Art Field Trip- NYC, January 2012

Went on a drive on Saturday with my husband to Long Island City to visit Five Points, which is a huge warehouse/building where graffiti artists from all over can apply to showcase their work. They have rules about taking photos here, so if you want to see more of the great work on display please visit their website: 5Ptz.com. I fell in love with this piece featuring an innocent eyed girl daydreaming:

After checking out both sides of the building we headed over PS1 which is an annex of the Museum of Modern Art. To be honest I was not thrilled with the experience. They had an exhibit of work commemorating 9/11 which was somber of course, but unusual in that the art was all done prior to September 11th. The other exhibits didn't do too much for me. I did enjoy a sound exhibit which was a room with speakers set up in the round playing some amazing chanting, as well as one of the stairwells which was painted in black silhouettes of trees on one floor and a series of event based scenes with a person involved in some sort of tragic attack which I thought was beautifully done. No photography allowed inside- so sorry no pictures to share.

Drove back on Sunday to New York City to bring my son back to college (he attends the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan). We spent the afternoon having lunch and shopping. Lunch was at a great place in Chelsea called the Grey Dog. Sandwich place with a great menu board of hand painted signs describing different sandwiches and entrees. Food was great- big hunky slices of fresh bread- I had a grilled cheese and tomato on rye. After lunch we took the subway down to Spring Street so I could check something off my bucket list- I've always wanted a pair of Dr. Marten's boots. We started at the 14th Street station where these great brass sculptures by Tom Otterness are all over the place:

We got off at the Canal Street Station (due to subway repairs being done over the weekend- limited service) where we found these beautiful blackbirds decorating the iron fencing forming the exit. The work is named "The Gathering" and it was done by Walter Martin and Paloma Munoz (for all kinds of great info on art in the NYC subways check out their website (this photo was taken by Conrad Trautmann)

After obtaining my new black buckle boots we went up Spring Street and stopped for a look at this amazing window for the Frye Boot store. The inside of the store was just as fascinating and worth the time to look around (and if you've the got the money to invest in some great boots and bags!):