American Acrostics: Milton Avery and John Sloan

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John Sloan, Clown Making Up, 1910

John Sloan, Clown Making Up, 1910, Oil on canvas 32 1/8 x 26 in.; 81.5975 x 66.04 cm. Acquired 1919. The Phillips Collection, Washington DC.

To celebrate the last month of Made in the USA, we’ve asked Phillips staff to create acrostic poems for works in the exhibition. We’ll feature some of our favorite submissions over the next few weeks. In this post, Specialist for School, Outreach, and Family Programs Andrea Kim Taylor tries to get inside the head of a young woman writing at a desk and William Spates, Museum Assistant, gets thoughtful about one of his favorite paintings.

 

Milton Avery, Girl Writing
Under the influence of inspiration
She stops to empty her mind
And struggles for expression

Andrea Kim Taylor, Specialist for School, Outreach and Family Programs

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Milton Avery, Shells and Fishermen, 1941. Oil on canvas, 24 x 36 1/8 in. The Phillips Collection, Washington, DC, Acquired 1943

 

 

 

 

John Sloan, Clown Making Up

Unfulfilled
Survivor
A lifetime of stories to share

William Spates, Museum Assistant

American Acrostics: Thomas Eakins

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Thomas Eakins, Miss Amelia Van Buren, ca. 1891

Thomas Eakins, Miss Amelia Van Buren, ca. 1891, Oil on canvas 45 x 32 in.; 114.3 x 81.28 cm. Acquired 1927.

To celebrate the last month of Made in the USA, we’ve asked Phillips staff to create acrostic poems for works in the exhibition. We’ll feature some of our favorite submissions over the next few weeks. In this post, It Support Specialist Sandy Lee treats us to a special double feature.

Thomas Eakins, Miss Amelia Van Buren

Untold
Sarcasm
Awaits

 

Unbeknownst to Eakins,
Sitting was not
Amelia’s favorite activity.

Sandy Lee, IT Support Specialist

The Emerald Pools

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On vacation last week in Upstate New York, I climbed the gorge at Watkins Glen State Park, spotting many pools that brought to mind John Twachtman’s The Emerald Pool (ca. 1895). Of course, Twachtman’s pool was likely a hot spring and surrounded by the open and dry dirt ground of Yellowstone Park and not the dark, wet stone and lush greenery of the glen. But the beautiful emerald effect of deep pooling water immediately brought this painting to my mind. Duncan Phillips was a great admirer of Twachtman, hanging The Emerald Pool in an esteemed spot alongside Monet for many years. And Marjorie Phillips recorded in her book that, after a visit to the Phillips in 1926, Pierre Bonnard said that it was his favorite American painting.

(Left) Twachtman, John Henry, The Emerald Pool, ca. 1895, Oil on canvas 25 x 25 in.; 63.5 x 63.5 cm.. Acquired 1921. The Phillips Collection, Washington DC. (Right) Photo by Sarah Osborne Bender

(Left) John Henry Twachtman, The Emerald Pool, ca. 1895, Oil on canvas 25 x 25 in.; 63.5 x 63.5 cm.. Acquired 1921. The Phillips Collection, Washington DC. (Right) Photo by Sarah Osborne Bender