It was wonderful to have spent part of the winter in Florida, but it is always good to be home again. We enjoyed warm weather and mostly sunny skies throughout our trip. Our shows went well, and when we weren’t working, we enjoyed bike riding, water aerobics at a nearby pool, and yoga on the beach, bright and early on Sunday mornings. We stayed in a vibrant neighborhood that highlighted locally owned restaurants, shops, and galleries, as well as a beautiful park.
- Museum Tours -
The Bonnet House
In addition to staying active, we also enjoyed many wonderful art exhibits in the area. There are a couple of highlights from this trip that we would like to share. The first was a visit to The Bonnet House in Fort Lauderdale to see the exhibition Zimsculpt. This fascinating exhibit features stone sculptures by artists from Zimbabwe, placed throughout the grounds of this historical home. The sculptures were beautifully displayed across this stunning 35-acre property. We were fortunate enough to enjoy a special evening exhibit on the night of a full moon.
Before attending the exhibit, I had visions of a display of traditional African sculpture, which would have been a delight. I was pleasantly surprised to find some very contemporary organic pieces that truly struck a chord with me. These sculptures, carved in various types of indigenous stone, exuded so much warmth and love. The theme of family held an evident significance throughout many of the artworks.
We were delighted to see a sculpture that had a striking resemblance to one of our own one-of-a-kind pendants.
The Wiener Museum
Through the recommendation of an artist friend, we next visited The Wiener Museum of Decorative Arts in Hollywood, FL. This museum houses the work of a private collector whose passion for “fired arts” spans centuries and the globe. We came away inspired and in awe of what we saw, especially given that this was just a small selection of the owner’s extensive collection. It was almost impossible to capture the beauty of these pieces, so please excuse the quality of the images.
This installation was one of many by Dale Chihuly. The quote in the background reads, “I’m obsessed with color. I never met a color I didn’t like.” We couldn’t agree more!
An eclectic cross-section of the work that we saw.
The exhibit also included a specially curated section featuring work by an African artist who traveled to villages to teach residents various art techniques. The collection is a culmination of themed art representing their rich culture.