The National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta was held the week before we arrived. If I hadn't forgotten about it, you bet I would have backed up the college visits for our one and only daughter to coincide with events from the Festival! But alas, it wasn't about me...so we visited Agnes Scott and Emory. She fell in love with Agnes Scott and so did I but I didn't let her know because I want this decision to be hers. P. and I are here to keep perspective on just how this can be a life changing decision and should be made with great care and thought and commitment. We'll return in a month or so to re-visit Agnes Scott, Spelman, and Wesleyan in Macon. I really would like the decision to be narrowed down to 2 before winter so that the remainder of the school year can focus on finding and applying for scholarships. It was great for M. to hear others (besides parents) talk about the importance of GPA and SAT scores...soooo, hopefully her behaviors will match her ambitions. Science and Math are her Honours classes but she gets lax in English and Social Studies. (God willing and if the creek don't rise, she'll keep her eyes on the prize...I've finally reached the age where I can say these old-timey wisdoms with just a little bit of insight, eh?)
Even though this wasn't a vacation in the ideal definition, I did manage to squeeze in a visit to Fiber On A Whim where I purchased some corn and potato dextrins, batting, print paste, and foil glue. I did wonder if a store like it could make it in Louisville. Do you think a store that catered to embellishments and surface design could survive as a store front in your area? I think I would only want to carry PFD fabrics only as to not compete with the quilting stores.
On the way out we stopped at MODA to see the very uniquely and artistically designed functional and decorative items by contemporay African artists and then over to Via Mundi Gallery to see more contemporary works by African Artists. This exhibit can be seen online. I fell in love with the work of Bethel Aniaku. Most African Art Exhibits focus on antiquities and un-identified works but usually by the end of viewing I'm reminded more of how a People's contributions can be X-ed from historical records and most of the academic reasoning falls short as to why this is so in my opinion. The grace I find is that I don't perceive history and culture as "fixed" entities but ever evolving and in flux...there is still vast knowledges to be uncovered and I'm thankful to those who dedicate their lives and careers to such endeavors.
As tired as I was from the trip, I wasn't about to miss my guild meeting tonight. The only thing is after any sharing with others that is quilt related, I'm so wired I can't sleep. I did some hand embroidery before writing this post but lord it is 2am and I have to be up at 8:30 to taxi M and my niece around on some errands tomorrow...I'm sooo looking forward to my kiddos going back to school.
You're right, most African art exhibits seem to have a bent towards antiquities. A few years ago, I saw this great exhibit of contemporary African artists at the Smithsonian's African Art Museum. See...now I have an itch to go to the Mall museums!
ReplyDeleteCollege visits, SAT's and ACT's--I'm at home with that vocabulary! Is your daughter a senior this year? Mine can't narrow the college field...evey school looks good. And every course offering is appealing too. Glad to know your trip went well.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun trip. It seems ages ago that I was in that mode. We had 3 kids in college at the same time, but we all survived.
ReplyDeleteI see why you fell for the paintings of Bethel Aniaku; they are wonderful. Thanks for sharing your art finds with us. You really help enlarge my life in a small Colorado town so that I learn of artists that I would never come in contact with otherwise.
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