art | Daydream Tourist

Oct 30

Discovery – Or Why I Love Street Art

Hopefully you’ve been following Banksy’s month long residency and outdoor exhibit in New York City this month. Without even touching the somewhat provocative messages of this pieces, there is something really fun about this style of guerrilla street art. I wish I could be hunting his new pieces each morning! I love the thrill of discovery and that moment of personal appreciation and enjoyment in front of clandestine art. There is no gallery, no reviews of the show and no artist to hear your praise (or criticism). Street artists create art out of their own creative need and to hopefully make us think as we pass their work. I certainly appreciate street art and think it improves our urban areas.

Pasted paper street art in Cambridge, MA

Oct 22

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Florida’s Highwaymen: Self-Taught Artists and Road-Side Sales

Regional artists are often the best at capturing the spirit of place. Many such artists are never known outside their area, but one such American art movement is gaining national attention. The Florida Highwaymen were a group of African-American painters who beginning in the 1950’s produced landscapes of the coastline and swamps of their native Florida. In a time when the American South was highly segregated, they sold their works out of a car trunks thus earning the group it’s nickname. These local artists and their dreamy, iconic landscapes are being re-discovered and appreciated by a new generation of collectors for their historical, social and aesthetic value.

Harold Newton – “Afternoon Seabreeze”,

Oct 15

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Royal Revisions in Assyrian Art

We sometimes forget that beautiful works of art may have been created with ulterior motives. Think of a pharaoh using a heroic frieze to solidify his power, an elegant Renaissance chapel donated to erase the sins of the patron, or a lovely oil portrait sent to encourage a royal marriage. Sometimes the circumstances behind the message change and the image must be adjusted. I notice one such major revision in Chicago and was surprised to hear about some political turmoil that led to the defacement of a glorious royal sculpture.

The Khorsabad Gate, Oriental Institute, University of Chicago (Photo: American Lady, Flickr)

Oct 10

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Seaside Charm in Nafplio, Greece

Touring the Peloponnese is a lot of work. Don’t get me wrong, the towns and countryside are gorgeous. Its just that you just have to cover a lot of ground and move from hotel to hotel. That’s why I’m glad I tweaked my planning a little bit to spent a few days in Nafplio. Its close to several major archaeological sites for day-tripping and is a fantastic, relaxing sea-side escape in its own right. Nafplio is the kind of place you look for when traveling!

Watching the fortress and passing boats while enjoying a post-lunch coffee along the Nafplio harbor.

Oct 7

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ArtSmart Roundtable – Jacob Lawrence

The monthly ArtSmart Roundtable brings together some of the best art-focused travel blogs to post on a common theme. This month we are returning to a classic topic – artists! You can find links below for the rest of the group’s posts. I’m sticking closer to home this month and focusing on one of the greatest American artists of the 20th century. With vibrant colors and dramatic figures, Jacob Lawrence brought to life the spirit of Harlem, the blue-collar worker and our American history.