During our gallivanting around yesterday, we also took in the Phoenix Art Museum.
Mem made it known though that before we even started looking at ANYTHING that it was necessary for her to eat. She needed the strength to endure what she was about to do. We couldn't easily get to a food establishment nearby, so we decided to try and eat at the cafe inside.
As we walked into the museum cafe, I had to take a deep breath because it seemed that there wasn't anyone under the age of 55 sitting at any of the tables. I know my kids - they talk like everyone around them is deaf and it was VERY quiet in the cafe with quite a number of people. What the heck! Let's give it a shot - I was in that adventerous frame of mind anyways.
While business meetings were going on, ladies groups conversing, I was observing how ALL of my children hold glasses the same way and I was taking pictures...
Where and when did they learn to do that? What makes them want to hold a glass like that? I watched Mem hold her glass like that and all I could think about was how many napkins were on the table so that I was prepared to clean up.
While sitting there, I realized that Mem had this strange red ring around her mouth and that others probably thought she had some disease.
But it was just a red ring from the jell-o cup that she decided to eat out of directly instead of using an eating utensil of any type.
Sis was just along for the ride today...love her!
In the Art Museum there is an area that is for kids - it is called PhxArtKids. This is cool little area. There are 6 real pieces of art under heavy Plexiglas (gee, I wonder why) for the kids to observe and do a related activity. This was the favorite one.
Below it is a puzzle of the same exact sculpture that needs to be put together.
Under the puzzle a poem is reflected back up to the person that completes it.
This was Pook's side of the sculpture:
Next stop...the galleries. Let me just preface this part of the story with Mem was in a feisty mood at this point. I won't say anymore. Let me continue with what we did.
We have been to a number of museums back in the Bay Area. The kids are familiar with the rules and most of the time we are not the only young family that is enjoying the art around us. This time... at this particular museum... we were the ONLY young family there and I think that security made a point of following us throughout all of the displays. I couldn't get them to smile at us for the life of me and I tried to smile and talk with them any chance I got!
We had never seen a display like this one:
There were a couple dozen of these Minature Rooms replicated in historic American, English, French and Italian interiors. Pook's favorite was an Art Deco one but the shot was to dark to post.
The galleries were nice. We were able to see artists that we hadn't seen before and we looked for a few Impressionist artists that we were familiar with (due to an art game I had purchased).
While we walked through the European Gallery, Pook and I started to hear Mem "shooting". We turned around and to our amazement, here she was standing in front of this painting...
with a pretend holster and her hands becoming her "gun". She was shooting this lovely lady... as a matter of fact, she started shooting all the paintings we were walking by.
In my most loving and quiet manner I said to her, "Mem, knock it off! You are gonna get us kicked out! I need to hold your hand now."
At this point, she stops....folds her arms...tells me "No" and I melt down to her level. "Mem, I need to hold your hand now, you aren't following the rules. When we get downstairs I will let you walk on your own."
She still refuses.
An older man, who had just turned the corner, stops and begins to watch me with Mem (we had run into him in the Miniature Room). He is smiling as he is watching what is going on.
I didn't say anymore to Mem, I just held out my hand and waited until she grabbed it. As Mem and I walked past the man holding hands, he reaches out and pats me on the back, chuckles and tells me "It'll be o.k."
I had to smile and laugh. I knew it would be - this is completely typical of Mem.
We could only do a little more of the museum..o,k. let's be real, I could only go through the museum with Mem a little longer... so we decided to take in the Contemporary gallery. We turned the corner and all of us gasped with "That is so cool!" with this one...
I think that is because of the Chihuly Glass exhibit in the Desert Botanical Gardens the week before. This was HUGE and amazing!
Then things started to take a different turn on the viewing of art.
Sis became indignant that people would ruin good books by plastering them onto a canvas for a piece of art. She had a completely disgusted look on her face and let me know how she felt.
Pook wondered why someone would make a picture that looked like a chalkboard with doodlings on it and call it art.
I became quite amused as I listened to them - their observations were intriguing and I started to see how they viewed things.
We were able to experience art - whether we liked the pieces or not - that is all part of learning! Now we are off on another adventure today - one of our favorites - the Arizona Science Center!
