On Tuesday, when most of us have quite a large chunk of free time in between classes, Natasha, Stephanie, Aimee, Laura, Jerrica, and I went on a trip to the MoMA. Who would have thought that the MoMA would be closed on Tuesdays? We were all shocked by the sign that was planted outside the museum indicating that it was not open. I was definitly disappointed because I had hoped to see the Tim Burton exhibit that everyone was raving about. I caught a glimpse of it during our class tour of the MoMA. I told myself that I would return to see the exhibit. Well, on this particular Tuesday, we ended up visiting the American Folk Art Museum instead. It called out to us because it was practically right next door.

As soon as we stepped in, we were literally wrapped in an air of warmth. The museum had a nice cozy feeling. It was small but intimate and there was plenty of space for us to study the art. The first painting that caught my attention was one that was titled "The Watergate." The colors were extremely vivid and could call out to viewers miles away. The Yankee Stadium was at the center of the painting. There was a long line of people waiting to enter, and it seemed like a baseball game was already in progress. All around, there were tall colorful buildings and people bustling about, dining, playing pool, and etc. They were interacting with their environment. The scene in the painting looked a bit familiar. At first glance, I thought it was Times Square because of all the buildings, billboards, lights, and people. It was a grand New York City neighborhood, which made it that much more appealing.

There were paintings illustrating how landscapes evolved from primitive farming villages to crowded urban marketplaces. It was observing history through art, with the painting combining the two worlds together. We could see the situation of America as well as the customs and culture of the time period. There was so much to learn from the paintings.

I enjoyed our unexpected visit to the quaint American Folk Art Museum. There was plenty of space for me to interact with the paintings in a homey setting. Each one had my individual attention, and I could absorb each painting more fully.