Yes, Sir, It's Museum Art --- Day 8/33

Walk: de Young Museum
Distance: 5.6 miles, Yoga

Viola Frey (1933-2004), Man Observing, Series II, 1984, Glazed Earthenware with Steel Plate

This ceramic work by Viola Frey brings a smile of recognition to Ciwt's face whenever she sees it at the de Young Museum.  You don't have to know a thing about art to know what the artist is saying here - at nearly 9' and brightly colored, more like shouting.

In the 1980's when Frey began making her monumental ceramic sculptures exploring issues of gender, past and present, you can be sure she encountered suits one after another with hands on their male hips and saying "No!"  "No, that's not art."  "No, that isn't what sculpture is all about."  "No, you can't be shown in in 'my' museum."  "No, No, No..."  

Frey stood right up to them; she had to, the museum world was completely dominated by men.  And, guess what, she stretched the limits of free-standing sculpture right into important art (not just craft) collections. Her brash talent spoke to the man, and her pieces have been standing tall for decades now in museums like the de Young, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, and other first class museums all over the world. 

Shopping Around --- Day 8/31 & 32

Walk: Sutter Upholstery (Finally settled on couch slipcover fabric for cats to destroy), PGCC Book Group (The Address)
Distance: 2.4  miles, small yoga

Wearing her Professional Shopper Hat Ciwt stopped by one of her favorite stores to say goodbye.  Luckily it isn't closing but moving to a larger, more visible location nearby.  Ciwt will miss its more cozy, charming place on Maiden Lane where she spent many hours over the years.

How much is that shiny cat in the window?

If cat mom Ciwt allowed herself to load up on kitty kitsch, she'd defintely consider this ceramic dude.

Methinks Not Necessarily --- Day 8/30

Walk: Cinema Club (It's All True), Japantown Cherry Blossom Festival
Distance: 3.6 miles, small yoga

As one reviewer wrote in part "....I would have settled for some of it being interesting."  He's referring to the film All is True, produced, directed and starred in by Kenneth Branagh.  Ciwt wouldn't go that far although there are long stretches of utter dullness.  But there is one 8 minute scene with Branagh and Ian McKellen that is worth the entire price of admission for those who love the stage.

PS - Nearly all the 'truth' in the movie is debatable. 

Where's My Seat? --- Day 8/29

Walk: Union Square (The Jungle)
Distance: 3.6 miles, small yoga

Maybe you remember the gorgeous remodeled Curran Theater from an earlier CIWT:

Here is today for its current offering The Jungle:

They somehow leveled the entire orchestra section, covered it with dirt and converted it into a makeshift refugee restaurant with the audience at the tables or, like Ciwt, on a pillow on the floor.
The audience members became refugees, part of the experience of those in Calais, France in 2015 waiting/hoping for passage across the English Channel to England.

Ciwt knew what was ahead when she bought her ticket for The Jungle, and she was concerned the play would be overwrought, emotional, political - ie, Hea-vy. But, no, it was human, humane, intelligent, highly entertaining and very thought-provoking.  Also a bit physically taxing; some audience members had to get out of the way of the action or were seated in the midst of it.  Ciwt and the long legged, spike heeled woman next to her just had to keep giving each other room to stretch our legs on the 'ground.'  But of course the inclusive discomfort and unpredictability was the point of The Jungle.

That Would Be Mrs. --- Day 8/28

Walk: Presidio
Distance: 3 miles, Pedal, Yoga

Here is the list of the Women Artists who were included to show in the 1894 Midwinter Fair, an international extravaganza held here in Golden Gate Park:  

The list is noteworthy because in 1894 women all over the world were in the early stages of fighting for recognition as independent artists in their own right.  And this list is extensive.  Congratulations are due. As she reads down it Ciwt sees  several women who painted under their married names, under Mrs....Perhaps they felt more comfortable with that formality, or perhaps they still did not see themselves as individual entities in society or perhaps their husbands insisted.  She also sees a Mr. on the list.  That might be a typo or it may be that C.E.Mavis felt she could not command attention not to mention sales if she painted under a female name.

No Flower Child --- Days 8/25, 26, 27

Walk: 1. Nails   2. de Young, Legion (Tour Prep); PGCC (Bridge)  3. Marin Driving Day
Distance: 1. 1 allergy mile   2. 1.5 allergy miles   3. 6 allergy blocks, Yoga

So Ciwt's spring is gorgeous here in San Francisco -  when she can appreciate it through her sneezes scratchy eyes and general slowed down-ness.  

Pollen flying off branches

Two 'Towers' --- Day 8/24

Walk: Research for Ciwt's Art and History Tour Begins
Distance: A few blocks, Pedal, Yoga

          Original de Young Museum 1914

                                                     Current de Young Museum

What a difference a couple of earthquakes make.  The original de Young was outgrows, enlarged, destroyed by the 1906 earthquake and replaced by a new museum.  But that one was damaged in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake and 'replaced' by the current iteration above.  Well, at least they both have towers. That's another - and controversial - story.

Just Looking, Just in Case --- Day 8/23

Walk: Open Houses
Distance: 5 miles

As CIWT readers know, Ciwt Loves her little home.  But occasionally she goes out into "the most expensive U.S. residential real estate market" just to keep informed just in case.  Some things are more fun to learn about than others.  The price$, I Yi Yi.