Monday, April 24, 2006

A Wonderful New Exhibit

Yes, it's raining again today! The proverbial April Showers I guess. The Connecticut Plein Air Painters Society had their first paint-out scheduled for today and tomorrow...however I think we're rained out. I'm very disappaointed as I've been looking forward to this for weeks. The paint-out was to be at Hill-Stead Museum. I plan on making a trip there to paint as soon as I possibly can. I've lived in Connecticut for close to 20 years and somehow missed this treasure, so I'm very anxious to go.

Below is something I wanted to call your attention to. A wonderful new exhibit coming to the Florence Griswold Museum in June. A pairing of poetry and paintings. And you know how I LOVE poetry. Plus this particular poetry celebrates the quest for freedom a noble and uplifting subject. The exhibit is called Freedom Business: Connecticut Landscapes Through the Eyes of Venture Smith.

This installation features 14 poems by Connecticut’s Poet Laureate Marilyn Nelson that were inspired by the life of Venture Smith (c. 1730-1805), a former slave who purchased his freedom and that of his wife and children. The poems are paired with paintings from the Museum’s collection to help visitors imagine the landscapes in which Venture traveled, toiled, and eventually triumphed. By using the very personal media of art and poetry, the exhibition offers an intimate approach to a complex period in Connecticut and American history. The exhibition is organized by the Florence Griswold Museum in association with Soul Mountain Retreat of East Haddam, Connecticut.








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