Trying New Things, Finding New Art…

In another attempt to try new things, Kyle and I travelled all the way to the North side of campus to the Palmer Art Museum.  Unfortunately, Palmer is closed on Mondays and we walked all the way over there for nothing.  Tuesday, we walked over to Palmer again.  We were invited into the big building by the paws of a nittany lion and were excited to actually make it into the building this time.

 

Living only an hour from New York City for my entire life, I have been to a fair share of art museums.  My favorite art museum is the Met.  In my opinion, the Met has the perfect ratio of modern and classical art.  The Met collects pieces from Renaissance artists like Michelangelo to surrealists like Salvador Dali and basically anything in between.  My favorite exhibit at the Met is the one displaying Claude Monet’s waterlily paintings.  It’s sad, but also fascinating to watch the blearily painted pictures get even hazier as Monet neared the end of his life and began to lose his sight.

I’ve also visited the Museum of Modern Art.  Although, modern art isn’t my favorite, this museum has quite a few standout pieces.  Covering artists from Andy Warhol to Van Gogh is very impressive, especially because the museum boasts itself as a modern art museum.  MOMA even showcases Van Gogh’s starry night, a favorite of any art enthusiast.

Having visited these two amazing art museums, I honestly had very low expectations for the Palmer Art Museum.  I know that sounds bad coming from someone who loves trying new things so much, but I just couldn’t see how a college art museum could be anywhere near as nice as New York City’s finest art galleries.

I am happy to report that I stand corrected.  Penn State’s art museum, as with most features at University Park, was really impressive!  I loved the contrast between pieces.  The art ranged from classic to modern, just like in the Met or MOMA and there was also a huge variety of mediums and art forms.  Inside the drawers of one of the galleries are a collection of charcoal sketches on paper.  The walls are filled with beautiful paintings.  Tables are decorated with glass blown pieces and clay pots.  Even outside the doors of the Palmer Art Museum is an entire sculpture garden filled with abstract and thought-provoking pieces.

All in all I am again so happy that I go to a school that provides me with so many new and exciting opportunities.  Visiting the art museum right here on campus gave me the chance to escape the worries of everyday life and do something a little bit less mundane.  Appreciating art helps you to appreciate life because it reminds you to look for beautiful things all around you.  Walking back from Palmer, I was even more grateful than usual to be at a college as beautiful as Penn State.

Not to mention, this experience made me realize that Kyle has an uncanny knack for mimicking artwork which could be a cool party trick.

 

 

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