Nature Journal Eleven(NJ11): A Not So Natural Rainbow


Nature Journal Eleven: Amon G Carter Museum

            As a class we ventured out to the Fort Worth Amon G Carter Museum. Not only is it reputable as an American art museum, it has one of the best collections of nature paintings in modern history. While there are many paintings and exhibits that caught my eye such as “The Hunter’s Return”, I wanted to talk about the rainbow exhibit. It was a culmination of thousands of multi-colored strings that were woven together and strung to resemble a rainbow breaking through the arched windows. It was fascinating to me to see how an artist can take a natural event, a beautiful one at that, and reassemble it indoors. Each string had a purpose in the overall creation of a stunning visual image. The juxtaposition of the strings creating a rainbow against the natural rays of Earth’s beating heart was mesmerizing. The warm rays from the sunlight brought life to the object that can be found in most stores.

            I was caught in a stare, attempting to track where each string came and went. Walking around the stairs mindlessly I realized the angles of the strings was instrumental in portraying the spectacle as it required a certain watchpoint to see the exhibit come to life. The artist’s personification in this exhibit is what truly surprised me. How can something so dull and simple create something complex and inviting. As in a natural rainbow, many elements need to come together in unison to create the spectacle and this exhibit is no different. The attention to detail is one of the main reasons the museum worker informed me that many people are unable to help themselves but to stare in fascination.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Nature Journal Three (NJ3): The Koi Sadness

Image
Nature Journal Three: The Japanese Garden             I decided to take a walk through the Japanese Garden at the Fort Worth Botanical Garden Center. I was curious how the cultural differences in nature appearance could be assimilated to urban Fort Worth. I thought it would be an especially interesting opportunity after listening to Tomoko Arakawa speak to our class in our urban shoebox.             I walked through a large dojo door to enter into the preserve. It was full of luscious flora as a greenbelt filled my vision. Small stone paths with sand carried my feet through the exhibit. The smell of Jasmine and Thyme tickled my nose as the aroma dripped down from the plants arching the pathway. A bamboo palisade guarded the flora from any outside inhabitants. As I made my way through the jungle, I saw a rock formation sitting in a pit of sand. Absolutely still as if ...
Read more

Nature Observation Two: A Berry Good Time

Image
           Nature Observation Two      Under the canopy of an oak tree sits a berry plant, full of vigor and vitality. The adolescent berries are lucid and extend out against the backdrop of the leaves. The berries are circular, like fish eggs, yet soft as watered down clay. They are still young as a little bit of force causes one to break in a juicy eruption. The berries extend from their nest and begin to build a fortress around the outreaching stem. A squirrel begins to examine the hand of food. Are they safe to eat? Are they poisonous? Is it worth my risk? The squirrel delays its meal for another time. Perhaps these natural paintballs were not ripe for the taking or may be disturbing to the stomach. A question for another day.
Read more

Nature Journal Thirteen (NJ13): A Windy City

Nature Journal Thirteen: A Windy City             Growing up in a suburb of Chicago wind has always been a common natural element of my life. Until this class, I never really thought anything of it. I decided to spend some time outside over Thanksgiving break and reflect on the atmosphere. No one seems to fancy wind; it amplifies cold weather, or it can destroy lives through tornadoes. While wind is always portrayed as a negative element, it can do some beautiful things as well. It can transmit smells and sounds across the earth. I could hear animals whaling in the distance as their cries were miles away yet echoed so clearly. As the wind chilled my soul, I began to notice the leaves falling from the trees. The simple process that many anger at as it requires work to clean was a stepping stone to new life. The falling leaves will soon disappear and make the soil stronger and more nutrias for it's inhabitan...
Read more