Thursday, April 30, 2015

Kacper Kowalski




Did a little gallery hopping in Chelsea today with JOB.
The highlight was meeting Kacper Kowalski,
a humble photographer from Poland with an extraordinary eye.
His architectural background and passion for paragliding
has lead to breath taking aerial images.  
From an altitude of 500 feet some landscapes become more abstract than others,
but all have a beautiful graphic quality.
His ability to man the glider, operate his camera
and capture these magnificent images is difficult to comprehend.
He also does his own printing.
Not surprising, he's been winning lots of awards.











Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney

Gertrude Vanderbilt was born into extreme wealth,
and later added to her fortune when, at 21, she married Harry Whitney.
In the early 1900s she was forever impacted by the burgeoning art scene in France.
She began to study and pursue her interest in sculpture.
Neither her family nor her husband supported her desire to work seriously as an artist.
Undeterred she went on to produce some important and impressive works.
Her great wealth afforded her the opportunity to become a patron of the arts.
She devoted herself to the advancement of women, supporting an exhibiting in women-only shows and ensuring that women were included in mixed shows.
In 1908,
Gertrude opened the Whitney Studio Gallery, a place to exhibit the work of artists she admired.
In 1931, Whitney decided to create her own museum after the MET turned down her offer to give it her twenty-five-year collection of nearly 700 works of modern art.
This week the art world is buzzing about one of the biggest events to rock the city in decades;
The opening of the Whitney's new museum in the meatpacking district.
The inaugural exhibition in Renzo Piano's building
is the largest show of works from its permanent collection. 
The museum officially opens on May 1st, but my cousin scored me a ticket to an event tonight.
It may take some time for me to warm up to the exterior, but the interior galleries are spectacular.
Each floor has an outside deck offering dramatic views along the Hudson Bay.
Cheers to Gertrude, and her amazing legacy.
 Looking forward to many more visits to The New Whitney.






Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Brooklyn Botanical Gardens

All the time I've spent in Manhattan and Brooklyn
somehow,
I missed the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens.
Today was the perfect day for a visit.
The cherry blossoms have yet to fully bloom,
but the gardens were still spectacular,
 especially the weeping trees. 

















Sunday, April 26, 2015

Hints of Spring

After a yummy brunch at Russ & Daughters
I walked from the LES
to Washington Square Park to the Highline.
I wanted to see Renzo Piano's New Whitney Museum.
Sadly, it was not love at first glimpse.
Although temperatures hovered in the low 60s,
it was evident that many New Yorkers are eager to shed their winter layers.
Fashion amongst the crowds ranged from short skirts with bare legs, open toed shoes,
shorts, and silky blouses.
I, on the other hand, wore my fur hat, scarf, and thin down jacket.
One shop owner looked at me and said, "It must be cold outside."
Although I felt perfectly layered for the temperature,
I stated, "I'm overdressed."












One Year


Saturday, April 25, 2015

Ava Love


Friday, April 24, 2015

Ava



Thursday, April 23, 2015

Signs of Spring





Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Asbury Park Boardwalk

 A crisp, sunny day on the Atlantic coast.
Not exactly beach weather.




Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Princeton

Grew up in the shadows of this beautiful college town.
Always happy to return to the streets lined with pre-revolutionary war dwellings.
Blooming cherry blossoms and blue skies
made it a gorgeous day for a stroll.


Monday, April 20, 2015

Orchids at Duke Farms