“Big Red Lens” by Frederick Eversly
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
Bentonville, Arkansas
Category Archives: Museums
Crystal Bridges Skywatch
The only thing better than the Tree Sculpture at Crystal Bridges Museum of Art in Bentonville, Arkansas is the Beautiful blue Ozark sky.
Our World – Crystal Bridges Museum
Saturday I loaded up my brother, who was in from Corpus Christi, my father who flew down from Idaho Falls, and son SuperPizzaBoy and we took a guy trip to Bentonville, Arkansas a couple hours away to visit the new Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.
(Mark Rothko – Greek Tragedy)
It was the second trip for SPB and I. The first for my father and brother. I think they liked it. I know that I loved it better this time than the first time. The first time I see a museum I want to see every single thing. From then on I go for more of what attracts my eye.
(Maxxfield Parrish – The Lantern Bearers)
The museum specializes in American art. They have both great quantity and great quality.
(Alexander Stirling Calder – Stretching Girl)
The museum building itself is a work of art.
The museum was founded by a Walmart heir. Walmart itself is now paying for everyone’s admission. Priceless art for free, show me a black Friday deal like that.
Our World – Woolaroc Museum Entrance Facade
Woolaroc Museum and Wildlife Refuge was started by the Frank Phillips, founder of Phillips Petroleum Company to showcase his art collection and exotic wildlife. It is located out in the middle of nowhere in northeast Oklahoma in Osage County.
I’ve long admired the mural around the main entry door to the Musuem.
(Buffalo Dancer with tomahawk)
The mural was installed in 1946 by Winold Reiss, a German-American artist who installed murals all over the United States. The mural uses very strong imagery and bold colors.
(Kiowa Fancy Dancer)
(Eastern Woodsman with Calumet)
October, Osage County – Weekend Reflections
A sculpture on the grounds of Woolaroc the former ranch of Phillips Petroleum founder Frank Phillips. I couldn’t find any signage or other information on the artist.
First Annual Woolaroc Pioneer Woman Wet T Shirt Contest
Saturday, I ventured up to Frank Phillip’s ranch in Osage County (You know old Frank, the guy who started Phillips Petroleum Right?) to run in the Woolaroc 8K road race. Woolaroc is an acronym for “Woods, Lakes, and Rocks) and is the name that Mr. Phillips gave to the ranch. He is long since passed but there are lots of animals and a museum of art on the property.
I did my typical antics. I love taking pictures of people taking pictures. I was too late here, but I caught them looking at the image on the LCD screen.
I just took one picture of the race. You lose a lot of time taking pictures during a race, and it was raining. So I took just this one with my Ipod.
When you finish the race, and eat your banana, and get your Powerade they allow you into the museum for free. Not too many runners were in the museum and that is a good thing because a shocking thing was going on. The First Annual Pioneer Woman Wet Tee Shirt Contest. Sponsored by RHOC, the “Real Housewives of Osage County”. They are a wild bunch, nothing like the RHOK (“Real Housewives of Oklahoma”) who spend their time in churchly duties such as prayer, hymn singing, Bible study, martini drinking, and sewing clothes for the poor.
The RHOC ladies organized the event and got the services of four judges.
Frank Phillips himself, of course it is his place, so you gotta ask him right?
Geronimo made the trip from Fort Sill.
(Will Rogers by Bryan Baker)
Oklahoma’s favorite son Will Rogers agreed to be a judge.Man, wouldn’t you like to hear what he thinks of Paul Ryan and Joe Biden?
(Sugar for the Trail by Joe Beeler)
And they picked a cowboy because, well because this is Oklahoma and you have to have a cowboy and Garth Brooks was busy. The problem was the cowboy was caught in a compromising position with one of the contestants (who yeah big surprise, if you know cowboys) who was obviously trying to influence his vote. So they were both disqualified! The lady reminds me of Miss Kitty on Gunsmoke. I don’t know about you but my childhood was ruined when I realized that Miss Kitty was a hooker. Well, I’m digressing. Sorry.
Well, I won’t go through all the contestants. You know Pioneer Women were not known for their beauty generally,except to their husbands and kids.
So without further adieu, here are the winners. The 3rd runner up!
(Pioneer Woman by Bryant Baker)
A quite attractive, nice young woman. Her bonnet and boots are especially fetching don’t you think. Nothing like a woman who knows how to tie leather laces nice and tight.
(Pioneer Woman by H.A. McNeil)
The Second Runner Up, very lovely, even with the bare feet. I have to tell you though that the axe she carried was a little intimidating. You can see that her son likes her, a lot!
(Pioneer Woman by Arthur Lee)
The Runner Up featured a typical pioneer woman’s dress that protects her from the hot Oklahoma sun in the summer and our snowy, windy, cold winters. Plus she was exceptionally modest as her dress covered her completely down to her ankles. It is such a shame that young women these days seem to have this need to show everything they have.
(Pioneer Woman by James E. Fraser)
You know the winner had a lot to do Saturday and saw what she needed to do to win the contest and just went ahead and did it. She had to go get groceries, pick up some dry cleaning, clean the house, and cook dinner so she went All In, or maybe I should say All Out. I think the judges rewarded her pioneering spirit and her willingness to just cut to the chase.
So, do you think the judges pick the right woman?
I’m linking up with my friend Impulsive Addict’s Talk to Us Tuesday.
ABC Wednesday – “K”
K, K, K? What can K be? I don’t know but it reminds me about what they say about the University of Nebraska Football Team. You know the Corn Huskers? Do you know what the “N” on their helmets stands for?
You are right!! The “N” stands for Nowledge!!
And this week’s K is “King Tut.” We saw reproductions of his tomb contents at the Museum of Idaho’s “Treasures of the Tomb” exhibition in Idaho Falls during our visit there this past summer.
Have you acquired any good nowledge lately?
Our World – Philbrook Museum of Art
Last week me and SuperPizzaBoy had some time to ourselves to we went to the Philbrook Museum of Art. We are members thanks to the world’s great MIL, SPB’s Grandmother “Nana.”
We di the whole thing, inside and out, we saw great murals.
Native American Pottery
Modern Native American Art
People brunching.
We love the entry hall at museum, it is grand and very geometric.
A painting of the Grand Canyon by Thomas Moran.
Their collection on Modern Design
We even liked the fireplace screens.
And in a house built by a oil tycoon do you expect the wild naked fish riding women to stay under covers? So to speak.
We also love the gardens of the museum.
We saw both Philbrook cats.
SPB went to say hello, the cat had things to do and places to be.
Philbrook is the place to be if you find yourself in Tulsa.
Road Trip to the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum
Saturday a week ago,son and I loaded up the car and headed down the highway to Oklahoma City.
We pulled off the turnpike at Wellston and drove down Route 66 to Pops near Arcadia to get us a soft drink. Pops has almost every kind of soft drink known to man. We bought two each. Usually we only get one but it was hot that day. We drank one and put the other in a cooler we brought along just for that purpose. So we could drink something cold on our way back.
Don’t ask my why I always get some sort of Black Cherry soda at Pops. I’m a Diet Doctor Pepper guy usually. Diet Creme Cherry flavored if I can get it. Don’t judge me. I always like diet Orange Crush.
Next stop was the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. We love this place, just love it. It will always be the Cowboy Hall of Fame to me though. I’ve been going here ever since I moved to Oklahoma twenty six years ago. It has really changed over the years.
One of my favorite places is their big banquet hall. They have five massive triptych paintings by Wilson Hurley. Together they are called Windows on the West. They are huge and spectacular. My employer has a Wilson Hurley painting in the lobby. I saw him there some years ago up on a step ladder touching up the painting.
(The Leader’s Downfall by William R. Leigh)
The museum is cram full of Western Art of all types.
They also have lots of other exhibits about life in the west for cowboys, soldiers, and regular families.
Ronald Reagan belongs in the Museum. I’m assuming that George W. will be there one day. His dad, George H. won’t nothing wrong with him, he is just not western. Barack Obama won’t be there either. I mean you either have it or you don’t. I grew up in small towns of the west with cowboys, I had many western friends, some of my family are western. I don’t have a western bone in my body. I don’t have anything against it, its just now me. But I still like this Museum.
They have a great rodeo exhibit. They explain all the events and have a mock up of a rodeo arena, great fun.
They have a great section on the west in movies and television. That is Kirk Douglas above.
SuperPizzaBoy’s favorite is Prosperity Junction a western Town. He really liked the pulpit in the church.
A mock up of an early day classroom. I hate to admit it but this is how my class rooms in Price, Utah looked like when I was a kid. Inkwells in the desk and all. At least we didn’t use the inkwells.
Early day bank.
I caught him bellying up to the bar. Kids!
I love this hat exhibit. Tell you what though, when I first saw it it reminded my of a tank full of jellyfish. Is there such a thing as Cowboy Hat Jellyfish?
With that, we loaded up, grabbed our second sodas from Pops and headed back home.
I just love road trips, have you been on one lately? Tell us about it.
Weekend Reflections – Heard Museum, Phoenix, Arizona
It is hot in the desert and water is very scarce. It makes you appreciate it that much more.
(Phoenix, Arizona May 2012)
Heard Museum Courtyard in Phoenix, Arizona.