nature | Daydream Tourist

Apr 8

Real Gardens that Inspired Art

The monthly ArtSmart Roundtable brings together some of the best art-focused travel blogs to post on a common theme. This month we are discussing Spring! Take a look at all the great stories at the bottom of the page.

"The Unicorn in Captivity", Netherlandish, 1495-1505 (Cloisters, Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Unfortunately the unicorn in this lovely garden is pure fantasy. “The Unicorn in Captivity”, Netherlandish, 1495-1505 (Photo: The Cloisters Collection)

While Washington D.C. has been stubbornly cold this March, I’m just starting to see the first bulbs pop up. And nothing announces Spring like flowers! Gardens and their exquisite flora have always been a popular subject in Art, but not all of the places in these paintings are made up locations. Let’s take a look at a few of the “real” gardens behind some famous paintings.

Dec 9

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A Vision of Nature: The Designs of William Morris

The monthly ArtSmart Roundtable brings together some of the best art-focused travel blogs to post on a common theme. This month we are discussing Art and Nature. Check out all the stories below!

One of my favorite William Morris designs, “Strawberry Thief,” 1883 (Photo: Victoria & Albert Museum)

Nature has inspired some of the most amazing art – from the representational, majestic landscapes of the Hudson River School to the stylized, curling flowers of the Art Nouveau. A painted landscape was one way to bring the environment back into our homes. The Arts & Crafts movement went one step further and sought to bring the beauty of nature inside and incorporate it into our furnishings and decorations. No one did more to turn parlors into romantic gardens like the British designer William Morris.

Apr 17

Israel – First Impressions

Flowering cactus near the Sea of Galilee

I’ve been back from Israel a month now and have had some time to reflect on the experience. I’ve been describing my trip as “intense” – but in a good way! There are a lot of amazing things packed into this small country and I was nearly overwhelmed by the cultural, historical, and religious wonders I encountered. I wanted to share with you some of my first impressions.

Feb 17

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The Cliffs of Moher, Ireland

There wasn’t sunshine all day, everyday when I visited Ireland. But when the sky was clear, the landscape was simply beautiful. During one of these occasional blue sky moments, it’s better to be at one of the most amazing vistas on the island – the Cliffs of Moher.

Jan 30

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Flowers and Old Stones

The East Coast of the US has been blasted with some terribly cold weather the last two weeks. To warm up, I’ve been digging through my summer photos! I’ve noticed a nice handful of picture in the genre of “Flowers & Old Stones.” There is something really beautiful about juxtaposing the rich texture of archaeological remains and colorful flowers.