~ Novice Notes ~
Look beyond your initial impression of “pretty calendar art”; this turn of the 20th-century exhibit depicts an artistic movement that was revolutionary for its time: American Impressionism.
It was during this time that artists abandoned fine detail in favor of loose brush strokes and vivid colors. They abandoned studios in favor of the streets and countryside, painting outdoors, en plein air.
These were the days when gardening as a leisure pursuit was growing in popularity, marking the beginning of American garden clubs.
Many lived in artist colonies typically located in small towns that provided affordable living and abundant scenery to use as inspiration.
This movement also marked a monumental shift in subjects moving away from `staged scenes in favor of everyday fleeting moments of modern life. (read: instagram on canvas.. ok, sort of)