Venture to Hill-Stead

As I pulled in the driveway to the Hill-Stead, I was in complete amazement at the sheer magnitude and beauty of this house. I couldn’t believe how big and how many buildings this place had and the property that the home sat on, just gorgeous. I can’t explain in words how I was already in love with the place before I even stepped inside. The thing that surprised me the most was that this beautiful location with this large home full of wonderful artwork is a place that I had never heard anyone ever mention. After being there I just couldn’t believe that anyone who knew about this spot would keep it a secret. It was just wonderful.
My father was nice enough to come along with me again. We scurried inside through the rain into a visitor center with a video room and gift shop (my outside pictures were taken a different day with my boss – we weren’t able to tour when we went so I had to go back). We watched part of the video on the history of the home and were then called in for the house tour. I was told that photos would not be allowed whatsoever inside, disappointing but I had no choice but to comply. The security around this facility was definitely present; we were even escorted from the carriage house into the main house by a security guard. And I can’t blame them, the whole place is so awesome and unique you wouldn’t want to risk something happening to the house or its possessions. We then began our guided tour with a very nice tour guide. She did a good job, not too pushy and gave us good information and the time we needed to just take it all in. I could go on and on about how extraordinary everything was; however, I won’t – words wouldn’t do the place justice. Let’s just say it is worth a visit.
The Hill-Stead actually sits on a hill, thus its name Hill-Stead. Our guide tells us that on a clear day you can see the Litchfield hills through the window upstairs. The Hill-Stead was owned and occupied by the Pope family until 1946 when it was established as a museum. Alfred and Ada Pope lived in the home from the time it was built until they both passed away and was then inhabited by their only child, Theodate. Now Alfred and Ada were wealthy people coming from Cleveland where Alfred was the president of National Malleable Castings Company and had quite an accumulation of money. Their only daughter, Theodate, grew to be an independent woman who yearned to be an architect. After high school in Cleveland, Ohio, Theodate attended Miss Porter’s School in Farmington. Shortly after that, she purchased an 18th century saltbox that she named “O’Rourkery in Farmington,CT. Alfred then purchased 250 acres nearby to build a retirement home that Theodate worked on designing with a New York architectural firm called McKim, Mead, & White. The Hill-Stead began construction in 1899 and was complete by 1901 when they moved in. Alfred Pope was one of the earliest American collectors of impressionist paintings and also collected other fine works of art as well. He housed all of his collections throughout the rooms of the Hill-Stead. This is Theodate here.
As we entered into the first room, the dining room, I just couldn’t believe it. The room was large enough to seat 30+ guests. What I found very interesting was that the home is furnished with the same furniture, carpets, curtains, etc. that the Pope family had. No one else has ever lived in the home so you really got the feel of being back in the early 1900s when you walked through the rooms. I just loved it!
There were many interesting paintings hanging throughout the house done by some well-known artists like Monet, Manet, Whistler, Cassatt, and more. The one artist that I paid special attention to was Mary Cassatt. I thought her artwork interesting and being a female artist I found her work to be a bit different having a feminine touch. It wasn’t common during her lifetime for women to become recognized artists.
This is her piece here called Sara Handing a Toy to the Baby, c. 1901.
This painting was hanging on the wall upstairs in one of the bedrooms.

Cassatt was born in Pennsylvania in 1844 to a family of wealth. She and her parents moved to Paris when Cassatt was seven and then returned to the states a few years later. Cassatt was so moved and intrigued by the artwork that she was exposed to in Paris that she begged her parents to let her go back so that she could pursue a career as an artist. Eventually she returned to Paris where she spent a good deal of her life. Because of the time period, woman weren’t highly recognized for careers such as a doctor or here as an artist so Cassatt had a more difficult time being recognized in the manner her peers were. She was fond of painting images of family, mainly mother and children and faced criticism because of it. The reason being because she was a female and because others interpreted some of her work as inappropriate. This painting, called Portrait of a Little Girl, is supposed to capture the child after a time of play when she is exhausted and not caring about her composure. Cassatt portrayed children in their real being which was not highly accepted by others who thought she was representing the child in a sexual way. She painted children how they really are, not how adults thought they should be. Children can be less concerned about pose and manners. Cassatt was closely aligned with a famous French artist, Edgar Degas, who was famous for his paintings and was considered one of the founders of impressionism. Degas did not like the term impressionist and preferred to be considered a realist.

The Pope’s had originally acquired six works by Cassatt but only two remain in the home now. The painting above, Sara Handing a Toy to the Baby and this one, Gathering Fruit or The Kitchen Garden c. 1893 are the two that you will find there today. The guide told us that Mary Cassatt and Theodate Pope were friends, although I can not find any information to substantiate that, the guide assured us that the two spent time together at the home. If that is indeed true, it is really neat that both have ties to the home, Theodate designing it and Cassatt having artwork there.
When Theodate Pope died in 1946 her Will indicated that the home was to become the Hill-Stead Museum. Since that time the Hill-Stead has been designated as a National Historic Landmark and has been accredited by the American Association of Museums. I really enjoyed my visit. It was a museum experience to remember. I will be going back with my mother in the summertime to tour through the several acres of gardens they have there as well.

http://www.artchive.com/artchive/C/cassatt.html
http://www.hillstead.org/

The Transcendental Landscapes of Christopher Pearse Cranch at Lyman Allyn

When I had announced to my father that I will be taking a museum experience class he suggested that I visit the Lyman Allyn Art Museum which is located in New London, CT. The museum was founded back in 1932 by Harriet Upson Allyn in memory of her father, Lyman Allyn. I regret to say that when he mentioned the museum to me, I knew nothing of it let alone never had heard of the place. Well, to my surprise, it was another exciting museum experience and I was happy to have gone. Again, I have this love for buildings, so you can imagine how I appreciated the outside as much as the inside. The front of the building was amazing, as I walked up the steps between the tall columns I felt as though I was entering into a state or government building by the design. As I read the banners hanging between the columns, I am reminded that the current exhibition is of Christopher Cranch and his work.
As my husband and I walked inside were greeted by a delightful woman who seemed extremely excited to be there. It’s always nice when you encounter a person who really enjoys what they do for work. Unfortunately, she told me that I would not be allowed to take any pictures inside of the building. I was disappointed but complied. I know most of you won’t be visiting this location so I wanted to share what I saw inside. Oh well, words will have to do for this visit! As we ventured up the stairs to the second floor to see the exhibition of Christopher Cranch I was in awe of the granite like stairway. The stairs were wide and beautiful, the type you would like to walk down when you are all dressed up for a fancy event, like a prom or wedding. There were many galleries upstairs; most of them included the work of Cranch. As I read the caption about Cranch and his work I learn that he seemed to be a very interesting person who had many talents. His art work was mainly paintings of landscapes and there is a bit of a different reason for it than some other painters may have for painting the countryside.
Christopher Pearse Cranch was born in the District of Columbia in 1813. He attended Columbian College and Harvard Divinity School. Cranch is not only remembered as an artist but also as a preacher, essayist, editor, writer of child fiction, poet, linguist, musician, and a caricaturist. It is amazing to me that one person could be remembered for so many things; maybe that is why he isn’t highly remembered for any one thing. You will find the most information about him is on his poetry.
Although he isn’t as well known of an artist his work had a primary reason which was to unite with God. Though that may sound a little confusing, Cranch was actually part of a movement called Transcendentalism. That is why the exhibition was called “The Transcendental Landscapes of Christopher Pearse Cranch.” As I am first walking through the exhibition I was really wondering just what is transcendentalism? It appears that there are many definitions that can be found about what it means exactly. The best way that I can explain it is that it is a group of ideas that suggest a spiritual state can’t be achieved through organized religion but through a direct connection with God by way of nature. You may think that Transcendentalism sounds like a religion but it doesn’t appear to be recognized as that. Ralph Waldo Emerson was a key driver in organizing and starting the movement. Emerson is remembered as a poet, essayist, and philosopher. Transcendentalism became more prevalent after publications Emerson made regarding the cultural movement.
Cranch really found harmony in Transcendentalism which caused controversy with his original position as a pastor. Because the movement doesn’t believe in any formalized religion, Cranch resigned from the church and dove further into his other interests trying to directly connect with God. The earth became Cranch’s pulpit and his landscape paintings were his form of religious expression.
As painting was his preferred method, Cranch also used caricatures to describe his transcendal concepts. This caricature is quite interesting. It gave me the creeps as I was looking at this sketch in Cranch’s scrapbook. It is ink on paper done around 1839 and isn’t that big, 9 3/4 x 7 5/8. This caricature is of Emerson as a large eyeball on top of a set of skinny legs. You can see why I felt creepy looking at it! It is certainly different than most things I see! Although Cranch isn’t widely known, those that know him remember him for this sketch and how could you forget it. I will never fail to remember this piece!
Cranch faced controversy as not everyone agreed with the transcendental ideas but nonetheless he seems to have been an interesting man with an extensive list of hobbies/talents. He spent his later years residing in Cambridge, MA after traveling abroad and died in 1892.
I was happy to have been able to tour the works of Cranch and tour the Lyman Allyn museum; yet another experience that I will not forget and more knowledge that I am happy to have gained.
www.age-of-the-sage.org
www.lymanallyn.org

More on Metcalf...

After my tour through the Florence Griswold museum where I deeply admired the work of Willard Metcalf I found that not only did he spend summers at the Griswold home he spent several years traveling through Europe.

This here is a self portrait of Metcalf which is owned by the Florence Griswold Museum.

Metcalf was born in 1858 in Lowell Massachusetts. He was an avid art enthusiast early on and was a student at Massachusetts Normal Art School and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts. Metcalf’s early art work was mainly figure painting but by the end of his career his art work had transitioned to landscape paintings. Metcalf traveled to many locations including: Paris, Europe, Giverny, Algeria, and later on to Cuba. He was one of the first American artists to visit Giverny, which was a renowned French village where Claude Monet lived and worked.
This painting was done by Metcalf while in Giverny in 1887.
The Florence Griswold Museum contains the largest collection of Metcalf’s work, with objects including oils paintings, pastels, sketchbooks, and his diary, among other things.
Metcalf produced many of his most important and highly recognized pieces of art while staying at the Griswold home.
He is remembered as remarkable impressionist and landscape painter, winning national recognition for his art that was created in Old Lyme.

This painting, May Night, 1906, is the view of the Griswold home on one May night. May Night was awarded a gold medal and the Clark prize among a couple other paintings Metcalf did while residing at the Griswold estate.

It is really remarkable that such highly recognized art was made right here in our state of Connecticut.

work cited:

www.flogris.org

http://www.outdoorpainting.com/History/Willard-Metcalf.php

Connecticut Masters. Hartford, CT: Hartford Steam Boiler, 1991. 110-115.

Yale Art Gallery Adventure...

As I pulled up to the Yale University Art Gallery and struggled to find a parking space as I was unfamiliar with the area, I thought, yet another magnificent building to have a museum in. Museums are fun buildings to visit because unlike other establishments, there is a lot of thought put into making the building just as interesting on the outside as it is on the inside. As my boss and I walked inside and attempted to pay for our admission, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it was free to visit. We then ventured through the four floors of the building. The gallery that caught my attention the most was the African art. When I was at the Met I briefly walked through their African art collection but due to the sheer size of the Met I wasn’t able to appreciate it then as I was able to here at Yale. The pieces were unusual and remarkable.





African art typically depicts the human form as its subject matter for the pieces.
The art is based on visual abstraction and is typically created in a three dimensional shape. I think what I find the most interesting is that Africans use their art for several purposes. As I walk through and view the items I am amazed at how many of them serve more than one objective. The masks and costumes aren’t just viewed and appreciated for the craftsmanship and talent they can be used during many different events that can include: celebrations, initiations, ceremonies, dances, war preparation, and crop harvesting.


This particular costume just grabbed me as I walked into the gallery. At the moment I saw this, I just wanted to go back to the time and place where someone was parading around in this outfit. You don’t find ceremonies or celebrations anywhere around here where someone would dress up in this, except maybe on Halloween! The caption about this piece indicates that it is from the early 20th century and is made of wood, feathers, textile, hide, cloth, fiber, pigment, and metal and is 77 inches high. It origins are from the Loma or Kpelle people of the border of Liberia and Guinea. It isn’t known if the mask belongs to the costume but this attire would have been worn during a dance of some sort.
The masks of African art usually represent a spirit and are made mainly of wood but can also include ivory, animal hair, plant fibers, and semi-precious stones among other material found in the area. A person is designated to wear the mask during the particular event and usually performs a dance. It is believed the person who is wearing the mask during the dance is possessed by the spirit of the ancestor the mask represents.


African art dates back some 6,000 years ago to the rock art found in the Sahara. The art usually depicted the surrounding nature including animals, plant life, or other items found in the environment. However, many old African sculptures that were made of wood have not survived either the termites or the dampness and were destroyed.


This particular sculpture gave me a chill; it reminded me of a voodoo doll. As I read the caption I realize that although this figure may be related to the voodoo practices it dates back to the 19th century and is made of wood, iron, cloth, mirror, leopard tooth, fiber and porcelain. It is 18 inches in height and it known as a Kongo Nkisi figure. These sculptures were said to be owned by priest who add to the figure with nails or metal shims. These nails that are driven into the figure serve a purpose. Each nail driven into the figure represents a case that was brought on regarding murders or other heinous crimes. The violence of driving a nail in is supposed to parallel the associated crime and balance out the occurrence of the crime. It’s a little confusing and bizarre idea that violating this figure would even out crime but nonetheless, I thought it was interesting.


African art, especially African masks are exceptional works of art that serve a very interesting purpose. Colonialism caused many changes to African life, culture, and traditions which have resulted in many people there losing their original African ties of rituals and ceremonies and thus the masks are no longer commonly used.
African art takes great imagination, creativity, and talent. It is a form of art that goes somewhat unrecognized and it is great to see such a large display here at the Yale Art Gallery. I am grateful that I had the ability to appreciate African art.

work cited:

www.rebirth.co.za/african.htm
www.artgallery.yale.edu

Florence Griswold Experience

I don’t know what I expected to find when I arrived at the Florence Griswold museum but it wasn’t what I anticipated as we pulled in to the driveway. I had heard my mother and some other family members talk about the museum; however, I had never gone so what I had in mind wasn’t close to what the museum had in store. As we pulled in I saw this beautiful older home in front of me; which I quickly took a photo of. It was the type of home that I would love to have and the setting was quaint as well. I thought to myself, wow, this isn’t what I expected. I am actually going to get to tour through this gorgeous home! I have to tell you that exploring through homes really excites me. I don’t know if it is because as a child my parents and I would always visit old homes and tour through them, even if they were abandoned. It was probably dangerous to go through the empty deserted ones but it was exciting. I grew up in a house that was built in 1690 so I have a real appreciation for older homes.
I was fortunate to have my mother along with me who has visited the museum several times before so she could give me some additional information on the home and the life of Florence Griswold.
I really found this museum so uncommon because the other museums that I have visited so far have been inside a building which was established for the purpose of a museum but this wasn’t entirely that way. There was more history to the property than just a building holding spectacular pieces of art; it was where the spectacular artists created their work. I thought how amazing to be where some of the most famous artists have lived and painted.
The tour began behind the Griswold home at the Krieble Gallery. This gallery was completed in 2002, it is a modern type building that has temporary and permanent exhibitions and a brief film. The gallery was much smaller than the others I have visited so far but still had some wonderful paintings. The Florence Griswold Museum is known as the Home of American Impressionism. So you can imagine that the majority of the work was impressionist paintings. Impressionism was a 19th century art movement where painters used distinct dabs of bright colors which were unaccustomed to the art of that time period. Impressionists create their picture using spontaneous brushed strokes of paint which remarkably formulate into a clear picture. It is really an interesting way to paint, from a distance it looks like a crisp, clear image but as you move in closer to the painting you can see how it is really made up of random strokes.
I was prohibited from taking photos in the gallery; however, as I ventured up to the house I snapped a picture of the rear of the building so that you can get an idea of just how beautiful this home really is. As my mother and I ventured inside we were greeted by two guides who gave us some interesting information about Florence’s life and then left us on our own to tour the house. It was so elegant inside; although most of the pieces inside aren’t original, they are representative of the time period that Florence lived. I secretly snapped a few photos inside, please don’t tell!This is one of the bedrooms that an artist would have stayed in while visiting at the Griswold home. I just love how old fashioned it looks and the bed is the original to the home.
The house was far from small; there were several rooms in the downstairs. The one that was of particular interest to me was the dining room. The artists would spend time inside the home painting on the doors and walls. The dining room was where most of this type of painting was done. Almost every panel had a different scene painted, it was quite interesting. Unfortunately the guide was there so I didn’t attempt to photo any of it. But it was certainly a sight to see if you ever have the chance.
As I headed upstairs, I found even more remarkable pieces. One that I found the most beautiful and stunning was this painting Summer at Hadlyme done by Willard Metcalf in 1914.This was a large piece that was displayed on an easel. I would have to guess it was probably 2 ½ ft by 3 ½ ft but don’t hold me to it; I am not all that good at determining size without a tape. It was large enough to make a statement but not too big to where it would overpower a room. I would love to have this painting over my fireplace mantle.
Metcalf was considered one of the leading impressionist landscape artists. The caption on the wall informed me that the woman in the painting is Metcalf’s second wife and his daughter. Through the door you can see the lush of the outdoors which is painted in an impressionist form. Metcalf spent a time at the Griswold house and then settled in the area with his family.
There are many gardens surrounding the estate, which unfortunately I was not able to appreciate as we are in the winter months now and the flowers have gone by. I plan on going back in the late spring with my mother again to see all the gardens in bloom. It looks as though it would be a beautiful sight. Miss Florence was an avid gardener; she had both flower and vegetable gardens. And with the river right behind the home there are many beautiful landscapes for artists to replicate in their work. Once you have visited the estate you can appreciate why so many famous artists aspired to this location.

Visit to the Wadsworth

I was happy to be visiting the Wadsworth Atheneum. I believe I had been there back in grammar school but I had no memory of what I would find inside. What I found was another unique building that had extremely intriguing pieces that undeniably caught my eye. The part of the building that had me in amazement the most was the Great Hall, which I have included here.
Unfortunately the photo doesn’t do justice to the magnitude of the room. I would love to have a room like this in my home to throw parties and dances in. The design of the windows up next to the ceiling was rare, which gave it a cheery feel, even though it was overcast outside. The pink color of the walls and the interesting sculptures and paintings put me in good spirits which was a nice change from the dreary miserable feeling of being sick. I was just in love with the room. I had my boss along with me which gave me an advantage both to navigate through the maze like rooms but also to get a neat sense of history about the museum. Ironically enough, my boss had actually painted the ceiling in the Great Hall back in the 90s and a plague hangs there on the wall to this day indicating such. However, as you can see here, the plague has seen better days and needs to be refinished.
My boss, Mike, hasn’t worked at the Wadsworth in quite some time, so it was interesting to see the accomplishments he had here. I often hear him talk about his days at the museum and I was now able to actually see some of the things that he worked on. Mike was the facility manager there for something like 10+ years. He wasn’t just responsible for maintaining the building he was heavily involved in setting up and breaking down all of the artwork displays. I thought what a neat job that must have been; being able to have a firsthand view of such masterful artwork. He was able to add in his own creativity as well when creating the display setup. He also had to ensure the security of each piece, which I could imagine must have been challenging. These art pieces are irreplaceable and they had to, at all costs, protect the work.
After I was done appreciating the Great Hall and listening to my boss’s stories of the painting challenges we ventured off through the many wings of the museum. It was neat knowing that I was walking through the oldest public art museum and originally the Wadsworth was a teaching museum. The building as it stands today is much larger in size than what it had originally started out as. Today the Wadsworth is compiled of five building totaling 192,000 square feet. As individuals donated money over the years, wings were added on and then dedicated to the donators. That is why the museum can seem so maze like because of all the additions.
As I wandered through the many wings of the building, the item that I kept coming back to was this painting done by Salvador Dali.

This painting is so interesting. Depending upon how you look at it, you can see many different things going on. It is like a picture within a picture. It is amazing to me how he was able to incorporate all of these different items together to make such a masterpiece. This painting really is so creative and unique. Dali was a Spanish artist who painted this picture in 1938. It is called “Apparition of Face and Fruit-dish on a Beach”. Dali was known as one of the leading surrealist artists of his time. It’s said that he associated with other famous artists such as Picaso and Miro. Surrealism is a term that I have heard thrown around but never really knew where it came from or what it meant. Surrealism was a European cultural movement that began in the early 1920s. It is a style of art that uses visual images from the subconscious mind and has no intention of making the artwork understandable. Dali certainly accomplished that description in this painting. As interesting as the piece is, it really doesn’t make any sense but I think that is what I like about it so much. Not understanding it makes it interesting to me.
It is fascinating to see how art can come in so many forms. There is no right or wrong when it comes to art and I think that is what makes it so great. It isn’t like a math problem, only one possible answer to a problem. Art is a feeling, a passion and can be whatever you want it to be.
Work cited:
surrealism.org

My Day at the Met

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City seems to be the museum of all museums. However, it is the first one that I am visiting but I couldn’t imagine anything bigger than this! They certainly had every piece of art imaginable from every time period and place that has ever existed. There were so many pieces of art; you almost couldn’t take it all in. Visiting the museum was an experience to remember and an educational event never to forget.
My father was nice enough to come along with me to visit the museum. He was a good partner in the venture as he has a great interest and appreciation for art. I have to be honest that my intentional encounter of art has been pretty minimal but as I begin to walk through the museum I realize how art is around us no matter where we are; from a handcrafted piece of jewelry to early body amour. I realize just how much I have been appreciating art all my life and didn’t even know it. I think now how my first job was creating art decorating cakes using my own ideas and creativity; I just didn’t look at it that way – until now. I think that it was my own lack of perception that made me believe I wasn’t familiar with art. Although, visiting the Metropolitan made me realize that art is all around, you don’t even need to be looking for it to find it.
I was extremely interested in some of the art work that was religious in nature. The Byzantium art display represented many Christian stories and events. The Byzantium period or empire is thought to have lasted approximately 1,100 years or from the fourth century to the fall of Constantinople. Constantine The Great was the first Christian ruler of the Roman Empire. He transferred the religion of gods of ancient times to that of Christianity; which is why you will find that much of the Byzantine artwork is religious in nature, depicting Christian stories that can be found in the Bible.
Byzantine artists are known for their three dimensional artwork. As you will see in the photo, this sarcophagus from Rome illustrates several Bible related stories. A sarcophagus you ask? Yes, sarcophagus is better known as a coffin or casket. In earlier times, when someone of wealth or importance died, they were placed in a sarcophagus and then placed in a crypt to rest. And I say “of wealth or importance” because I would have to imagine that creating a sarcophagus was expensive and time consuming. The one you see here was carved out of marble and thought to be made in the early 300’s. It is extremely intricate and detailed in its form. It is almost hard to grasp that someone thousands of years ago carved such skilled artwork into a marble stone by hand, no power tools here. However, what is even harder to grasp is that a person was put inside of it. The sarcophagus was so narrow it looks as though you would have to lie on your side to fit. It would certainly have to be modified to accommodate the deceased of today’s age.
This particular sarcophagus portrays several stories on both the front and sides. The front carvings are done in what is known as high relief meaning that the carvings have a three dimensional view and appear to sit further off the stone. The side carvings are done in low relief where the carvings seem to sit right on the stone and do not have the raised up appearance or three dimensional look. When you look at the sarcophagus from the front, the left side of it depicts the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who were three Hebrews that were accused of defying King Nebuchadnezzar and then ordered to a fiery furnace which you can see from this photo.
The opposite side shows Adam and Eve just after eating the forbidden fruit and then feeling naked for the first time. The front of the sarcophagus includes many different scenes. Moving from left to right you see what appears to me to be Christ with the children. In the Bible Christ states “suffer the little children to come unto me”. The next item is Saint Peter’s arrest in Rome and following that is Jesus on a donkey on Palm Sunday. Next is Zacchaeus, a little man in a tree. The Bible story explains that Zacchaeus climbed into the tree to see Jesus because he was too short to see him over the crowd. After that there are a few figures that I am not sure what story they are relating to. The narration on the wall next to the piece indicated that when the sarcophagus was discovered much of the front had deteriorated away and the restoration was done somewhat inaccurately. The last scene moving to the right appears to be the story of Lazarus who Jesus had raised from the dead four days after his death.
Christianity was a very strong religion during the Byzantine time period and not only was the religion portrayed on a sarcophagus but on a good majority of the other art work from that time. However, religious symbols have long since been displayed on items having to do with the dead because death and God are so closely related. Death is the time that a believer would be reunited with God.
It just amazes me that a person that long ago was able to produce this creation with such a limited supply of tools as compared to today’s age. I was so drawn to it because it is honestly a work of art. The skill that went into this isn’t something that just anyone could do and I really value that, it is almost unbelievable. It is a piece that I will never forget.