A Woman's Touch: The National Museum of Women

Watch more free documentariesWhen I taught History and Thought of Western Man, I always thought it important that part of the Art Recognition tests included major women artists throughout history. Here's a museum that supports that view. Anyone who took HTWM will recognize many of the names.

For more information on women artists in history, check out the following books.

Sing Me a Story

I'm continuing on a unit about storytelling and tomorrow we're going to look at what happens when stories are collected into songs.

We've already talked some about storytelling. An NPR report on storytellig suggests that part of what draws us to stories is that we analyze our own lives in the stories we hear. For me, the combination of music and a strong story can be a powerful work.

Here's the list I plan to work from tomorrow. [Obviously won't be able to play them all during the period.) Once they listen to these, they'll write an essay telling the story and then reflect on what moved them.

• Jeannie C. Riley - Harper Valley P.T.A.

• Ethel Waters - Miss Otis Regrets

• Gordon Lightfoot – The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald (6:33)

• Shel Silverstein – The Hills of Shiloh (3:56)

• The Weavers - Fi-li-mi-oo-re-ay (2:23)

• Finbar Wright - Danny Boy

• Bette Midler - Art or Bust with Delores DeLago

• The Beatles - Eleanor Rigby

• Kenny Rogers – The Gambler

• Charlene - I’ve Never Been to Me

• Bobbie Gentry – Ode to Billie Joe (3:40)

• Les Miserable – I Dreamed a Dream (4:29)

Inception Cat

Sculpting Demo by Philippe Faraut

Museum Sightings

I love visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

"Yes, but is it Art?"

Banksy's on his way to America.



Check out http://www.banksy.info/.

Carte de Visites: Three English Portraits, ca. 1865.

Carte de visite.
Printed on back: "WE Dibenham, 158 Regent St. W.,
[London, England]

Looking at large groups of carte de visite, it is usually easy to tell which were taken at more exclusive photographic galleries. Often the accessories used speak volumes.

The beautifully tailored silk dress of the lady in the photograph speaks to her wealth, but so also do the elaborate side table with equestrian figurine, fake window and draperies, and elegant carpet. Her education is symbolized by the book she reads.

Staining and aging of the photograph has been cleaned up with Photoshop CS5.

Middle picture, a Victorian Teen from York, ca. 1865. This well-dressed young man lounges in an unusually casual pose on a fake stone ballister and pedestal. In the back is an elaborately painted background with lake and building.

Bottom picture, Victorian Woman, ca. 1865. Her plain features belie her elaborate clothing. The lady wears a smaller crinoline as the top woman, but her silk dress has complicated sleeves. She wears a snood on her hair and a large jewelled brooch. Her belt is wide with jewelled buckle.

Beside the woman is a pedestal on which appears to be a parian bowl with three-dimensional birds. A painted open doorway looks out on a two-dimensional garden setting.

Carte de Visite
Printed on back: "Photographed by W.T. & R. Gowland.
14, Ogleforth. (Near the Chapter House of the Minister), York."

Carte de Visite.
Printed on the back: "Photographed by C. Cross
2, Grove Place, Brixton Road, [London, England]."

Sebastian's Voodoo

Here's a rather strange, but haunting and poignant tale of a voodoo doll who has to save his fellow voodoo dolls from the pins of death.


Sebastian's Voodoo from Joaquin Baldwin on Vimeo.

Welcome to the Cruise of Your Dreams

Vintage Photograph: Cabinet Card of Young Man, ca 1876-1880.

Cabinet cards are larger than carte de visites. Whereas the carte de visite is on fairly lightweight card stock, the cabinet card is on heavier stock and has a print on heavier paper.

This cabinet card shows a handsome young Pennsylvania man in sack coat suit with vest and cravat, ca. 1876-1880. The suitcoat is shorter than the longer ones of the 1860-1870 period, but is made of an interesting homespun appearing fabric. The card measures 6-1/2 inches tall by 4-1/4 inches wide.

The back of the card has a design that suggests the Aesthetic Movement popularized by Oscar Wilde, from the late 1870s into the early 1880s. The sunflower became one of its dominate motifs.

More information on cabinet cards can be found here.

Techno Chicken

Techno Chicken has been around quite awhile, but I laugh everytime I watch it.

Simon's Cat: The Box

Cartes de Visite: Civil War Children

Ca 1864, the original Jersey City Boys. Carte de visite.


J.T. Green's Union Gallery.
36 Montgomery St. Corn. Greene St.
Jersey City, [NJ].

The card has a George Washington 2 cent stamp making the date between 1864-
1865.

Civil War Cincinnati Sisters, ca 1864.
Carte de visite.

Winder's Cartes de Visite Photograph Gallery
No. 373 Central Ave, opp Court,
Cincinnati, O.

The girl at right wears a crinoline frame under her skirt.