Ringling Museum of Art

The kids with our friend, Henry

We had a wonderful day exploring the Ringling Museum of Art (and surrounding gardens). The museum is free on Mondays, so my friend Amy and I decided to give it a try.

I have never been to an art museum before...but that has all changed.  I can not wait to go back!

Enjoying the rose garden

Looking for the pretties rose

The grounds were amazingly beautiful.  Mature banyans, rose gardens, native and exotic plants fill the walkway.

We took a few minutes and walked around the Ca d'Zan Mansion (Venetian for 'house of John'  (I could imagine a "Great Gatsby-esque party on the back patio).  The owners were the founders of the Ringling Circus, and the performance influence was easy to see .

Maybe next time I will get to venture inside this beautiful home.

The children played in the play area for a few minutes before the heat forced us inside.

The museum itself was modeled after the old Roman times with pillars, sculptures, statues, and marble.  Inside was a variety of exhibits.

Our first stop was the temporary collection "Intent to Deceive- Fakings and Forgeries in the Art World."  The kids had fun trying to predict which piece of art was real and which was the fake (actually, I think they just liked to lift the flap).  We learned about the 'artists' who not only copied  well known pieces of art, but tried to pass them off as authentic.  I should have written the names down and some of their quotes because we could not take pictures in that exhibit, but the post-modern thought of these men permeated their decisions.  One man said something along the lines of "I only sold my replicas to experts who should have been able to test and know the authenticity of the work.  If they couldn't tell it was a fake, that wasn't my fault, but theirs."  Another man said, "If my art hangs in museums long enough...then it becomes real."  The sad part was...these men were getting just what they wanted.  They were becoming famous for their crime, and their work was hanging in museums...thus, in a way, making them real.

It's interesting because the best way to become a master at something is to imitate an expert who has come before you.  Even Bejamin Franklin did this, to better his writing skills, he would imitate a writer he wanted to be like.  So, a wonderful way of becoming a better artist is to imitate the person you would like to be like.  I'm pretty sure that is Biblical too.  The apostle Paul tells us to imitate him, as he imitates Christ.  So, these men were in fact great artists, the problem is that they were also liars.  They were not master artists like Monet because after they imitated Monet, they had to put his name on it to try to make it worth something.

After a quick picnic lunch, we made our way back to the museum and entered the wonderful hall of classic Renaissance, Classical, Romantic, and Baroque artists.  It was Amazing!

The courtyard was beautiful.

The kids have never experienced an art display like this.  I think we were all quite shocked at the amount of nudity in the pictures and statues (well, they didn't say anything about the paintings, just the statues.  Distraction...distraction was key here...)  We got to see painting that were over 400 years old and even by artists we have learned about in CC including Rembrandt, El Greco, and Gainsborough.

Lamentations by Rembrandt c.1635

Decorative Wall Covers by Juriaan Andriessen c. 1800 (see below)

A Harpsichord (pre-piano).  We have learned about this instrument when studying Mozart, who was known for his harpsichord playing.  The instrument plucked the string, instead of pounding them like the modern day piano.  Very different sound.

1652

Pretty much what they looked like.

A glass crib.  The kids weren't sure what to think about it.

The following pieces are a few of Peter Paul Ruben's pieces from the 1600s.  The Ringling Museum houses 5 of the 7 remaining tapestries from this artist.

Oh....I forget what this is called...but it's the Manna falling from heaven for the Israelite

Abraham and Melchizedek

I can not wait to go back!

Shell Factory

A few weeks ago, the kids and I had to spend a few days down in North Ft. Myers/ Port Charlotte area.  We decided to stop in the World Famous Shell Factory for a few minutes.  Boy was it fun!  We wish we would have had more time.

Check out ALL of those shells!!!!!

 It's hard to pick out which one is your favorite.

Checking out what was once a sea fan coral

I LOVE their faces in this.

I couldn't pick between these next to pictures.  Nicole's awesomeness is the same in both...Hannah's changes a bit.  So funny!

Again....look at Nate (Hannah is over it)

Pirate Land

Yo-ho-ho

I thought that this was funny.

Just silly pictures and silly fun with mommy :)

Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park

We just finished a wonderful day trip to Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park.  What a beautiful and entertaining park, hidden near the west coast of northern/central Florida.  I am so thankful for the opportunity to visit places like this!

We had a great day with our new friends (who are also new to Florida).

The kids with their friends Naomi, Esther, and Ethan

This may have been their first gator sighting!

We took a 20 minute boat ride to the park.  This boat ride was filled with great information about our native species and Indian history.

Awe:)  New, but quick, friends...Naomi and Nicole

This plant (Willow Bark) was used by the local Indians as a pain reliever.  They would chew on the bark of the plant.  Recently, scientists figured out why the Indians used this tree.  It contains the same chemical (naturally) that we use in aspirin.  Of course it would be used for pain relief.

The kids enjoyed the leisure boat ride through the small Pepper Creek.

Pointing to a Wood Duck nesting box.  The park is trying to bring back the Wood Duck population by giving them a safe place to nest.

There were three "shows" we want to see.  Well, they were more like talks, so we had to push the kids past the amazing animals at first so we could visit the Wildlife Encounter.

We got to see Yuma, the 6 month old Florida Panther that was found near Naples (can I get a woot woot!) when he was only 2 days old, nearly dead.  Someone took him to a local Veterinary clinic where they hydrated him and sent him to Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa (another woot woot!).  While at Lowry Park Zoo, they were able to give this tiny panther a chance, but realized he would never be able to return to the wild.

Yuma, the baby Florida Panther

He has since been moved up to Homosassa Springs where they will continue to care for Yuma and use him for public education.

He's so cute!

The beautiful little park had walking trails all over the place for us to explore Florida's native animals including raptors like the Bald Eagle

and the Crested Caracara.

We spent time at the manatee viewing area.  Let's be honest, as a native, I've seen my share of manatees and do not hold a sense of wonder for them the way some do...until today.  You see,  usually when I see manatees, you just get to see their back humped out of the water, or through a thick, scratched and dirty glass underwater at the zoo.

Restaurant Grade Romain Lettuce.  Caesar salad anyone?

Not today.  Today was different.  We got to see these amazing (and HUGE) creatures very up close and personal.

The kids were in awe.

And, I think a sense of wonder was achieved in them.

This is the best place to see a manatee up close, unless of course you are diving with them.

Pretty sure you can still get fat from eating just salad.

After lunch, we went to our final show of the day to learn about the hippopotamus and alligators.

Yep...hippopotamus...in Florida.  What?  They aren't native?  Well, this one was official recognized as an honorary resident of the State of Florida by governor Lawton Chiles back in the 90s.

peek-a-boo

We got some cool shots of him.

Our friends have not seen a Florida Alligator up close and personal yet.  This was a great opportunity for them.

The gator looked the way I felt, hahaha.  He didn't move all day.  Just sprawled out on the 'beach'.

Checking out the live gators

We enjoyed a leisurely, kind of, stroll around the grounds, checking out different plants, looking at flowers, searching for caterpillars, and enjoying the wild life.

I have no idea what this plant is...but it was cool.

Nicole found this grasshopper...but he didn't want to be taken off the wood slat.

Of course, the wild life was probably entertained by us....6 children who were all either 8, 6, or 4 :)

These squirrels can be entertaining.

And aggressive.  This guy found an ice cream cone to snack on (or steal)

Nicole said, "This was the best state park we've been to!"  I wish it wouldn't have taken us so long to check it out.  This is a good one for sure.

Fun day, with Fun Friends!