are constantly changing, so I am looking forward to see what comes next.

14 comments:

  1. I don't know what to say about the shoe thing and I truly doubt many men do. I include gay men in this equation too. We just don't look at out bare tootsies and think they'd benefit from being encased/wrapped/set in much of anything other than a basin of hot salty water. Not do we get the leap from painting the lip to the fingernail to the toes. I truly think this is like the love of pink and so purely hormonal.
    On the Art. I didn't get the abstract stuff but I was lucky enough to know many people who were trained at the Slade, Royal Academy, Goldsmiths and other colleges of Art and design. Nowadays I'm less bothered with the painting and more about analysing myself and my reaction to a piece. Why for instance when I view Cubism or it's bastard offspring am I left utterly cold. Not just meah, but active dislike.
    I'm fond of the paintings in the gallery, but they are hung way to near each other. There is no way to 'see' one without the others coming in on the fringe. In fact, that last photo, if you stand in front of the middle one the reds of the one to ones left will drop the blues and the magentas like someone shining a torch beside you.
    I do like the car park !.

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    1. They do look close together. I'm not sure my guerrilla photography helps the matter either. I do not believe they were as close as the photos portray, or at least I don't remember being bothered by it. Some of his work was created as a multi-piece display (like the mural at the top was one of a few), but I don't think that was the case in the last one, at least I don't remember as such.
      As for the shoes, I did go with the intention of getting one pair, and was still under that assumption when I brought them home. You see often I can't just buy a pair of shoes and be done. Since I spend the majority of the day on my feet, no matter how cute, if they are not comfortable or rub I won't wear them. I can't decide that in the 30 seconds I have them on in the shoes store. So my plan was to wear the three pairs around the house for a bit and then choose one pair to keep. The wrench in my plan however is that I like all three pairs equally. So I will probably end up keeping them all.

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    2. (chuckle)When I say men don't understand. It isn't the being shod thing we don't get or even the three buys. It's the seeing ones own feet as something in need of cutifieing. I might look at your tootsies and think, Yowza. But I certainly don't view my own in that way.
      Did you meet Sheldon ?.

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    3. Ha ha, no Sheldon. You know it's funny that even though the show is supposed to take place in Pasadena (CalTech), I have not yet seen them go anywhere really in Pasadena. Every so often, I think they've done a backdrop of the city, but since it's a studio show, they aren't really there. I think I've mentioned this before, but even the Cheesecake Factory (the only real place I've heard them name) isn't at all the same. I still like the show, but it could really be taking place anywhere.
      As for the shoes, we don't buy them to make our feet look cute, but to make the whole outfit or ensemble look cute. :)

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  2. Mr BC and I both went to PCC and lived in Pasadena for a while, so it is our old stomping grounds. I love Old Town.

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    1. A few times I've looked if the school districts over that way were hiring. I think I'd enjoy living there...I sure like going there. I've been with my district too long though and would lose about half my years so I'd have to have a better reason to move than just I like going to Old Town. :) But I do like Old Town!

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  3. you can never have too many shoes..
    the museum looks interesting.

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  4. I love Pasadena. My grandparents lived there in the 50s and 60s. First on Bonnie (just east of PCC), then on Los Robles near New York. Great memories. Yes I'm back after a two year hiatus.

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    1. Welcome back stranger!
      The museum is on Union between Los Robles and Oakland. Such a fun area.

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  5. I just wanted to let you know that I don't often comment, but love your blog. I'll always save your update to read when I really have time to enjoy it. Thanks for being you!

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    1. Ahhh, that's so sweet! Thank you. :) I'm glad you come by.

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  6. I love shoes...but not like most women...I have Vans and Converse...in many colors...and I have many pairs of running shoes....and some flats and some more flats...and some boots....including hiking boots which are the most expensive shoe I have ever bought....but I was hoping to see a pic of your shoes out of the bags :)

    The museum looks cool...not much of an abstract art fan myself...but I love the parking lot art.

    Happy Monday!

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    1. I love my Vans and Adidas (although recently they've been falling apart rather quickly so I tried a pair of Saucony and they are SO comfortable). I wear mostly flats for work - appropriate and comfortable. I wasn't sure I would keep them all so didn't do pics. :) I bought a new pair of boots about a month ago that I'm dying to wear, but it hasn't been cool enough to do so.

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