By the Queen of Free
One night last week I went to a walking tour at the FDR Memorial.
It was a free tour, one of the many free things to do which is hosted by the National Park Service. I found it on the Web at "Cultural Tourism DC."
That day I called the National Park Service to make sure someone would show up. After some fumbling around and several questions asked of me about the tour from the Park Service employees, the NPS folks "found" it and said yes, someone would be there to lead it.
It's a long walk from my office to the FDR Memorial, but I certainly needed the exercise. And the information from a Park guide about FDR. I don't know enough about him.
But I wanted someone to show up. That was the reason to go, no?
No one came.
Three of us waited at the appointed hour of 8 p.m. at the beautiful, the crowded (even at night, but it's so spread out and big, who notices the people?) FDR Memorial for the hour's tour. After 15 minutes two of us left to explore the memorial on our own. At 8:25 p.m. I saw the third of our group still waiting on the bench.
The Park Service was certainly apologetic the next day.
Why does it post tours that, seemingly, none of its employees know anything about? Why are tours posted on a Web site which do not happen?
Another tour was scheduled for Friday night for a two hour evening tour of the Mall. Even though a Park Service employee told me someone would show up to lead that one, too, how could one be sure? Was it worth a wait downtown until 7 p.m. to find out? I nixed the possibility.
Yes, it is free; yes, the Park Service is poorly funded, but why promote something that's not going to happen? It creates frustration and unhappiness among those interested, not to mention negative comments on a blog.
Showing posts with label Queen of Free. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Queen of Free. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
Classy Contemporary Art at Zenith's Alternative Gallery
By the Queen of Free
The new show, “Reincarnations,” which has opened in the lobby, the “Sculpture Space,” at 1111 Pennsylvania Avenue is not to be missed. So much to love!
Curated by Linda and Steven Krensky for Zenith Gallery, the show’s stated description is: "Mixed media works created from found objects” and recycled materials.
It is so much more than anticipated and entertaining in every way.
There's a full-scale woman with a school bus as part of her arm on a discarded bicycle, multiple glass lens from sunglasses which hang like wind chimes , rows of combs, lamps, sculptures, musical instruments. It is all marvelous and serves up much to an art lover on any scale to savor and admire the creativity and genius of the participating artists.
Caitlin Phillips made handbags from books. “Cleo,” the cat is made up of blue and gold ceramic pieces by SuAnne Lasher. A “room” at the entrance of the exhibit almost becomes part of the office building itself, until closer inspection from a distance (what ?) reveals old, recycled signs are its walls, providing enlightenment. (Sorry, I didn't get the artist's name! To add.)
Jane Pettit’s sculptures including a mermaid and three frogs made of mosaic tiles at the end of the space deserve to be moved out further in the gallery to allow visitors distance to more easily admire both sides.
Kristin Eager Killion, John Pack, Randall Cleaver, and Irma Spencer are some of the other 43 artists who participate.
At the crammed opening Wednesday evening, it was an “avant-garde” (or as much as one can be described in stuffy Washington, D.C.), mostly older Baby Boomer crowd who loved it all (or most of it anyway) and seeing old friends and artists in a welcoming venue, the lobby of an office building (or what appears to be a lobby). How refreshing to be around an "event" in D.C. where the majority of the crowd was older than 30. Anyway...
The show is open until September 28 on weekdays (office building hours from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m., or “on weekends by appointment”; call 202-783-2963).
Prices for all pieces are listed. Were there any "NFS"? As usual, I found myself wishing that my income was much bigger so that I might buy a piece or two.
The press release says some of the artists are college-trained, and others, self-taught. Whatever! The pieces serve to pique the mind in wonderful ways. I shall return!
The new show, “Reincarnations,” which has opened in the lobby, the “Sculpture Space,” at 1111 Pennsylvania Avenue is not to be missed. So much to love!
Curated by Linda and Steven Krensky for Zenith Gallery, the show’s stated description is: "Mixed media works created from found objects” and recycled materials.
It is so much more than anticipated and entertaining in every way.
There's a full-scale woman with a school bus as part of her arm on a discarded bicycle, multiple glass lens from sunglasses which hang like wind chimes , rows of combs, lamps, sculptures, musical instruments. It is all marvelous and serves up much to an art lover on any scale to savor and admire the creativity and genius of the participating artists.
Caitlin Phillips made handbags from books. “Cleo,” the cat is made up of blue and gold ceramic pieces by SuAnne Lasher. A “room” at the entrance of the exhibit almost becomes part of the office building itself, until closer inspection from a distance (what ?) reveals old, recycled signs are its walls, providing enlightenment. (Sorry, I didn't get the artist's name! To add.)
Jane Pettit’s sculptures including a mermaid and three frogs made of mosaic tiles at the end of the space deserve to be moved out further in the gallery to allow visitors distance to more easily admire both sides.
Kristin Eager Killion, John Pack, Randall Cleaver, and Irma Spencer are some of the other 43 artists who participate.
At the crammed opening Wednesday evening, it was an “avant-garde” (or as much as one can be described in stuffy Washington, D.C.), mostly older Baby Boomer crowd who loved it all (or most of it anyway) and seeing old friends and artists in a welcoming venue, the lobby of an office building (or what appears to be a lobby). How refreshing to be around an "event" in D.C. where the majority of the crowd was older than 30. Anyway...
The show is open until September 28 on weekdays (office building hours from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m., or “on weekends by appointment”; call 202-783-2963).
Prices for all pieces are listed. Were there any "NFS"? As usual, I found myself wishing that my income was much bigger so that I might buy a piece or two.
The press release says some of the artists are college-trained, and others, self-taught. Whatever! The pieces serve to pique the mind in wonderful ways. I shall return!
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