Chihuly inspires great video coverage

Dale Chihuly gave a tour of his installation to working media at VMFA. Some beautiful and informative videos resulted. Which is your favorite? Richmond.com did a wonderful job, as always. A new group, Suggested Serving, has made a great entry into our local media and social media community. The Glass Master Arrives: Chihuly at VMFA…

Sarah Eckhart

Judith Godwin was inspired by dance

As I listened to Dr. Sarah Eckhart, the Assistant Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, and Robbie Kinter, from VCU’s Department of Dance and Choreography, discussing the relationship between modern dance and Judith Godwin’s paintings, I felt a real connection with Ms. Godwin. Sarah and Robbie made her come alive just like her oversized canvases. …

cake

Better Than the Eiffel Tower

My husband and I took our eleven year old granddaughter to Paris this past summer.  When asked what she wanted to see, she quickly responded– the Eiffel Tower.  We couldn’t argue with that.  Who doesn’t like the Eiffel Tower?  Loving French cuisine, we next focused on lunch.  A friend recommended the Jules Verne restaurant, located…

Anna Laughter

Outstanding young talent gains national attention

Anna Laughter is a rising 10th grader at Douglas Freeman HS in Henrico County. Last year as a freshman she took Art I under the instruction of Erin Murtagh. Her teacher submitted one of Anna’s drawings into The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards 2012 contest. Her drawing has received a number of awards and distinctions…

Mann Antietem

Antietam and the Civil War – another artist’s perspective

Yesterday’s post on Antietam has relevance today with the PBS airing of “Death and the Civil War” tonight at 8 pm EST. According to the WCVE Community Idea Stations: “The shattering Civil War death toll transformed hundreds of thousands of individual lives and the life of the nation as well, from its understanding of the…

Antietum

Anniversary of Antietam

One-hundred fifty years ago today, 160 miles north of Richmond, a horrific battle near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and Antietam Creek marked the turning point in the Civil War. It was the first major confrontation in the conflict to take place on Union soil and remains the single deadliest day in American history with over 23,000 casualties…

Tom Brinda

Clip, dig, and laugh

As a veteran docent of twelve years, I thought no experience at VMFA could rival time spent in the galleries. One of my greatest joys is researching and learning about the art and conversing about it with visitors. This July I was pleasantly surprised to find just how enjoyable volunteering in the sculpture garden could…

Little Girl with Dead Leaves

An uncommon vision

When looking through preview photos on the VMFA’s website, I stumbled upon Édouard Boubat’s Little Girl with Dead Leaves. It is a hauntingly beautiful image, one of melancholy and wonder, and is featured in our free exhibition, “Visions of France.” Boubat, only 20 when he captured the image, wrote a poem about his encounter and…

lilly

A beautiful and symbolic flower

Yesterday was a positively beautiful day.  With the sunshine warming me through wispy clouds and a cool breeze gently carrying the air, I slowly strolled past the reflecting pool.  Shallow and clear, the pool is home to tall grasses and floating water lilies, but my gaze lingered on the lotus.  The bright white petals, blossoming…