About that Exploding Tree
Hey, it’s hard to write a blog while on the road. There’s a full week of adventures that I’ve not talked about. My bad.
So lets go way back to last Sunday in DC, where the tree exploded in front of a crowd of wided eyed international travelers. Screeming, by the way, sounds the same in many languages.
We had had our fun at the Corcoran and now I wanted to see the Lincoln and Vietnam Memorials before leaving town. It was soon to be blisteringly hot so Sammy needed out of the van. He would came with us to the memorials, I mean, why not right?
It was something like a mile to the Lincoln Memorial and as we walked the sky became more and more ominous. A pretty strong storm was in the makings. We picked-up the pace to get to the shelter of our nations 16th president memorial.
JUST as we hit the steps of the memorial the rain began, and half way up a guard inquired about our dog. He looked at me, looked at my cane, looked at our dog. We allowed that guard to make whatever assumptions he was having, we encouraged it a matter of fact, given the storm that about to let go on Washington Mall.
We found a place to tuck in out of the way of the storm and the eyes of anyone who might have the authority to send us out into it.
It became very eventful very quickly. At one point everyone was facing away from Lincoln look toward the reflecting pool. A huge crack from the sky and a fireworks style ooooh, from the crowd, but with just a hint of worry in their tone. Again, a boom and flash, loud and close, and the many international mouths open in wonder. Again, and again, and the sounds came louder and closer and then a HUGE MONSTER LOUD EXPLOTION and SCREAMS!
From where we sat, we did not see the event, just the faces of those watching it. At the moment of the flash peoples faces lite up as if they were sitting in front of white hot campfire! Thank the gods that the one thing our dog is not, is afraid of thunderstorms! I sent Matthew over to find out what had happened.
Lightning had struck the reflecting pool, and if this is all true, and then hit and blew up a tree. All I know is it was close and loud and I’m very grateful that Sammy somehow passed as a service dog.
On a very different note. After the weather cleared we walked over to the Vietnam Memorial. I really want to take the time to write about that so will save it for a time when it’s a little easier to focus. Writing in a moving car is an art I’ve not fully mastered.
Coming up next “Stage Planks”
Matthew’s Work Hangs in the Corcoran
I know you want to hear all about Matthew’s work in the Corcoran Museum in Washington DC but lets start by talking about the show it was a part of. Here’s more than you might want to read about the show, look though at the closing date!
THE AMERICAN EVOLUTION: A HISTORY THROUGH ART
OPENS AT THE CORCORAN GALLERY OF ART
March 1 – July 27, 2008
The Corcoran’s collection of American classics returns to Washington in a new exhibition!
WASHINGTON, D.C.—This spring, the long-awaited re-installation of the Corcoran Gallery of Art’s world-renowned collection of American art will open in a special exhibition, The American Evolution: A History through Art. A fresh look at the Corcoran’s extensive American holdings, the exhibition showcases nearly 200 objects in a wide range of media, dating from the colonial era to present day. The American Evolution will open on March 1 and remain on view until July 27, 2008.
The American Evolution focuses on five overarching themes that have shaped American culture: Money, Land, Politics, Cultural Exchange and The Modern World (see Exhibition Walk-Through Press Release). These themes are fundamental to the way the United States has developed and to the stories we tell about ourselves.
“This exhibition is one of the largest and most diverse displays of American art ever to be mounted at the Corcoran. It is not size and scope alone that distinguish the installation from earlier presentations of our collection, however. The display also purposefully rejects the chronological structure of traditional art historical surveys in favor of a thematic model that highlights continuities in American artistic production and culture from the colonial era to the present day,” said Emily Shapiro, Assistant Curator of American Art.
We got to the Museum as they opened, found shaddy parking right beside the building. I asked Matthew what it was like to see Fredrick Church’s Niagera painting, here’s what he has to say.
“I hadn’t been that excited in a long time to see a painting. My first reaction was that it was considerably lighter than any of the prints I have seen in any art book it’s been published in. I was impressed with the composition, but the painting had been re worked a number of times and it was surprisingly sloppy. There was a lack of contrast that seemed to diminish the drama of the scene. I had it’s very own room and two rows of benches to take it in. I realize it had a huge impact on American art, historically, critically and set a precedent for financial success. I couldn’t help but think that it was nothing more than simply a relic of the past. I think I had stared at it so long in a book, and I created an ideal of it in my mind and when I saw it fully with my eyes it wasn’t what I had created it to be. I actually much preferred the George Inness painting.”
For me, what I took away from this experience is; I feel like Matthew could hold his own in such illustrious company. I could easily see his work being a part of the show..and then I DID see it!!
“Swollen Creek” by Matthew Cornell: Corcoran Museum Washington, DC
Paul Woode, a security gaurd at the Corcoran Museum, stands watch over Matthew’s drawing. He is from Ghana and says “he’s humbled to have such an honor.”
Camping
(Housekeeping note: Since this blog is a work in progress and I’m going back and filling in details when I can, you may want to go back to old posts. If you do, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on “previous” to go to older posts. )
Let’s see if I can catch-up a bit. Go back to last night, Saturday July 26. We stopped at Aquia Camping “Resort” about an hour outside of DC, in Stafford, VA. Here’s Matthew roughing it with take-out.
So the heat should break just as soon as the sun goes down, right? Oh wrong! So very, very wrong. And this is not a camper we are in, nothing like screened windows, or fans, or cross breeze.
We actually thought ahead and brought screening and duct tape to McGyver something but it didn’t help. It was SO HOT. We we’re ready to be blood-let by the skeeters just to be cooler. So we whipped open the vans back door. It was better. And we would have welcomed all form of critter through our open doors if only we could figure out how to disimbowl the dome light we could not get to go out.
Kill the battery or be killed by the heat? We chose heat, we had a museum to go to in the morning. The heat did break by around 4:00AM.
OFF TO DC and Beyond:
I will tell you all about our adventures today (Sunday) first thing tomorrow morning. There’s so much to tell.
Here’s what you have to look forward to:
1) There’s the Fredrick Church painting!
2) Really cool show at the Corcoran
3) Matthe’s work is in the Museum, WHAT????
4) Exploding trees!!!
5) Sammy, the service dog
6) East of the capital
7) Was that W’s Motorcade?
8 ) Sammy the “sick” dog
9) The Horses and Hounds scenic drive
Tune in tomorrow!
Photos, Pheromones and Fredrick Church
Well as you scroll down you’ll see the photos part. We took some shots of motels for Mark’s upcoming short film he’s doing. Anything look good Mark?
Before we left Chapel Hill we stopped in at Phydeux (and you wonder why I can’t spell) for a miracle. It’s a gourmet pet store and supplies. Well they had the usual doggy downer herbs that do NOTHING for Sammy or for me.
The great guy that worked there with the bull ring through his nose did have an idea though. Pheromones. Something that makes a dog feel safe like he did when he was with his mother. We were reluctant given Samma-b was abandoned as a pup. Maybe it would conger up painful memories.
So it’s this spray you spritz on his bedding and bull ring man may have just saved our sanity!! It seems to help. Considerably.
Seems to have relaxed Matthew more than Sammy.
I’ll fill in the rest in a little while, we’re looking for our campground.
Scottish Inn Henderson, NC
I don’t know if this the site for a great film or not. What was most interesting to us was the guy mowing the gravel parking lot across the street from the Scottish Inn. Dude, gravel doesn’t grow that fast in this kind of heat, get out of the sun!
Can you see the guy mowing the gravel? Oh wait, is there some grass there? Can’t tell.
The Little Hotel in Henderson, NC
We don’t know if this place works for Marks film but we liked its personality!
Kings Inn Oxford, NC
Well the folks at the Kings in were not as friendly to Matthew going around shooting pictures of their fine astablishmen. But here’s the Kings Inn.
Note: Rotate head one turn to the left to see picture #4, still have not mastered this whole picture loading thing.
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