In previous posts, I have shared some of the amazing venues we have here in Rochester, New York; such as the Rochester Public Market and the George Eastman House. I had planned on making it a regular part of my Blog, but because of Covid, that plan was put on hold.
Since, things are continuing to get better concerning Covid restrictions, I have decided to renew the plan of visiting different venues and share with you just some of what Rochester has to offer. Today’s post is about the Memorial Art Gallery (MAG)!
We are very lucky to have such a esteemed museum here in town. Since, the founding of the museum in 1913, the permanent collection has grown to more than twelve thousand works of art. The museum also holds many events throughout the year and offers creative workshops to adults and children.
One of the annual events they hold is the Memorial Art Gallery’s “Arts and Treasures” event. It is described as Rochester’s most prestigious garage sale where you can find gently used antiques, fine art, original artwork, jewelry, china, pottery, porcelain, silver, crystal, fine linen, housewares, books, wearable art, and small furniture items to re-purpose or add to your home.
Garage sale, repurposed items, art… it was my kind of outing!
I have never been to this event before and was excited to see what it was all about!
The first thing I saw as I walked in were all types of artwork. There were paintings, sketches, statues, prints and more. They also had lamps and a few pieces of furniture in this area. I ended up purchasing two sketches and a Degas print.
I was drawn to both of these sketches. I find the detail and the loose movement very interesting.
I love the picture, but not the lettering on the bottom. I am going to cut out the picture part and frame it. For ten dollars, I could not pass it up.
Down the hall, they had purses, jewelry and linens. I found a set of twelve beautiful napkins. They were priced at nine dollars, but being the last day, there was a fifty percent discount and I paid just four dollars and fifty cents.
There was also an area with pottery, crystal and household items. It had been picked over and there was not much left. Next year, I will definitely come on the first day!
I use cloth napkins for everyday dinners all the time. After each use, I put them in the washing machine to soak overnight. In the morning I finish the cycle and have never had an issue with stains. It is much better for the environment!
As I was leaving the Memorial Art Gallery, I was delighted by the beautiful landscaping and works of art.
Each of the art pieces have a uniqueness of their own. I was especially taken in by the bronze and stone characters created by Tom Otterness. I attached a video at the end explaining the process and the meaning behind his work.
I hope , like me, you have been inspired to explore the many offerings of the Memorial Art Gallery. If you are not from Rochester, New York maybe you have been inspired to explore museums in your area!
The next time, I get together with my gal pals, I am going to suggest a visit to the museum and dinner after! Culture, friends and food; a winning combination in my book!
In my Instagram post today, I shared the end results of turning an old table cloth into beautiful napkins! This link will take you there!
Remember, if you enjoyed this post please “like it”! As always I would love to hear yours comments!