Around the World with Marsha & Joel

Marsha and I will be heading off for Israel and Jordan in a few days. Just wanted to let you know in case you wanted to come along…via our blog posts. As a past subscriber You’ll be getting email notices each time we post. Of course you can read or ignore…or unsubscribe. Better yet, read, or just look at the photos and send your comments (that really makes us feel like you’re with us!).

This post is also serving as a test since we’re using a new iPad as our communication platform. So, we’d really appreciate some feedback as to how the type and photos (clarity and size) are translating. The following are a few photos from a recent visit in the snow to our local Grounds For Sculpture. I’ll post them in a couple of sizes. Let me know which looks best on your screen. (If you would like to see all the photos, let me know and I’ll send you a link to the gallery).

Enjoy. Be well. And please join us on this new adventure.

Medium Size???

Large Size???

Here are just a couple more (large):

Thanks!

Our last day in Miami. We check out of the hotel, hop into the rental car and decide to do some “art” hopping before catching our late PM flight.

First stop is in the much ballyhooed Wynwood Arts District — an old industrialized, warehouse district in the western part of Miami — that is now a magnet for galleries, museums, and artists’ work-spaces.

The Rubell Family Collection is an eclectic, exciting, gathering of contemporary artwork. 27 galleries chock full of familiar and unfamiliar, new art. This work by Oscar Murillo (among four other huge site-specific paintings) is astounding.

Winding our way from gallery to gallery, an amazing and often exciting collection unfolds. We’re not sure if these Bud cans are an exhibit or just ready for a Superbowl party???

Part of the “Alone Together” current exhibition.

Marsha – Alone Together….

After iconic Japanese art….

We head out on foot to explore Wynwood. Old buildings like these have gotten the contemporary art treatment…and it all works.

Vibrant murals are everywhere.

We watched the young artist — displaying her creations in this gallery — as she painted the outside wall of the building, advertising her work.

Even the crosswalks get in on the act.

The Beatles too…”art is all you need”….

A courtyard between a couple of restaurants that’s been “attacked” by a few of local artists. It’s everywhere, and it’s great.

Even in he dark of the early evening, every space is an artspace.

We had time to take a peek at the surprising Lowe Art Museum at the University of Miami. They had some amazing exhibits among an impressive permanent collection. This exhibit by Stephen Knapp was truly mind-blowing.

No photos are allowed in the Museum, but (sshhhh) an iPhone captured one of Knapp’s amazing pieces. Believe it or not they are “constructed” by a single white light source that is reflected and refracted through carefully placed clear glass, mirrors, and shaped chrome hardware to create the spectacular colors and designs.

The museum is also home to a pavilion for contemporary glass and studio arts that is one of the best we’ve seen.

So our journey has reached its final day…and a fitting one, reflecting all the ancient and new color and surprises of Central America and Southern Florida. We sincerely hope you enjoyed the trip and look forward to traveling with you again soon. Be well.

Marsha & Joel

We spend a beautiful day in Coral Gables exploring the 83 acre Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden and the adjacent Matheson Hammock Park.

A huge coconut palm shades the area where there is a special exhibit of current African art. The young artists are there working and selling their creations. There are also beautiful installations of the work throughout the garden.

Flocks of Ibis keep the property pretty clean.

There is an amazing butterfly and hummingbird shelter that is loaded with the colorful creatures.

This is the state butterfly of Florida; the zebra longwing.

Kind of like a butterfly Dale Chihuly glass finds its way everywhere…not that it’s a bad thing. This one really works here.

Sculpture is a very important part of the garden, and installations change regularly. Here’s a rather unusual John Chamberlain piece; one of probably half a dozen.

Chihuly “cobra’s” adorn another fountain.

What a place. What a day.

More sculpture…a “lantern” tree.

And a desert garden.

We spent a lot of time searching for the Matheson Hammock Park. We actually found one side of the park first, but it was all water and water-sport oriented. It turns out the real hammock trails are just across the road. This was the entrance building; not exactly welcoming.

But the trails were beautiful, winding among the hammocks.

A pastoral setting as we head out for dinner and to get packed for our last day of our spectacular vacation.  On our way to the airport we’ll get our art fix visiting the Wynwood Art District and the surprising Lowe Art Museum at the University of Miami. Come along….