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Curator's Corner

Kimono Patterns and Ukiyo-e Prints

Monday, April 26, 2021 | Karl Cole

The Worcester Art Museum is hosting a fascinating exhibit tying kimono design and its importance in the ukiyo-e print aesthetic. Ukiyo-e, meaning “images of the floating (i.e. transient physical ...

Curator's Corner

Auspicious Friend for the New Year

Monday, January 4, 2021 | Karl Cole

Pine trees are one of the three “auspicious friends”—plants (along with bamboo and plum blossom) that help welcome the New Year in Japan. Pines are auspicious because they survive an ...

Curator's Corner

World Watercolor Month: Yosa Buson

Monday, July 27, 2020 | Karl Cole

If any artists could be called the “masters” of watercolor, it would be the artists of Asia—particularly far eastern Asia (Japan, China, Korea)—who, for centuries, used in ...

Curator's Corner

Fuji (Wisteria) Matsuri

Monday, April 27, 2020 | Karl Cole

In Japan, April 21 to May 6 is the time of the Fuji Matsuri, or “Wisteria Festival.” During the festival, traditional music and dance are performed at the Kameido Tenjin shrine on the outs ...

Curator's Corner

Simplicity

Monday, August 5, 2019 | Karl Cole

The first week of August is called National Simplify Your Life Week. What says “simplicity” more than a series of paintings inspired by the Zen Buddhist philosophy of finding Enlightenment ...

Curator's Corner

"Hmm, Ginko Leaf or Toothbrush?"

Monday, August 27, 2018 | Karl Cole

I just got a crown on a tooth this week, so I thought I’d do a teeth-themed posting. Goodness knows I don’t love going to the dentist, but he’s a really good one, so I’m no lon ...

Curator's Corner

First Snow Response

Monday, December 19, 2016 | Karl Cole

In the last week we had our first measurable snow in Massachusetts. I’m totally the kind of dork who’s all “it’s so pretty to walk around when it’s snowing.” And si ...

Curator's Corner

Survey No. 6: The 1600s

Monday, December 15, 2014 | Karl Cole

I think an alternate term for art of the 1600s is needed other than “Baroque.” Baroque is the established stylistic term for the period roughly 1600–1750 in Western art. The term com ...

Curator's Corner

Three Friends of Winter

Monday, December 27, 2010 | Karl Cole

I’m celebrating the beginning of winter by showing you an image that goes along with the "Looking and Learning" theme for December in our SchoolArts magazine: Stories. I don’t re ...

Curator's Corner

A Fabulous Carrying Box

Monday, May 17, 2010 | Karl Cole

I came across this gorgeous little item in our collection the other day, and, once again, I must emphasize how I detest the art form term “decorative arts” (though not quite as badly as I ...

Curator's Corner

Hiroshige Winter Wonderland

Monday, December 28, 2009 | Karl Cole

Since we’re in the midst of “The Holidays,” I thought I would show you all a nice snow scene (as if we haven’t had enough so far this month on the East Coast). Now, I’m t ...

Curator's Corner

Poetry as Visual Art

Monday, July 13, 2009 | Karl Cole

I’ve written before in this blog about my fascination with LINE, one of the Elements of Art. I’ve pointed out that when it comes to calligraphy, line is not only defining the shapes of a w ...

Curator's Corner

Pioneer Japanese Woman Artist

Tuesday, March 3, 2009 | Karl Cole

Every year when March rolls around, I start to yearn for spring. What better way to celebrate that yearning than by presenting an artwork with spring as the subject matter? ...

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Kimono Patterns and Ukiyo-e Prints

Auspicious Friend for the New Year

World Watercolor Month: Yosa Buson

Fuji (Wisteria) Matsuri

Simplicity

"Hmm, Ginko Leaf or Toothbrush?"

First Snow Response

Survey No. 6: The 1600s

Three Friends of Winter

A Fabulous Carrying Box

Hiroshige Winter Wonderland

Poetry as Visual Art

Pioneer Japanese Woman Artist

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