Saint Mary’s College of Art Museum in Moraga

Appraise the color of summer

The title of the main current exhibit at the Saint Mary’s College of Art Museum in Moraga is The color of summer. These watercolors from the California Watercolor Association can be seen Wednesday – Sunday 10am-4pm, until August 26th, 2018.

 I will have the water by Michael Granger at the Saint Mary’s College of Art Museum in MoragaI was expecting a lot of beach images and was pleasantly surprised at the broad palette of summer. I will have the water by Michael Granger won us over – a depiction of colorful drinks in a refrigerator.

Into Being - The River by Diana Hobson and Susan Alexjander at the Saint Mary’s College of Art Museum in MoragaMy son found the multimedia installation Into Being – The River by Diana Hobson and Susan Alexjander quite relaxing. At the time of our visit, we were the sole visitors and could enjoy the relaxing telegenic water images without any distractions.

The third current exhibit is by Richard Gayton: Strangers on the train, a watercolor study of BART riders on his daily commute. Gayton is an excellent observer of moods and this is reflected in his drawings of BART riders.

Saint Mary’s College Museum of Art sculpture gardenSaint Mary’s College Museum of Art is a great day trip. Visitor parking can be found adjacent to the museum and admission is free, donations are accepted. I also recommend the little sculpture garden in the museum’s courtyard, a relaxing place.

What are your colors of summer?

 

Start your travel with art

I noticed before that the San Francisco airport has a lot of interesting art on display. Did you know that there is a museum located at the international terminal? It is only open till 4:30, so we missed the opportunity to go in last time we flew. But don’t worry there are different exhibits all around the airport.

 

Chinese opera shoes. Part of the Stepping out: Shoes in World Cultures exhibit at the SFO MuseumWe saw the funky shoes from around the world, a quick glance at Ancient Rome and examples of arts and crafts. For a complete list of the different exhibits you can check out the museum’s website.

Stepping Out: Shoes in World Cultures, at SFO International Terminal

There is also the SFMOMA store for your after art shopping fix.

 

Have you noticed the art at SFO?

Entrance to the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum in San Jose

Walk in the Egyptian

The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum in San Jose has the largest collection of Egyptian artifacts in the western North America. The entrance is framed by goats similar to the Avenue of the Sphinxes in Luxor.

Egyptian king When entering I had to adjust my eyes; the light was dim which gives it an eerie atmosphere. The exhibits are going off in four different directions on multiple levels and are organized by themes, (burial practices, gods and religion, kings and pharaohs, daily life, trade, and neighbors) rather than time periods, so you can pick your favorite direction.

A lot of school groups were there at the same time. This allowed me to listen in to some of the guidespresentations. I enjoyed the story of the senet game, which was so popular that no one bothered to write down the rules!

Tomb entrance at the Egyptian Museum in San JoseThe most spectacular exhibit is the replica of a tomb. Not necessarily wheelchair accessible, it guides you into an entrance room and further down a staircase into the tomb.

To keep the kids engaged they have a passport program in which they can collect stamps.

Have you walked like an Egyptian before?

See Justice for All?

See Justice for All?

Justice for All? is an exhibit at the Euphrat Museum of Art, DeAnza College in Cupertino that will run until March 23rd, 2017.

The large ‘Liberty Weeps’ sculpture made from cardboard by artist Joseph DeLappe sets the tone. This show is about injustice, inclusion and exclusion. The theme was chosen before last year’s presidential election, but hence makes it more important than ever.

The art show is in conjunction with Silicon Valley Reads which encourages the reading of  “Unfair: The New Science of Criminal Injustice” by Adam Benforado and  “Writing My Wrongs: Life, Death and Redemption in an American Prison,” a memoir by Shaka Senghor. There are additional events around the area.

‘Pledge Alliance” by Judy ShintaniAnother piece of artwork that I found very moving was ‘Pledge Alliance” by Judy Shintani. She collected wood on a pilgrimage with her father to Tule Lake, a Japanese American incarceration camp, where her father was imprisoned as a teenager.

Do you have a favorite social justice art piece?

 

Opening hours:

Monday – Thursday, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.,

Other events:

Art & Empathy: Saturday, March 4, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m

Silicon Valley Reads events

 

Related links:

Metroactive: Art vs. Injustice at De Anza

Mercury News: De Anza’s Euphrat exhibit brings to light injustice through art

Mercury News: Pizarro: De Anza College art exhibit takes on social justice issues

 

The Computer History Museum

It’s all digital history to you

You probably heard about the Computer History Museum in Mountain View.  A lot of memories, from punch cards to the old mac computer.

This  is definitely the place to take your in-laws – they’ll remember all the times they used to program with the punch cards and every time they made a mistake they had to do all over again. This is impressive, but if you have a 11 year old with you, not too much.

 

Spell you name with binary code at the Intel MuseumAlso, there is the Intel Museum, a free museum about what gave Silicon Valley it’s name. Here are the most enthusiastic people working I have ever met in a museum. I tagged along for a bit while the guide explained everything about semi conductors to a bunch of 5th graders. Believe me, everyone learned something cool.

 You have to call to make sure they are not booked for some event, and yes the recording starts with the well known jingle: (408-765-5050).

 

If you and your 11 year old are lucky, the Digital Game Museum will have an exhibit somewhere near you. Right  now they are only open Saturday’s from 10 to 4 in their Santa Clara location. Here, your parents might recall how they played pong and then moved up to more innovative and challenging games.

This weekend you can make your own forthcoming. Go to the Maker Faire May 20 – 22 in San Mateo to get some ideas. This is great fun for all ages.

Will you go to the Maker Faire? What is your favorite digital recollection?

Firefighter helmet

When it rains – enlighten yourself

The day I explored Los Gatos it was raining. So, the cute upscale outdoor shopping district wasn’t  too much fun.

But what is the cultivated person supposed to do when it rains? Right, go to a museum. The NUMA  is a little gem. (Not only on rainy days!)

The high school exhibition Social Matters blew me away with the depth of the pieces. High schoolers from around the area painted, photographed, sculpted and wrote a piece about the art and the social matter that they were depicting.

Adi Lahav’s Fetal PositionTake for example Adi Lahav’s Fetal Position, a piece that speaks for itself.


Next was the hat exhibit, different hats with tools to make them.  Although just a one room collection a very interesting look at the history of different headgear and tops.

 

The More Than Your Selfie exhibit has, amongst other pieces of various techniques a very emotional video from Christina Nunez.

She tells her life story and how she used selfies as a therapeutic device.Cristina Nunez selfie with her mother

Art-o-matAs a special treat you can buy yourself some little art from the art-o-mat. I did not have $5 in coins, but sure will bring some next time! Have you ever used an art-o-mat?

 

 

What is your favorite museum?

foot prints of an animal, at the Junior Museum and Zoo, Palo Alto

Visit a little people museum and zoo

The Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo  is probably something for the younger generation (toddler to about eight), my 11 year old felt for most of this like been there – done that. The suggested donation is $5 per person, which I think is very reasonable.

You first walk thru the touch and learn exhibit, where the little ones can turn and twist and move things. Next are the insects. I have to admit I am not usually a fan of creatures with more than four legs but here they are mostly in the height for your two year old to inspect.

giant turtle

 

Outside there are some local animals from snakes to bunnies (not in the same pen) to a giant turtle.

pretent to be a spider on this claiming netI think my 11 year old appreciated the climbing and balancing things best.  But for younger kids this is a real cool place to hang and learn.

 

 

Do you have a favorite zoo?

interactive art from teamLab

Immerse yourself in an art experience

Recently I went to see the teamLab exhibition Living Digital Space and Future Parks at the Pace Art + Technology pop-up gallery in Menlo Park.

20 installations by teamLab, a Japanese new media arts collective, let you truly interact with art.  Some objects react to your touch; in one you can download  a web site app to control multiple plant inspired lights and another one creates a room magically filled with flowers and butterflies that surround you. But my personal highlight was the kids’ section. There are five truly interactive installations. For example your fish drawings, once scanned in, swim away. Try to touch the screen aquarium, it’s interplay!

IMG_3632

The exhibit will run thru July 1st 2016 and is open Tuesdays – Sundays 11-7.

A great new approach to art and very fitting for Silicon Valley.

 

Have you seen other examples of interactive art?