Yesterday I had the opportunity to have a sneak peek of the American Made folk art exhibit at Crystal Bridges. And it was stunning!
There were a variety of works including signs, paintings, weather vanes, whirligigs, and furniture, but the pieces that really resonated with me were the quilts. Our guide spoke about how young women expressed their creativity through practical means since they weren’t accepted into the wider community of artists. Household items that needed to be made from hand were constructed beautifully. And even Amish quilters who weren’t allowed to use ornamentation used beautifully intricate stitching on their simply designed quilts.
What I took away from the exhibit was a renewed sense to look for ways to fit beauty and adventure into the everyday. To make mundane tasks beautiful. To see the opportunity where there at first appears none.
If you live in or near Northwest Arkansas I hope you can make it to this exhibit (running July 2 – September 19.) Or if you’re a bit too far have an adventure at your own local museum and tell us about it!
Watch this sneak peek to get a taste of the exhibit and then hop over to Crystal Bridges to explore their website and download their printable Discovery Guide.