Foreshadowing

March 29, 2015 {88/365} "Foreshadowing"

Clutching a steaming cup of coffee with both hands, I ventured out to the deserted terrace of my favorite lakefront coffee shop. On this blustery March day, it's hard to imagine that soon the café tables here at Colectivo will be crowded with patrons enjoying the view while strollers, joggers, and bicycles vie for position on the sidewalks. Beyond the traffic on Lincoln Memorial Drive, Veterans Park will be bustling with picnickers, dogs playing frisbee, and children flying kites. The marina will be a forest of sailboat masts and on the horizon clean white sails will dance upon the blue waters of Lake Michigan. The sun will shine brightly in an azur sky and the warm air will be filled with the calls of seagulls and music wafting from the lakefront festivals. But today, it all feels like a distant memory rather than the foreshadowing of another summer in Milwaukee.

Spring Frost

March 28, 2015 {87/365} "Frosty Grass"

"Let us love winter, for it is the spring of genius." ~ P. Aretino.

I do love winter and it's frosty beauty, but spring is long overdue.

Beauty in Bloom

March 27, 2015 {86/365} "Beauty in Bloom"

The Milwaukee Art Museum, fashion, art, flowers -- these really are a few of my favorite things. Last year, I loved the Art in Bloom. The exhibit married paintings and sculptures with original floral arrangements to complement their composition, color, shape, texture, etc. Yesterday, I took a personal day to visit this year's spring event which was modified to enhance the museum's current feature, "Inspiring Beauty: 50 Years of Ebony Fashion Fair." Rather than being inspired by the MAM permanent collection, the floral sculptures were designed to showcase haute couture creations by Saint Laurent, Givenchy, Oscar de la Renta, et al. 

The dresses were stunning, the flowers were gorgeous, and the venders displayed their lovely wares, yet I was a bit disappointed this year. Over half of the arrangements were displayed in the underground parking garage, where the lighting was purple and cast strange shadows that distorted the hues of the beautiful blooms. The floral masterpieces were also only accompanied by a photograph of the gowns (which were exhibited in separate room). 

My favorite arrangement is today's featured photo. The next three photos reveal its amazing details. I absolute love the subtle color palate, the unusual textures (what are those "sea foam golf balls"?), and the unexpected elements like the twisted copper wire and woven fronds. I honestly can't even remember what dress inspired this beauty.

Here are a few more of my favorite interpretations:

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With or without the beautiful blooms, this exhibit reminded me how much I love the Milwaukee ArtMuseum. Why has it been a year since I've visited this amazing place? I let my membership lapse a few years ago, but I've decided that it's time to renew. For the price of a dinner out, I've treated myself to a year of lovely visits (including the upcoming Van Gogh exhibit and grand re-opening of the War Memorial). This space feeds my mind and spirit, and that's priceless!

Flowers

March 26, 2015 {85/365}

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "The earth laughs in flowers." This lovely laughter is far more pleasant than the cruel joke of snow flurries and temps in the low twenties on this "spring" day!