My first trip to Dallas, Texas... how do I begin? I would never have thought I was going to encounter such amazing art. Looking at these pics now it still takes my breath away. Even the reason I came back to writing this blog is to celebrate the feeling of inspiration that this trip left me with since coming home. I had forgotten the art-soul connection that resonates inside when I am moved by something so captivating it goes beyond words.
I started with a trip to the Dallas Museum of Art, which is free to the public. There are so many floors and rooms I lost track. Here I saw all the major periods on display from Renaissance, to Pointillism and Impressionism, to Abstract and Modern. All up close master works, never had I seen these outside a text book in real form. Observing the brush strokes and illuminating colors is just so beautiful. Many of my favorite artists that influenced me in art school were there; Georgia O'Keefe and Vincent Van Gogh who infused their works with such passion and supreme vision.
After leaving the downtown area we drove North to the Southern Methodist University campus to visit the Meadows Museum, known to have one of the largest collections of Spanish Art outside of Spain. The campus was very scenic with a grand museum designed with interior elegance. It had tall ceilings and long hallways with bold colored walls that offset the drama of the art.
On the last day, I toured three museums in one afternoon. Truly a way to leave Texas, with an unbeatable amount of fine art. The Museum of Biblical Art brought together diverse styles of work under a common theme. Andy Warhol and Jewish Art were the focus of the current exhibition. What a pop culture icon! The colors and forms were so dynamic and in large format. I could easily relate to the other styles as well, with the spiritual influence coming through in each composition. The final stops we traveled to were in Fort Worth to visit the Kimball Art Museum and the Museum of Modern Art. At that point I was concerned about saving my energy and getting back to the plane, so I guess I stopped taking photos. Nonetheless the art was fantastic. Both of these museums were also free and close to a major university campus.
Thinking back on this trip now in preparation for my return, I am excited to revisit some of these places again. Inspiration... there is something to be said for this emotion. Sometimes you do not know you need it until you find it.
