Festivals, Museums, and Architecture

(The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art)

Days of work combined with days of play...now that makes for a pleasant blend!  That's what the last 9 days have been for me.  Northwest Arkansas provided the scene for all my activity the past week.  First came the Bella Vista Arts and Crafts Festival where I had a booth selling my artwork and prints.  Meeting new people and interacting with fellow artists makes for good networking.  

(The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art)

One of the highlights of my Arkansas stay was studying at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.  This beautiful facility was built by Walmart and has a good foundation of supporters.  If you ever are around the Bella Vista, Arkansas area, take the time to explore and enjoy some great art and surroundings.  Admission is free!  Thank you, Walmart!

The above photo shows the third floor library at the museum.  I could absolutely spend hours studying in the thousands of great art volumes.  Going to have to schedule time down the road dedicated to that purpose.

(Mildred B. Cooper Chapel)

My older brother Gordon gave me another highlight during my time in Arkansas.  Monday night we sat and watched a documentary he had of the Arkansas architect Fay Jones.  Mr. Jones had mentored under the great architect Frank Lloyd Wright.  Then all of Tuesday, Gordon toured me around northwest Arkansas to view various structures designed by Fay Jones.  This chapel is one of them in the beautiful woods near Bella Vista.

Another structure of Fay Jones we visited was a home owned by a local Springdale farmer.  He was thrilled to take us on a tour of his home.  I wrote lots of notes down as he talked about the design, construction, and actual interaction and character of Fay Jones throughout the process.

Fay Jones' philosophy was to build a structure that complemented the surrounding environment and blended in with the landscape.  He wanted the land to look better for having his building on it, than it would look without it.  Fay Jones inspired his contractors to build every part with the best of all your life in it.  And then to build the remotest corner with the same quality as the front door.  Do you see some good life applications here?  I sure did!!  

Fay also taught that the greatest task an architect has is how they handle light.  That certainly is a part of my task, as well, for my artwork.

One significant note of interest to me was an observation Frank Lloyd Wright made of his student Fay Jones.  Mr. Wright said he built horizontally in his design to leave God out, but that Fay Jones built vertically to point to God.  Philosophy/world view matters in everything we do...that's where it all starts....in what we believe.  It then ripples out from there to everything we do.  And you can see and experience that in the structures of these architects.  Being in the beautiful Mildred B. Cooper Chapel was a beautifully inspiring experience.  

I conclude this blog with a sketch done just this morning by my 14 year old nephew Josh Milligan.  He was sitting at my drawing desk taking a Spanish test for his teacher Mom who is attending my father's surgery this morning.  Here is how he finished up that exam....this is what my drawing desk looks like:

Keep pushing the pencil, Josh!  I love your delicious sense of detail and line!

Be brave and courageous!