Peabody-Essex with Oliver

 This afternoon Oliver and I visited the wonderful Peabody-Essex Museum in Salem, MA. and very much enjoyed the exhibit by the very gifted and imaginative Alexis Rockman, entitled "Shipwrecks".  My camera can't begin to capture his use of color, and detail;  you need to go and see it in person. 

Here are some photos from our visit. 

The "Lusitania"

This relates to the sinking of the USS Indianapolis, one of the infamous and tragic
disasters of the US Navy.  If you know the story, you understand the imagery. 

Detail of above.  

detail of above.  One of my favorite of the entire collection

These three are from a contemporary Indian artists exhibit.

I hope Oliver will always be willing to join his Grandad for a museum trip.  

Three days of grandchildren

 On Friday, Susan and I hosted Alex and Carter, taking them to Pratt Farm for a hike. And then I drove up to Newburyport to spend Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning with Oliver.  I arrived at 7:00 AM on Saturday at Parker River, and found some wonderful birds. Later Oliver and I went back out and walked on the newly-opened Hellcat Swamp trail.  Sunday afternoon we visited the Peabody-Essey Museum.  I am so delighted he likes going to museum with his art-obsessed Granddad.  (Next Blog)

The photos. 

I don't know why but the photos have loaded in reverse order.  Why?
At any rate, the first four phots were taken by Oliver, mostly from the tower
at Hellcat Swamp.  As you can see, it was a spectacularly beautiful day. 

One of the man-made pools

Sneaking a shot of grandad. 

Oliver's Great Egret, elegantly framed.  

Another, taken with my 100-400. 

The first Killdeer of the year. 

Song Sparrow

Greater Yellowlegs. 

This is a blow-up of the next photo.  This Snowy Owl was 30 yards off the road, in a 
tree posing for everybody.  He seemed totally unconcerned with the dozen cars lined
up on both sides, and the 20 long lenses aimed at him. When I drove away, he was
still there, rotating his head periodically to peer back at all the activity behind him. 

This photo has only been slightly trimmed on both sides.  This is the image I saw in the viewfinder!

An elegant American Tree Sparrow

At Pratt Farm, hiking with Carter and Alex. 

I've never seen children more happy to be photographed. 

Alex took this photo. 

Carter collecting rocks to throw into the lake.  
Sorry these were in reverse order, but hey, grandchildren!

Doug, Don, Barbara, Bill at the Currier, Manchester, N.H.

 Always a great visit, a museum just large enough to have a marvelous collection, outstanding contemporary exhibits, and easily walked in a morning.  As usual, I offer you some of the art, and encourage you to visit.  If you haven't been before, you will be surprised at the depth of the collection, and the great names represented. 

The Snowy Owl, from Sunday, Parker River NWLR

Tomie de Paola
Illustration for Bonjour Mr. Satie

Tomie de Paola
Illustrations for Quiet

Hashiguchi Goyo
Woman after the Bath

detail

Jean-Leon Gerome
A Bischari Warrior
A Gerome I wasn't familiar with.
Absolute perfection of technique. 

Annie Leibovitz
Dolly Parton and Arnold Schwarzenegger
Jaw-droppingly funny

Joos van Cleve
Holy Family

detail.
the lettering, the jewelry, the eyes!!

Jan de Bray
Banquet of Anthony and Cleopatra
Look, there'd my rug!

Jacob van Ruisdael
View of Egmond aan Zee
Not at the top of his work, but that tree trunk!

detail

Emile Meyer
The Letter
The description talks about Meyer being unheard of, but
when you see the detail, color, and sheer effort involved, you have to be
amazed, and saddened at the lives of so many artist or real talent, even genius, who have 
disappeared.  Is this less than a Gerome, or a David?

detail