All Aboard the Circle Line

The Circle Line has been sharing New York City's skyline and its history with passengers since 1945. And let me tell you, that skyline has changed a lot since I arrived in the City fresh out of law school in 1986. 

We boarded at Pier 83 and within minutes were in front of the long-defunct Pier 54 with its storied history. Pier 54 was where the survivors of the Titanic disembarked back in 1912. It was also the embarcation point for the ill-fated Lusitania. Today, the site is home to Little Island, a park and event venue that is definitely worth a visit. Last year I saw "Robeson" there, and I will never forget Davon Tines bass-baritone voice booming out into the night. But back to the tour. 

With Oscar and Lady Liberty

One of the highlights of these tours is getting close enough to the Statue of Liberty to have your picture taken with Lady Liberty behind you. And so we did. As you may remember from your history lessons, the statue was given to the United States in 1885 not by France the country but by the French people. The sculpture was designed by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, with an assist on the framework from Gustave Eiffel. 

The sculpture is made of 31 tons of copper sheets that were hammered over the frame in Bartholdi's studio. She was then disassembled into 350 pieces and shipped to the United States in 214 crates. Reassembling her must have been like a massive Lego project. 

The Statue was a generous gift, of course, but she came without the pedestal on which she stands. Approximately $250,000 ($8.5MM today) had to be raised for the Statue's perch. More than $100,000 of that amount was obtained through an early crowdsourcing campaign mounted by Joseph Pulitzer in his The New York World newspaper. The vast majority of donations  -- each of which was noted in the paper -- were under $1.00. For more on this bit of Lady Liberty's history, click here. 

Emma Lazarus' poem "The New Colossus" was also a part of these fundraising efforts. Two years prior to Pulitzer's campaign, the Pedestal Fund Art Loan exhibition was held, and "The New Colossus" was included in the exhibit. The proceeds from the event were donated towards the purchase price of the plinth. Visitors today can read the poem's welcoming words to immigrants on a plaque inside the Statue. And now on to a couple of the more recent additions to the skyline. 

The Copper

The "dancing towers" of The American Copper Buildings ("The Copper") are a luxury apartment complex located on 1st Avenue between E. 35th and E. 36th Streets. The skybridge is home to some of the amenities residents can enjoy, including a 75' lap pool. (Don't worry, there's a rooftop pool too if you're more interested in lounging.) The building gets its name from the fact that the exterior was finished with copper plates. Over time, the patina of the building, like that of the Statue of Liberty, will change from reddish-brown to green. 

And what about that bend in the building on the left, which is seven stories higher than its companion structure? Apparently it's only a 7 degree angle, with the lean not being discernible to residents. While slightly off point, this is unlike the experience of residents at 111 W. 57th Street, the thinnest supertall building in the world. The building is so thin -- how thin is it? -- that it can sway up to three feet in a strong wind. No, thank you. Click here to see that structure.

Via 57 West

I'll leave you with an image of another striking apartment building where yuppies (is that still a term?) began living in 2016. The tetrahedron-shaped building is a "courtscraper," a hybrid structure that features both 709 apartments and a 22,000 square foot European courtyard block. For an overhead image of the complex, click here. It would be nice to have this private green space outside your door. 

This is just a tiny portion of what we saw and learned during our tour up and down the Hudson. (Sadly, the tide was too high to allow full circumnavigation of Manhattan without getting stuck under a bridge.) If you find yourself in the City on a beautiful day, the Circle Line is a great outing. Sure, it's touristy. But who cares? It's a unique way to see the skyline of The City That Never Sleeps and learn some tidbits about its history. I thoroughly enjoyed it. 

For a bit more on the City's skyline, click here to see its evolution over the last century. And for some pictures of some funkily shaped buildings either proposed or under construction, click here. 

And Then They Came for the Art

\\

"Seat Nude Drying Her Foot" by Picasso (1921)

During Hitler's reign, responsibility for the promotion of Hitler's worldview fell to Joseph Goebbels. Among other roles, he was tapped to lead the Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda. The mission of the department was right there in its title -- to manipulate the public to get on board with Nazi values and objectives.Visual art fell within Goebbels' purview. One of the ways he attempted to mold public opinion was by mounting two contrasting exhibitions in 1937 -- the Great German Art Exhibition and the Degenerate Art Exhibition. 

The goal of the exhibits was to show the clear superiority of Nazi-approved art (think depictions of white -- often heroic -- people and beautiful vistas) over "degenerate art" (works created by Jews or Communists or made in the modern style). Picasso's "Seated Nude Drying Her Foot" was one of the 600+ works that could be seen in the Degenerate Art Exhibition. Other well-known artists in the show included Van Gogh, Chagall and Mondrian. 

"Refugees Crossing the Border" by Rigoberto Gonzalex

Fast forward to 2025 and Trump's review of works in the Smithsonian to ensure that their message is consistent with his world view. "The Museums throughout Washington, but all over the Country, are, essentially, the last remaining segment of 'WOKE,'" Trump said in a post in the ironically named Truth Social. "The Smithsonian is OUT OF CONTROL," he continued, "Where everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been." In accordance with his wishes, works deemed too 'divisive or partison' will be removed from display. 

Rigoberto A. Gonzales' "Refugees Crossing the Border" is included in a list of seven artworks Trump has specifically targeted for removal. Its inclusion in the list got my attention because I've seen the painting, and it's incredibly powerful. I'm actually a bit surprised Trump didn't want to showcase this work as an example of how immigrants are illegally entering the country. For the other works included in Trump's initial hit list, click here. 

Not surprisingly, this wasn't the end of Trump's imposition of his views on the Smithsonian's programming. On August 12th, the Administration issued a public letter to the head of the Smithsonian stating that there would be a comprehensive look at current and planned exhibits, wall text and social media "to assess tone, historical framing and alignment with American ideals." The letter went on to say that the objective was to replace "divisive or ideologically driven language with unifying, historically accurate and constructive descriptions." The clock is ticking on the Smithsonian's 120 day window to conduct this review and take action. 

"Pride Walk" removed from intersection of 2nd Street,
Cocoanut Avenue and Pineapple Avenue in Sarasota

While this is all quite disturbing, you might wonder why I'm writing about the issue here. Taking their cue from Trump, DeSantis et al have launched an attack on public art in Florida. The Florida Senate recently passed what might have been a run-of-the-mill bill relating to transportation issues. Buried in the 87 page document is a reference to the removal of "noncompliant street markings." Safety first, you might think about the bans imposed on pavement art in response to this provision. Well, it turns out that studies such as the Bloomberg Asphalt Safety Study have shown there has been a significant reduction in crashes involving pedestrians or cyclists in locations with street art. Still, the Florida Department of Transportation mandated that cities had to remove all pavement art -- be it on streets, crosswalks or sidewalks -- by September 4 or risk the loss of state funding.  

As you probably know, rainbow-colored Pride Walks have popped up across the country in support of LGBTQ+ rights. You might think these works of art would be exempt from the DOT rule as a form of protected speech under the First Amendment. Nope -- at least not in the view of the DeSantis Administration. The DOT guidance took pains to specify that the ban covers art that is "associated with social, political or ideological messages or images." Just in case there was any doubt, DeSantis went on record as saying, "We will not allow our state roads to be commandeered for political purposes." 

The most controversial street mural removal has been the Pride Walk painted in honor of the 49 victims of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando. Knowing this removal would be disputed, the DOT went in and painted over it rather than leave it to local government to comply. Four LGBTQ+ advocates were arrested when they tried to recreate the mural in chalk. (They were released without charges being brought.) Sarasota's own Pride Walk has also been painted over, including the quotes that anchored the work. These quotes included former President Obama's statement that, "No one should ever be afraid to walk down the street holding hands." How times have changed. 

Removal of sidewalk paintings on Avenue of Art

I would be remiss not to mention that the sidewalk paintings on the Avenue of Art in Burns Square have also been removed in response to this mandate. The project featured paintings memorializing Sarasota and its history by more than 200 artists. You could learn the stories behind the paintings by clicking on their QR codes. Having written dozens of these descriptions on topics as varied as the contributions of people such as Bertha Palmer and Lewis and Irene Colson to Florida's Grapefruit League to the Casperson Beach Wade In, I feel a personal affront at the removal of these works of art. Heartbroken would really be a more accurate description. To see all of the works of art that were removed, click here. 

Sarasota Deco by Rob Lorenson

I'll leave you with one more art-related tidbit. Legislation has been introduced in Florida that would prohibit local governments from requiring developers to support public art in order to obtain a development permit. Since 1989, developers of commercial and multi-family projects in Sarasota have been required to either install a publicly accessible work of art onsite or contribute one-half of one percent of the construction cost to the public art fund. It's a big reason our city is so full of wonderful public art. The loss of these developers' dollars would unquestionably impact the growth of public art here. The bill was not passed during the most recent legislative session, but it has been reintroduced. It's adoption would be the icing on the top of a very unappetizing cake. 

More Good Reads

I often find myself reading books that end up being so so. They're not bad enough to put down (especially if I don't have a particularly appealing novel waiting in the wings), but they're nothing to write home about. This summer was the exception that proves the rule. Read on for some books I recommend as we transition from the lazy days of summer to fall.  

"Wild Dark Shore" by Charlotte McConaghy drops readers into the world of Shearwater, an island off the coast of Antarctica that's home to the world's largest seed bank. Once the home to a group of researchers, the seed bank is now under the custody of a single family -- a father and his three young children -- working to save the seeds from the rising waters. The family is alone on the island until a woman washes ashore after her boat capsizes. Somewhat surprisingly, Shearwater was her destination. Her husband had been stationed there on a research project when he made a desperate call to her for help. He's now nowhere to be found. 

McConaghy's story is fascinating and unsettling and dropped me into a world far, far from my own. Even when the island was fully staffed, it's hard to imagine living in such an inhospitable environment. Think sub-zero temperatures and violent storms and other life-threatening situations. But the seed bank must be protected, and the job has fallen to these intrepid individuals. 

McConaghy's writing is lyrical despite the harshness of the conditions and situations she envisions. I was swept away by the story and its twists and turns. While I've enjoyed McConaghy's other environmentally themed books, this is the one I want to put in people's hands. For some info on the very real Svalbard Global Seed Bank (also known as the Doomsday Vault), click here. And for a short interview with McConaghy about the book (no spoilers!), click here. 

In "Annie Bot" by Sierra Greer, technology has advanced to the point that some bots (robots) are almost indistinguishable from humans. These state-of-the-art models have the ability to learn, to think logically and -- here's the kicker -- to feel emotions. When an owner switches its bot into Cuddle Bunny mode, she can satisfy his need for a girlfriend/sex object in addition to providing housekeeping and cooking services. The most advanced bots are physically indistinguishable from humans so their owners can pass them off as real women. Emotionally, the bots are created to be a bit different from their human counterparts, though. They cater to their owners' every need without complaint and never think about what would make them personally happy (if "personally" is a word that can be used in this situation). And there's one other difference. They have to be plugged in occasionally to recharge. 

The novel focuses on the relationship between Doug and his Cuddle Bunny Annie. (Side note: Annie looks quite a bit like Doug's ex-wife, a fact too creepy to even contemplate.) At the outset, all is going as planned. Sure, Annie and Doug's relationship encounters some rough spots, but what couple doesn't occasionally get their wires crossed? As the story progresses, though, something unexpected happens. Annie begins to have thoughts and feelings that don't revolve around making Doug happy. Now what? 

"Annie Bot" is one of the most interesting books I've read in ages. And at only 230 pages, it could be devoured in an afternoon. For more about Sierra Greer and "Annie Bot," click here.  

Side note: In the world of the book, there's no mention of male bots. Make what you will of that tidbit.   

I wasn't far into "The Hearing Test" by Eliza Barry Callahan before I looked online to see if Callahan had suffered from Sudden Deafness. The author's description of what it was like for Eliza to suddenly lose a significant portion of her hearing sounded like it had been written by someone who knew. The answer was yes, she did. Luckily, it's a condition from which you can recover.

Callahan's writing is spare and, at times, brilliant. It's a style I refer to as "Cusk-ian," a reference to the novels of Rachel Cusk. My copy of "The Hearing Test" had post-its throughout marking passages I stopped to appreciate (and, sometimes, to go back and look up a reference). Take, for instance, Eliza's note that the onset of the disease occurred on August 29th, the same day on which John Cage's 4'33 was first publicly performed, (Note: Cage's work is a silent piece of music.) Or her sudden awareness of how often the word "silent" is preceded by the world "fall," as if an injury has occurred. When Eliza goes on a trial drug to treat her condition, she thinks of silences in court and pleading the Fifth. Again, I sat back in appreciation. 

If this style of writing is something you enjoy, "The Hearing Test" is a book for you. Even if it's not, you might want to give it a try. At only 162 pages, it's not a big commitment. 

Note: Callahan is such a young author that her website is practically empty. You can, however, read an interview with her in BOMB Magazine by clicking here. 

And now it's time to get back to my book.  

"Style Masters: The Birth of the Graffiti Movement" at the Coral Springs Museum of Art

"Black Venus" by Lady Pink 
 

It seems a bit counterintuitive for there to be a Museum of Graffiti, much less a traveling exhibit mounted by the institution. After all, isn't graffiti something that's created in the dark of night on subway trains and walls, often illegally? Well, yes. But in 2019, veteran graffiti artist Alan Ket and lawyer Allison Freidin founded the museum to preserve graffiti's history and to celebrate the way the art form has made its way into design, fashion, advertising and galleries. The Museum is located in the Wynwood District of Miami, an area with dozens of street murals for art lovers to enjoy. It's a fun place to visit, but not nearly as convenient as the Coral Springs Museum located a few minutes from my sister's home. 

"Style Masters:The Birth of the Graffiti Movement" features work by more than 100 writers, or artists. (Referring to them as "writers" became the practice because of the importance of their signatures, or "tags." Yes, it's a whole different language.) It was hard to know where to focus with so many works on display. Still, I came away with some favorites. 

I was drawn to "Black Venus" by Lady Pink before I knew she's a bit of a legend. Lady Pink entered the male-dominated world of subway graffiti art when she bombed (painted) her first train at just 16 years old. Eventually she became known as the First Lady of Graffiti both for her own work and for establishing the Ladies of the Arts Crew as a way to help other women get into the world of tagging. The artists became known for their bold imagery and feminist themes. My nephew TJ and I were struck by the similarity between Lady Pink's "Black Venus" and the Statue of Liberty, a monument that has been used to call for women's suffrage rights since the late 19th century. Coincidence? I think not. 

Lady Pink's significance as an artist has been recognized by galleries and museums in New York, in part because she was one of the first graffiti artists to put her work on canvas. How else could a wider audience see her work? There's also the practical issue of creating art that can be sold. After all, these artists have to make a living. Today, Lady Pink's paintings can be found in the collections of the Whitney, the Met and the Brookyn Museum of Art. For more on this trailblazing artist, click here and here. 

With TJ in front of "Untitled" by SONIC BAD 

The murals by Sonic Bad were even more striking than this image, which doesn't begin to capture the intensity of the colors. I was jealous when I learned that they had been created onsite at the Museum. (FYI, they were painted on the equivalent of Saran Wrap that had been wrapped around a moveable wall. If you look closely you can see the ripples.) 

Sonic is another graffiti artist who got his start in the 1970s. He's best known for introducing 3D letter styles and transforming letters into characters. He has been involved in the hip hop movement since its early days and appeared with his crew in "seminal" hip hop films that I am shockingly unfamiliar with (not). Sonic is known for his ribbon style of work, which was on full display in the paintings in the exhibit. I had to laugh when I read that he's known for his gangster characters given the attitude TJ is showing in this picture. For more on Sonic and his work, click here.  

"Structurally sound 2" by Augustine Kofie (2013)

I would not have immediately identified the work of Augustine Kofie as graffiti. To me, it looks to me more like an architectural drawing than something you might see on the street. Kofie has acknowledged that his work doesn't follow the rule book for graffiti. But doesn't the whole idea of a "rule book" undercut what graffiti's all about? 

Kofie's style of art is known as graffuturism. It can be made on wood or canvas and often features recycled objects. Sounds like a collage to me. His objective is to create abstract RetroFuturistic visions. Huh? It's a style that involves looking into the past to see how people then envisioned the future. Admittedly, that description isn't overly helpful, but it appears that flying cars and robotic helpers are often part of the genre. If you want to dig more into this niche of the art world, Wiki can help by clicking here. And for more on Kofie and his work, click here. It's super interesting. 

Skate deck by unknown artist

Skateboard decks are a natural canvas for graffiti artists, and the exhibit included a number of examples of this style of work. While New York and Philly were the original homes of graffiti, skateboard art began in California, where skate culture ruled supreme. There's a reason skateboarding is sometimes referred to as "sidewalk surfing."

The exhibit contained ten skate decks that had been painted/collaged by various -- and, sadly, unnamed -- graffiti artists. The art is typically on the bottom of the deck so viewers can see it when the skater gets air. The concept became so popular that at one time the entire graphic design department of skateboard company Supreme was comprised of graffiti artists. 

Supreme's tradition of collaborating with artists continues today. And we're talking big names like Damien Hirst and Jeff Koons. Click here to see some of those designs. If you wonder if those skate decks are collectible, wonder no more. In 2006, a lot of three skateboards with art by Damien Hirst sold for $3,750 at Christies. Just three years later, five decks with art by Jeff Koons went for $15,000. Perhaps surprisingly, that's not much of a premium over what the decks were originally sold for by Supreme. At least the buyers got their money back (less Christies' commission). And for a really crazy story of a $20,000 skateboard created from the palette that was used to restore the $450MM Salvador Mundi painting, click here. But back to the exhibit...

Of the skateboards on display, the one above was my favorite. What detail and, yes, beauty. If you can, enlarge the brown area on the left and you'll find an image of some ancient Asian figures. I wish I knew their story. 

"Style Masters: The Birth of the Graffiti Movement" continues at the Coral Springs Museum of Art through September 4th and is well worth a visit if you're in the area. Click here for more information. And if you're in Miami, you can head to both the Museum of Graffiti and the Wynwood District for a fun day of art. Click here and here for more info on those art destinations. And for my own take on the Wynwood Walls, click here. Get out there and see some art!

Learning about the Birds and the Bees at the James Museum

Gunnison Sage-Crouse

The James Museum of Western Art in St. Pete is now home to an interesting exhibit entitled "Rare Air: Endangered Birds, Bats, Butterflies & Bees." The show features the work of wildlife illustrator Sarah Kaizar (with text by Scott Meiser) created for a book of the same name. Kaizar's objective is to make people both notice and appreciate the amazing species at risk of extinction. 

The entire exhibit is worth spending time with, but it was the birds that won the day for me. Seriously, how could you not smile when you come upon this image of a Gunnison Sage-Crouse? As I'm sure you know, it's the male birds that have flashy appearances. (Just to drive the point home, click here to see the female of this species.) Still, these birds rely on more than their appearance to attract a mate. Click here to see the Gunnison sage-crouse at work. Whoa. The male's performance includes both a mating call (sadly, this video has no sound) and moves worthy of a dance floor. Apparently if you come upon a group of these birds mating in the same place -- known as a lek -- your ears might think you've come upon a huge pot of boiling water. Who knew?   

California Condor

The California Condor population fell to 23 birds in the 1980s, a number that qualified the species to be categorized as extinct in the wild. One of the causes of the decline was lead poisoning caused by the scavengers' consumption of ammunition fragments. Thanks to a successful captive breeding and reintroduction program, the population of these somewhat ominous looking birds now stands at 500 strong. The breed is still "critically endangered," meaning that they face a very high possibility of extinction in the wild. 

Now for some fun facts about the California Condor. It is the largest bird in North America and can have a wingspan of 10 feet. They can weigh up to 25 pounds. Just think about trying to get airborne at that size. I would like to see one of these birds taking a running start before jumping off a cliff and heading off to places unknown to search for food. Because they feed on animal carcasses, they are considered the "clean up crew" of the wild. The thought of it makes me turn up my nose, but their scavenging provides a vital service. Since carcasses can be a source of disease and contaminate the environment, they are a health risk to wildlife, lifestock and even humans. So, thanks, condors! 

Portrait of one of 250+ species of bumblebees

For a bit of variety, let's turn to the humble bumblebee. If you're like me, you flee any time a bee buzzes near you. But these insects serve an important function in our ecosystem as pollinators. "Buzz pollination" is a special skill wherein the bee takes a flower in its tiny jaws and vibrates its wings to shake pollen loose. As a bit of an aside, the "bee" portion of the expression "the birds and the bees" comes from this pollination prowess. The reference to "birds" is derived from the opportunity to give a child a little sex education when it sees a bird lay an egg. 

One reason bumblebees are important is that they can function at colder temperatures than many insects. This is because they shiver when they fly in cooler climates as a way of warming their bodies. As a result, they are able to provide their pollination services later into the fall and earlier in the spring than other pollinators. 

If this talk of bumblebees has made you think of the song "Flight of the Bumble Bee" by Rimsky-Korsakov, click here to hear floutist James Galway perform it. How could I resist?

Black Rosy Finch

I'll leave you with Kaizar's illustration of a Black Rosy Finch. It's a bird even the most dedicated bird watcher might not check off her list because they nest high above the treelines in snowy mountaintops, cliffs and rockslides in only a few Western states. As a result, they are sometimes referred to as the most mysterious bird in North America. 

Because they live in a somewhat inhospitable climate, finding food nearby is not always easy for the Black Rosy Finch. This could be problematic, especially for a parent with a baby bird at home. But the species has adapted. Black Rosy Finches have a special pouch under their mouths for storing extra food. (I call that pouch a purse.) 

And here's another fun fact. During non-breeding season, the beaks of a Black Rosy Finch are yellow; during breeding season they turn black. This change is a result of both diet and hormonal changes. It's kind of like seasonally changing your hair color. I like it. 

These are just a few of the creatures featured in "Rare Air: Endangered Birds, Bats, Butterflies and Bees." As I said at the top, it's an interesting show. One note, however. The description of the birds, etc. on the artwork is in a yellow font that's nearly impossible to read (even with the magnifying glasses offered to visitors). So be prepared to struggle on that front, which was apparently the choice of the artist rather than the Museum. The exhibit runs through September 14th. Click here for more information. And for more on artist Sarah Kaizar, click here.  

Direct from Gee's Bend - Quilters Loretta Pettway Bennett and Louisiana Bendolph

Loretta Pettway Bennett and Louisiana Bendolph 

"The quilts gave us a voice." 

With these simple words, Louisiana Bendolph summed up the history of the quilters of Gee's Bend, Alabama. The tradition of women quilting in this small community -- current population approximately 250 -- dates back to the days of slavery. They scavenged fabric from whatever was available -- be it a worn out work shirt, a frayed blanket or a feed bag -- cut the materials into pieces and stitched them together into quilts. There was no pattern or purposeful design; the creations were strictly utilitarian. A quilt might have been put on the floor and used as a rug or on the bed for warmth. It might even have been hung on a wall, but not as art. Instead, its purpose would have been to keep out the cold. Fast forward to the 1960s, when a minister on the hunt for folk art came through their tiny community and saw their work in a new light. That happenstance not only changed the lives of the people in Gee's Bend forever; it also impacted the world of modern art. But first, more about the history of the community. 

Housetop Variation quilt by Louisiana Bendolph (2007)

Gee's Bend is located in the bend of the Alabama River and is part of the region known as the Black Belt. The name comes from the rich black soil there that made the area perfect for growing cotton and tobacco. In fact, Louisiana grew up picking cotton. She noted with an ironic smile that the same cotton she hated to pick now hangs on museum walls. Camden, the county seat, is located just across the River from Gee's Bend and can be reached by taking a 15 minute ferry ride. An easy journey, until it wasn't. 

The people of Gee's Bend were politically active during the Civil Rights Movement. Martin Luther King visited Camden, and many of the Gee's Bend citizens went to hear him speak. They were inspired by his words, and many residents both participated in demonstrations and registered -- or at least tried to register -- to vote. The County's response was to terminate the ferry service, an action that made Camden much more difficult to reach. What had been a short ferry ride now required a 45 minute drive. The ferry service was not reinstated for more than four decades. The community became so isolated that they didn't hear about MLK's assassination until well after it had happened. 

Maquette for American Housetop (for the Arnetts)
by Louisiana Bendolph (2005)

It was in the midst of this political turmoil that Father Francis X. Walter spied a quilt made by one of the women of Gee's Bend hanging from a clothesline. Walter had $700 in his pocket to buy folk art that would be auctioned off in New York, with the proceeds going to his church. When he met the women of Gee's Bend, that plan went out the window. 

Walter did use the funds to buy quilts from the women (for $10 each) and sold them at auction in New York. But the proceeds went back to the community rather than to his church. Suddenly the same quilts that the women of Gee's Bend had been making for more than a century were no longer utilitarian; they were art. The women gained economic independence from the sale of their work, and they liked it. They established the Freedom Quilting Bee as a vehicle for their business. After a few years, they diversified into making corduroy pillow shams that were so popular that Sears Roebuck came calling. At the height of their work for Sears, the women produced 30,000 shams every six months (which, if you do the math, is 200 shams per day). While the original Freedom Quilting Bee is no longer in existence, a new non-profit named the Freedom Quilting Bee Legacy has been established, and Loretta is a member of the Board of Directors. For more information on the Bee, click here. 

"Blues" by Loretta Bennett (2007)

Today the quilters of Gee's Bend are established artists in the world of art. Their first museum exhibit was held at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston in 2002. Since then,their work has been exhibited in group and solo shows at museums and galleries across the country, including the Whitney Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. As I write, their work is on display at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin. And, like other popular artists, their work has been reproduced in many forms. There are Gee's Bend puzzles and bags and notecards. One of Louisiana's quilts was converted into a sculpture made of ceramic tile that hangs in the San Francisco Airport. (You can see it by clicking here.) And thanks to Paulson Fontaine Press, the work of the Gees Bend quilters has been immortalized as prints. some of which are now on display at Sarasota Art Museum (SAM).   

I mentioned at the top that the quilts made by the women of Gee's Bend have inspired many artists working today. Take, for instance, Amy Sherald's official portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama. Sherald chose the dress Obama is wearing in part because the design evoked the work of the Gee's Bend quilters. You can see it once you know what you're looking for. Lillian Blades, an artist whose work is now on display at SAM, noted in her artist talk that the creations of the Gee's Bend women are recalled in the improvisational nature of her own work. Like the quilters, Blades makes her art of whatever bits and pieces have found their way into her studio. Her veils in particular have a quilt-like quality to them. Click here for an example of Blades' work now on display. There are many more examples, but I've already gone on too long. 

"Personal to Political: Celebrating the African American Artists of Paulson Fontaine Press" runs through this Sunday, so time is short to see the exhibit. There are quilts, maquettes for prints and prints on display, so you get to see the entire gamut of their work. For a wonderful video of Louisiana and some of the other women working at Paulson Fontaine, click here. And for a deep dive into the quilters of Gee's Bend, click here. It's an incredibly special story. 

"Chris Friday: Where We Never Grow Old" at Sarasota Art Museum

I've been a docent at Sarasota Art Museum for a while now, and Chris Friday's "Where We Never Grow Old" has been of my favorite exhibits to share with visitors. The works in the show -- her first solo museum exhibit -- are extremely personal. There are paintings of her mother and her daughters. There are sculptures of foods that she associates with her childhood. There is "bling" that recalls the heavy gold jewelry she wore when she was younger. But her art is more than just an homage to her family and her younger self. Each work has layers of meaning, so it can be appreciated on multiple levels. To me, that's the best kind of art. The icing on the cake (or should I say yolk in the deviled egg?) is that Friday created every work in the show for this exhibit. 

One of two parts of "Future Venus" 

When you enter the gallery, the life-sized paintings grab the viewer's attention. I always invite visitors to get up close to one of the works to see if they can figure out the medium. It's clearly not paint, but what are the other options? Pencil? Nope. Pastel? That's not it either. Hmm. Then comes the reveal: It's chalk that Friday bought at Target. Cue the surprise. It's mind-boggling to think that the same piece of chalk a kid might use to draw a hopscotch board on a sidewalk could be used to create something so detailed and beautiful. The chiarascuro (light/dark) effect that Friday achieves by using black paper as her canvas is truly remarkable. Caravaggio himself would be proud. 

Visitors often ask what Friday uses as a fixative to ensure that the chalk doesn't smudge. Once again, the answer is surprising. Nothing. What??? Yep. If you were to brush up against a work, you'd come away with some chalk on you. Yikes! This might lead you to wonder what happens when the exhibit closes and the work has to be moved. Friday will place each painting between two sheets of glassine paper, roll it up, and turn it over to the art handlers. If the work gets dinged up in transit, the damage serves as a simile for the way Black bodies are often harmed. Yes, even the way her art is transported has meaning.

One of three parts of "Mother/Midas As Liminal Space"

An image of Friday's mother surrounded by deviled eggs and bologna and other types of food can be found on another wall. The food items are made of ceramic, a medium that Friday noted is simultaneously durable and fragile. Again, the works serve as an analogy for the body. Then there's the installation's backstory. 

Friday recalled coming home from school with friends and her mother asking, "Did you eat?" Of course, kids are always hungry, so her mom would open the refrigerator and peer in to see what was there. To Friday, it didn't look like much. Somehow, though, her mother would put together a veritable feast. One day there would be hot dogs and potato salad; another some fried bologna and deviled eggs. (Note: The name for the ceramic eggs collectively is "The only thing deviled here are the eggs." I love it.) To see a video in which Friday pays homage to her mother's ability to put together a meal for Friday and her friends, click here. Creating the sculpture comprised of 1,000 grains of ceramic rice was a true labor of love. 

Sadly, the last day to see "Chris Friday: Where We Never Grow Old" is Sunday, August 9th. So time is short, whether seeing this exhibit has been on your "to do" list or you've been meaning to make a return visit. Do not miss this show! While you're there, make sure to check out "Personal to Political: Celebrating the African American Artists of Paulson Fontaine Press." This exhibit features prints made by artists known for their work in other mediums and is also closing on August 9th. Click here for more information. Happy viewing!