Woven Histories Textiles at the National Gallery of Art

We hadn’t been to the National Gallery of Art for a while, so we decided to stop in on one of our morning walks on the National Mall. There was a textile exhibit I wanted to check out. Before we got in the building there was a cleaning crew working from a two level scaffolding. They were washing down the huge sculpture that sits on front of the main entrance to the east gallery building. It was a sight to see! The textile exhibit was interesting in that two of the photos I took were eventually used for my 52Frames weekly photo challenge. Of course, that meant we visited the gallery twice in two weeks because you have to take the photo during the week of the challenge. The colors and the textures of the pieces were varied and really intricate. I rarely stop to read about the works of art - I mostly meander around and take photos of the things I find most appealing. Then I’ll use the photos for this blog and the photo challenges. It’s so great to have this opportunity to discover new exhibits and visit whenever we like. I much preferred the quietness during the pandemic to the a crowds and bustle and hassle of the tourists and visitors now. But as long as we are able to visit we will and this is one good reason to take a ride in to town. 

52Frames Detail Photo Trending

I belong to a weekly photo challenge called 52Frames. There are generally 2500 to 3000 entries. Although it is not a “contest,” there are ways for your photo to stand out from the rest. Obviously being selected as one of the top three is the best - and I don’t think that will ever happen since my camera is my phone and I am not a photographer - I just love to take photos. And I also love to create composite images using procreate. Another way is to have your photo highlighted on instagram. I know it’s happened at least two times - but I think maybe three - before I realized it was happening! Another way to be recognized is to have your photo selected in the top 52. I’ve been fortunate enough that it has happened five times in two and a half years. Then one week a fellow framer told me that my photo was “trending” on the 52Frames website. During the week there are three photos that are updated at certain intervals. I don’t know what the criteria is. But since she told me I have been looking at the website daily to see how it works, and also informing fellow framers when their photos are trending. And since she told me about this trending my photo(s) has been highlighted every week since! Perhaps they have been highlighted before that but I rarely looked at the website during the week. So this week my image was in the top three again for about a day. I contacted 52Frames to see what the criteria was, but nothing specific was given. All I care is that it is such fun to see when my photos are part of the rotation. I’d like to make it a habit! 

52Frames Details Weekly Photo Challenge

The subject for the 52Frames photo challenge this week was “details.” And the textile exhibit at the National Gallery of Art had a piece that caught my eye the week before. So we went back to take more photos of it. I liked the color and the overall appearance. It reminded me of the old macrame rope stuff I used to do. I wanted to create a composite - even though the solid black backdrop really made the details pop. I had an old photo of a wall in front of the Natural History Museum that had complimentary colors in it. That would become the backdrop for the textile - because the wall itself was detailed as well. But in order to give the garment a bit of depth a duplicate was created which suggested a slight shadow. I also tried several other duplicates against solid backgrounds. I can never decide which photo looks the best so I always follow my husband’s recommendation - even though I don’t always agree. I really enjoy creating composite images like this because it’s so much more than just taking a photo and editing it. This becomes a project and it’s a lot more fun. And I really appreciate all of the kind words I get from people all over the world. 

Winterthur Gardens, Galleries, and Vintage Cars

This weekend we drove to Wilmington Delaware to visit the costumes of Downton Abbey that are on exhibit at Winterthur, the home of the Dupont family. The previous blog has photos of all the finery. But there is also a lot more to be seen here starting with the beautiful informal as well as formal gardens. Right after we got our tickets for the exhibit at the visitor center, we boarded a tram that took us on a thirty minute narrated tour through the gorgeous gardens surrounding the house. The azaleas were in bloom and the natural displays were delightful. Because we had timed tickets for the exhibit, we spent a few minutes in the gallery where furniture, silver, and textiles were on display. Unfortunately we didn't have enough time to actually see the DuPont home... which is an eight story structure, with three underground. The formal gardens had the perfect set up for a wedding. On the way back we decided to walk and ran in to another display - this one was vintage automobiles. Because of the Downton Abbey theme and time period, the exhibit included a few Rolls Royce's and Pierce's. I wouldn't know the difference, but the cars were very well preserved and /or updated.  The inside of the vehicles looked more like amusement park rides. It would have been fun to take a ride in one, just to get a taste of the time. One car had a rumble seat - something my mother was familiar with. Living in DC really affords us the opportunity to see a variety of places that are not too far away. The main attraction was Chicago when we lived in Milwaukee. It's a great city, but a real pain in the neck to drive through it to get anywhere else.