CLARK WITH PETER AND KIRSTEN

I liked this one each visit.  

The contrast between these idylic paintings of girls on the bridge and the famous scream are huge.

When I went with Bruce and Abigail, I talked about this with Bruce.  I always wonder what the wheat feels, because those who eat the wheat are thinking that they don't bring pain to animals.  But, do they bring pain to the wheat?

 

COYOTE FLACO

 While in Williamstown visiting the Clark, we stopped for supper at Coyote Flaco, The Skinny Coyote.

Although it is a Mexican Restaurant, the sign says they serve food from Spain, so I was moderately hopeful.

"food from Spain" on a restaurant sign is very different than "Spanish food." which generally means food from South America.

It is hard to find authentic food from Spain. We found some in St. Petersburg, Florida at a place that made an assortment of tapas that were what one might find on a menu in Spain.

Well, The Skinny Coyote was 95% Mexican, but they did have a chorizo special that featured the chorizo one might find in Spain. I had it and it was very good.

My Mexican taste was elote, the corn on the cob one finds offered by Mexican street vendors. It was good, but only one ear with a little salad. Still, for $6, not bad.

I liked the restaurant itself. The music was low. The decorations were interesting. The service was excellent. Our table was in the main room and too close to another table. Next time I'll ask for a table for two by the fireplace in the other room.

For dessert we shared a nice portion of flan.

Tons of choices for margaritas. The NA beer was Corona; they were out of Buckler.

We got there as they were opening. No reservations are accepted, but it was good timing to get a table. No wifi available.

CLARK MUSEUM FOR THE THIRD PLAY READING

 We went to the last play reading of this season, Wipeout   and unlike the one we last saw, this was great.  Very funny.  It was set out on surf boards where three older women were taking a lesson in surfing.  It was very funny, but it had some serious themes.  One of the women was approaching Alzheimer's.  In the end she manages to stand up on the surfboard and so symbolically overcome her failing abilities.

Emily Kuroda played one of the other characters.  We remember her at Mrs. Kim, mother of Laurie Gilmore's best friend.  It was grand to see her again and in person.

We had a half hour or so to wander through a new exhibit of Rennaisance Printing.  Normally, I am not much for printing art, but this was really fantastic.

We also toured a room of British art, featuring John Constable.  I like Constable and enjoyed time to see the paintings.

Both these small room galleries were in the basement where the research library exits and the auditorium for the play.   That is why we had time to see them, as the museum closes fairly soon afet the play is over.

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I like Constable's levels of sky, green and yellow wheat as well as the people and the story their images tell.  

Marcantonio Raimondi

Italian, 1480-1534

After Raphael Italian, 1483-1520

Two Women with the Zodiac 1517-20

Engraving on paper

Clark Art Institute

Gift of Renée E. Watkins in memory of her father Dr. Kurt Max Neu

1991.23

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Andrea Mantegna

Italian, c. 1431-1506

Virgin and Child Engraving on paper

1480-85

Andrea Mantegna became one of the first Italian painters to explore the technical potential of the print medium. Although he hired a professional to engrave his drawings, Mantegna learned the very specialized technique of engraving a copperplate, and this small, devotional Virgin and Child is likely one of the few engravings executed by his hand. The intimate composition and the freely moving line reveal the artistic experiments of a seasoned drawing practitioner, who embraced the innovative craft of printmaking.

Clark Art Institute 1955.983