Art Museum

Like most of my projects I can't remember quite where the idea came from.  This summer the kids were 'sailing' snow sleds around the yard and driveway and it sort of reminded me of some famous painting but I couldn't quite put my finger on which.  And in 2020 it was a thing during lockdowns- museums challenged people to recreate famous paintings with  things that they had in their houses.  And Michelle and I were brainstorming ideas for Christmas gifts for Mom and Dad; we've both done photo books that parodied Mom's "Come Visit the Farm" book before.  Anyway, I landed on "Come Visit the Art Museum" and Michelle did "Come Visit the Library." (The Library turned out super cute too!)   

 

 It ended up being a fair amount of work and required much motivating of models.... but overall we had fun!  I think.  😏  It went best when I had all costumes and props ready to go BEFORE I announced that 'we're going to do another painting, come get ready!' 

 

I realized after we got the books that I should have used a darker font for the titles and artists... it's a little hard for older eyes.  😆

 Some of the outtakes were pretty hilarious.  

None of them were too impressed with my attempt at Geisha hair.

Feeding her Birds was one of Grandma Marjorie's favorites, and Mom has Song of the Lark on her wall.  I am fond of both. 

 

Miri was always excited to be 'in a painting,' others needed more convincing.... 

Goofs...

Not pictured is Bob (voluntold photographer) trying to get them to cooperate; quietly, because there were always neighbors outside.😂

The first time we tried to get Song of the Lark, we missed the sunset!  It dipped behind the fence right before we got Emmy dressed and outside.  I still like her eyes in this picture the best. 😍

Second time around we caught the sun, but we weren't quite as enthused.  :D 

We wanted to do a boat picture for Winslow Homer, but it never worked out to go to a lake... so we played croquet and sat on a fence.  Pretty sure the across the road neighbors saw us in all of our crazy get ups. 

 

Cecily really didn't want to be the man in the picture, and I don't know how no one got whacked with a mallet.

Aaaannnd Cadence is about to lose her paper plate 'hat', and Miri's 'dress' cracks me up. 😂

Miss Enthusiasm! 

 

Long ago in Scholastic Bowl, if they said "Ballerinas" we said "Degas!"  There might have been some intense discussion over who got to be "The Little Dancer," so we did the statue and the charcoal studies.  😋

 

Impressionists... 😁  Cecily grabbed her flute book for the sheet music for some reason. 

 They need a little practice taking direction- look left, um, not like that! 

hehe... oh girls...

When Perrin was involved we went with loose interpretations of the originals. 😆

 

The cowboy only tolerated the hat for very short intervals. 

 

Haha.

Our hero in the white hat, riding off into the sunset on a... unicorn... 😂

The shy little prairie maid was smiling a little too much, and this was the opposite.  :P 

Bob's parents have some Norman Rockwell on their walls.  :) 

  

Cadence either coughed or did something else gross and Emmy was not having it. 

Miriel really wanted to do the Girl at the Mirror also. 😊

Such a goose...

We had to get Bob involved too, and an apple from the farm.  And raided the pantry.  One of my favorite things at the Art Institute in Chicago is the miniature room collection, so we included ours. 

 

What's a museum without special exhibits?  Our siblings got in on the fun too.  :D  This is the Wyss version...

And the Koch version. 

There are probably a million other things I should have been doing, instead I was looking up how to label photographs for art gallery display.  Oh well.  I think it was worth it.

I'm still not sure if I should be proud that we own so many random things and outfits that worked, or embarrassed....  

Also, since our school doesn't do picture person (like Mom was for years) this is going to have to be my contribution to my children's art education.  😋
 Blessings.