Museums and Quilt Mania II

Downtown Dallas, Dallas Museum of Art sculpture

I ended the year 2008 by going to Dallas, Tx. for the weekend. My family and I decided to make it a cultural weekend by visiting museums in the Fort Worth and Dallas area. Upon arriving in the area , we started by stopping at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. Just looking at this beautiful building that sits on a pool of water is a treat for the eye and being in that building gives me a sense of peace and tranquility that is hard to explain. After seeing the current exhibits, no photos since photography is not allowed in this particular place, we walked over to the Kimbell Museum to look at art from the Old Masters. The Kimbell has among many artifacts and sculptures an excellent collection of paintings from Miro, Monet, Murillo, El Grecco, Picasso, etc. It is a very fine museum filled with masterpieces.
The next day, just a few blocks away from our hotel, we went to the Old Red Museum in downtown Dallas. The Old Red Museum of Dallas County and Culture gives you a glimpse of the history of the city with interesting displays. The museum is also hosting some quilts from the ongoing exhibit Quilt Mania II, for more information check out www.quiltmania.org (photos below)

Myrtle's Friends-
Chaired by Dna Ryan Perez and Sharon Lynn Martinez. Hand quilted by Cynthia Bennett

Snowflakes-Chaired by Rhonda Anderson

I "Heart" quilt- By Richard Larson

Art Nouveau Garden Party- Chaired by Sandy Bawner

Birds of a Feather
Chaired by Debbie Tribble and Richard Larson. Quilted by Richard Larson

Baskets Full
Chaired by Carol Morrissey, quilted by Carol McLeroy


Just around the corner from the Old Red Museum is Dealey Plaza, the site of John F. Kennedy's assasination. The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza has all the memorabilia, photos, videos, etc of JFK's tragic visit to Dallas.

Old Red Museum


Dealey Plaza

After visiting this two places we rushed to the Dallas Museum of Art because we had tickets to see the King Tutankamun exhibit that has been traveling the country. It took a while for us to get in even though we had timed tickets. The exhibit was good but not exactly what I had expected. Even so I was glad to have seen it with my family.

This same museum had an special exhibit called "Take your time" by Olafur Eliasson. I was able to take some photos while there. Take your time refers to ‘the time the viewer decides to invest in looking at the work of art, and the time that the work of art engages the viewer and makes him/her stay to experience it.’”
"Olafur Eliasson exhibit is designed to encourage viewers to understand the range of this artist’s methodology, with each gallery demonstrating one of five fundamental aspects of his practice: a distinctive use of mirrors to displace the viewer’s perception of both object and self; an exploration of light and optical phenomena via immersive environments that rely upon the viewer for full effect; a deep attention to and manipulation of landscape referents; a disposition toward scientific methods and materials, including the willful exposure of the creative process; and, finally, photographic suites of the Icelandic landscape"
It is very interesting to see 3,000 years old artifacts from an ancient culture and then switch to a contemporary exhibition that borders on the abstract. Quite a contrast.
I came back home tired and excited. Tired from all the walking we did and excited by thinking of all the possible ways to incorporate what I saw into my fiber art pieces.