Ringling Art Museum, a Day of Glass, Style, and Art

 

Last year we traveled to Sarasota to spend a day at the Ringling Brothers Circus Museum and while there we were also treated to the Ringling Art Museum. Learning that the Art Museum was free on Mondays, we planned on returning to spend a full day of Art.

Renita had discovered that the museum had two special shows. One was a private collection of art glass and the other was a display called Icons of Style. So as we entered we headed to the special shows starting our tour with the Glass Exhibit.

Now Renita and I sometimes work with glass, and while we love its beauty it’s a frustrating material that flaws and fractures easily, like amethyst, so as we walked into the gallery we both stopped in amazement as we saw the massive glass works.

Knowing something of glass castings, at least for telescope lenses, I had no idea that such large glass pieces could be made without shearing off and cracking. I never saw a single flaw or fracture. The colors were amazing and the flowing glass had allowed the glass makers a freedom that we who work in rock can only stand in awe. The glass free forms made me realize that we both could and should explore more shapes with our rock and now I regret leaving our grinding wheels back in Wyoming, (I am possessed with the need to work rock).

Next we entered the Icons of Style, an exhibit of designer sketches and dresses, all worn by famous women. Again I was captivated at the artist ability shown by the designers. I laughed at a ruffled outfit worn by Joan Rivers and wondered what she would say of it today as she bullies so many with her fashion television show.

One room was composed mostly by the theme of Jackie Kennedy’s impact on the fashion world of the sixties. In another we were treated to a Dior Dress covered figurines of crystals and gold wire. The most surprising dress was a gown covered with dyed chicken feathers.

We spent so much time on the two special exhibits that the time flew by and so we were again rushed through the rest of the Museum. Still we had time to pause and be moved by The Blue Madonna, attributed to Carlo Dolci. It’s an oil painting and the color brings out the sadness in Madonna’s down cast face. It speaks of all the sorrow we all have in our lives and brings humanity to Mary that I had never appreciated before.

Too soon it was time to leave, but not before we purchased a print of Dolci’s work. It’s obvious that one day at the museum is simply not enough and so we hope to return another time. If not this year perhaps next and again I am sure will  not have enough time to do justice to the art.  Clear skies