When someone mentions Wausau, Wisconsin, a thought rolls through my mind- North Woods outdoor recreation. However, along with its outdoor activities, there is a small museum, refined with a reputation of showcasing avian art.
It’s pretty fitting. I think of Wausau as a rugged outdoorsy type of town. Why not have a museum that reflects that same image? The museum’s claim to fame is an exhibition known as ‘Birds in Art’. However, that international event doesn’t take place until September 8. No matter, their exhibitions during my visit were more than satisfying.
Their main exhibit, as with all, was a temporary one, showcasing National Geographic photography-‘Rarely seen: Photographs of the Extraordinary’.(At the museum till may 27) That is enough to draw me to the place.
I remember as a child, I had discovered National Geographic photos of Mt St Helen’s eruption. Lava and glowing embers were approaching the photographer who took the incredible stills. He, facing certain death, caught images no living man had witnessed before. Yet, instead of fleeing he planted his feet firmly in the ground and took his final shots.
Those images did three things for me. I marveled at the photos, as I thought they were ultra-cool. Also, I realized for the first time that you don’t have to be a soldier, firefighter or policeman to be brave. Bravery is found under many hats. Lastly, I regarded photos in a National Geographic as the pinnacle of photography to this very day.
So, a visit to the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum was in order.
I approach what appears as a brick, steeple roofed addition to an old elegant Tudor style home. As I cross the threshold of the entrance, I find a very nonsensical and freshly finished lobby, as well placed double glass doors hint at galleries about to be discovered. A gentleman greets me cordially, presenting a map. He fills me in on the exhibits and I am left to guess if I will be pleased.
Instead of entering the glass doors in front of me, opening to the main exhibit, I meander a small hall off to the left. It is there, behind double doors, that I find the museum’s current bird exhibit-‘On the Wing-birds in flight’ (At the museum till may 13). It’s focus, as it seems rather specific, are airborne feathered friends. A variety of birds are represented here, from swallows to Egyptian geese.
At the mention of art that focuses on birds in flight, I endure a sensation of boredom. Flying birds are as common as dirt in a field. However, I change my mind quickly as these images and the way they are depicted are quite captivating. I find myself inspecting some of the paintings, sculptures and works on paper, which I regard as interesting, for a lengthy bit. Presented here, are the beauty, habitats and survival tactics of these winged animals. The different artistic methods and styles give different perspectives and interpretations of these creatures.
Of my favorites, a swallow skimming the water and a walnut sculpture of fishing pelicans highlight my perusal. I’m enthralled in this small gallery, fixed upon its seventy pieces of art. It is quite some time before I move on.
When I do, crossing into the main gallery which houses the National Geographic photos, my spirits, which are already recovering from a dismal week, are raised ten fold. Literally, the artistry displayed is mind-blowing. I see many extraordinary photographs, taken by some pretty talented individuals. From men riding the tusks of elephants to clouds threatening to unleash a tumultuous funnel cloud, this invigorates me.
In order to capture these photos, not only skill is required, preparedness and luck also come into this mix. Most of the subjects, as you would suspect, are of nature at its most compelling. Yet, there are a few, like a young girl taking a selfie with the Pope in a crowd, that include the human experience-the Pope is posing for the young lady as she snaps the shot.
There are fifty in all. The vibrance, seemingly fictitious images and artistry incite my question to an attendant. “Are these actual photos?”
To which he replies with a smile. “Yep! All of them are.” I can hardly believe my eyes and ears.
Lastly, I reluctantly leave the photo gallery behind and descend a staircase to the final exhibit. Its just as cool, as it features artwork that appears in children’s books. The name of the exhibit is ‘My friend Eric Rohmann'(at the museum till may 27) and it focuses on his work. My favorite, as it was his breakthrough work, is time flies.
Here, I’m familiar with some of the artist’s work, as I have noticed some of these pictures at Barnes and Noble.
After the final gallery, I’m kind of disappointed. The art was really enjoyable and the atmosphere was equal to the works. The place is fairly small, I wish there was more.
If your in the Wausau area, check out this very attractive and entertaining place. There is no admission cost, its one hundred percent free.
Tuesday-Friday 9am-4pm
Sat&Sun noon-5pm
Every first Thursday of the month 9am-7:30 pm
In this digital era, many gadgets, once common, have been replaced by new technologies. We all know the power our smart phone has, practically a billion gadgets rolled into one. I recall a life without that ‘all powerful’ piece of tech, as daily tasks were a tad more difficult. The compass, the watch, the typewriter and the landline phone have become practically obsolete.
That company was known as Hamilton manufacturing and, even if it also produced appliances and furniture, it was known as the country’s largest wood type producer. The company closed its doors in 1993. With its closing, the historical society of Two Rivers, the town it has always called home, saved the remnants that resided in the factory.
It’s filled with wood type art, which I find interesting. But of course, what’s most interesting are the bulky machines I see off to my right, as I receive a little history from a staffer.
I learn, from this staffer, that Hamilton’s competitive edge was holly wood. No, not the celebrity laden city in California. The wood from a holly tree proved perfect for presses. Hamilton, after discovering this, bought out his competition and his company blossomed with the design of many other products.
The staffer concludes her brief intro and I’m free to ramble across the concrete floor. As I have already mentioned, I find the metal monsters used to manufacture the wood type. There are placards informing me what these were used for. I find it all a bit technical, I’m not really a woodworking junky, but it’s cool.
After the cutting, sanding and what not, I’m left to appreciate the final products. I find it incredible that these were created, almost to perfection, in such an early age.
To prove this point, I find a room full of appliances and furniture, all proclaiming the Hamilton name. They’re not restored. There’s rust, scrapes and scratches on the furniture and signing. However, they look as if I could still find a use for these relics, if need be.
Green Bay has one identity in pop culture, being the smallest city an NFL team calls home. I guess it beats being known as the Toilet Paper Capital of the world, which is a tagline the city has received. I prefer Title Town, a title earned during Vince Lombardi’s pursuit and capture of five NFL championships in the 60’s.
That being said, as a child there were two things I did on Sundays, during the fall and early winter months. The first thing was go to Sunday school and Church. After that, I would sit down and watch the packers play. I remember hoping during that upcoming week the packers would get their crap together and, maybe, just maybe, eek out a win. Many times I was left with disappointment. The 80’s weren’t the best time to be a packer fan, but I was, and am, through and through.
I walk up to the ticket counter, located inside the Stylishly uplifting expanse that is the atrium of Lambeau Field. I pay my fifteen dollars and make my way into the exhibits. As like many Museums I’ve visited, the first features are modest but interesting, getting you primed for the main event.
I find a wall, highlighting the typical work week of a Packer player, Monday through Sunday. Also, on an adjacent wall, I scope out equipment worn by players through the ages, from dog-eared leather helmets to a progression of footwear. Front and center, however, is the ‘state of the art’ equipment used by today’s players.
I turn a corner and find an Escalator, heading to the fun part of the Hall of Fame. On the second floor, starting on the left hand side of the large room, the story of football in Green Bay begins. It was born with the first organized game, played in 1895 in Hagemiester Park.
It doesn’t take long to discover Green Bay’s first winning team, coinciding with a dark time in American history. The 1929 team is commemorated in a small case, as more exhibits run along the walls showing the early championships of Lambeau’s era, most captured during the Great Depression. Here I find some very cool artifacts, like Game worn jerseys of players whose busts reside in Canton.
Moving from the Lambeau era, my envious eyes feast on the most notable portion of Green Bay’s legendary history. It’s the Lombardi era and it features the Packers’ five championships won by the coach and GM, plus the loss in Lombardi’s first championship game. I am envious because this was my grandfather’s and father’s Packers, winning in an era where television broadcasts had just begun bringing people football.
There’s plenty of hardware and stories of the, almost mythical, teams Lombardi coached. My favorite collection is Bart Starr’s donations, including his leauge MVP trophy. The fact that he has donated so many personal awards is telling of the man, which is why an autographed photo, made out to me from the legend, resides in my writing room.
Tributes to Lombardi and the Ice Bowl, the Iconic NFL championship game against the Dallas Cowboys, are also in this section.
Little time is spent with the 70’s and 80’s. As a matter of fact, two decades of Packer futility is commemorated in one case. Bart Starr’s contribution to the Packers as head coach is recognized here. I didn’t realize it was 9 years of his life.
At the very end of the exhibit area, a timeline of the many venues the packers have called home are highlighted. Yes, there were plenty before historic Lambeau Field. From minor league baseball stadiums and horse tracks to old City Stadium, I learn that some stadiums held as few as 5,000 people. Of course the population of Green Bay was around 40,000 people at the time.
I head down stairs and find bronze footballs, commemorating each Packers Hall of Fame inductee. I enjoy this as names I remember from my childhood bring a smile. Players like Johnny Gray and Gary Ellis are probably long forgotten by football fans outside of Green Bay. Here, my memories are jostled and I remember plays that thrilled me in my younger years. Past that, cases stand in tribute to the twenty four packer legends in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton.
At the very end of the tour, I am enveloped in a circular room full of championship trophies.
Like any museum, the hall tells the story of an important part of the community, being that the Packers are community owned. This is a simple trek through the ages that mainly focuses on the great years of the franchise. It also brings to light many favorite players that tons of die hard fans appreciated.
Who in the world meticulously creates an English style house, guilded in yellowed limestone, and never lives in it? Well, for starters, an American couple with English heritage, Nathan and Jessie Paine. Although the head of a wood products company, Nathan’s intention, with the building suitable for nobility, was to share his interests with the city of Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
I guess I can sum up the reason for constructing such a place best in one word, as my companion commends a museum staffer for this particular trait-Passion. Pride in one’s heritage also comes to mind. However, the passion one has, not only for his work, but family and community seem to be on display in this house.
To start off with culture, we find a room of crimson, full of brilliant paintings. My favorite is set over a mammoth fireplace. I’m told, by a knowledgeable woman, that the piece, titled ‘Wallachian Pack Train’, is a scene from the Crimean War.(usually its home is in the Great Hall)
We Move from the beautiful art gallery to a more stunning room, its not even a room, the limestone foyer is stunning, as the first floor is brilliantly laid out. On my right lies the library, created to represent those of the Jacobean period.
As a matter of fact, although I confess I forgot most of the periods, the rooms were made to replicate an authentic Tudor country manor. Since most of the old world estates had many additions, the rooms of the Paine House represent different periods of English design.
I tread over the limestone tile to the ladies reception room, as the library would have been the men’s. I love the tea set next to a large window as, with seemingly every room, there is a fireplace ready to make visitors feel cozy. I try to Imagine the proper tones and pleasantries that would be exchanged by wives of men with means.
Beyond the reception areas lie the rooms where gatherings would commence. A dining room, very similar to those portrayed on shows, delights me. My thoughts of Sherlock Holmes stories stir in such places, being just the setting of many scenes. The dining room is a stately sight, a long table, littered with silver and china, before a monster of a window.
A breakfast room, reminding me of a conservatory, would be the perfect place to allow the suns rays to dance on one’s face, while starting the day off right with a hearty meal.
At the end of the foyer,on the east side of the house, lies an enormous room known as the Grand Hall. This room was common in English homes and was the predecessor to today’s living room. Such a room was intended to entertain guests, this room is normally furnished, however, due to an event the furnishings are absent.
Tucked away in the corner, lies one of the largest oriental rugs in the world, the pure silk floor piece is rolled against a wall. On our left, arched doors open to a patio which overlooks the gardens of the estate. I picture this place in summer with doors open to the outdoors- fairytale perfect.
Also on this floor, a beautiful sitting room, a testament to the style of home Nathan grew up in, is amongst the bedrooms. In addition to the private rooms, a space, once intended to be the echo chamber for the pipe organ of the grand hall, known as the Gothic Gallery is left to wow a visitor. However, this addition was completed in the 1980’s.
Its early spring, and the tour of the house is definitely the highlight today. Yet, I can’t wait till the beginning of may, when flowers will sprout from bulbs- already planted in the formal floral gardens of the estate. Today, I walk the grounds, trying to imagine the gardens just over a month from now.
This destination is worth revisiting. There are events such as their holiday ‘Nutcracker’ in December, not to mention ones coming much sooner. There is also a building known as the conservatory, used for private events. I imagine a wedding in such a place as a marvelous affair.
In Wisconsin, one city is set apart from the rest of the state. It’s not a conglomeration of agricultural or industrial interests, nor does it play home to professional sports teams. It’s the state’s second largest town and has two separate Identities. It harbors the grandest college campus in Wisconsin, a College renowned for sports, partying and great academics. As of equal or greater importance, it also hosts government representatives from across America’s Dairy Land.
Anybody living in Wisconsin will have guessed, by now, that I’m writing about Madison or Mad Town. Some of the State Capital’s tourism allure, besides college athletics and concerts, are free attractions. Those include a tour of the Capitol building, Museums and even a free zoo. Today I visited one of the free Museums, which is directly across from the Capitol building.
The streets set near the Capitol building are confusing, as one way streets intersect with two ways and so on. However, if you can navigate your vehicle to the nearest open parking space, and pay the modest $2.00 an hour, your right in the thick of the city. I do find a parking spot, set on a side street, only a few blocks from my destination. There are parking garages, however I discovered that very few spots, inside said garages, were for the public.
Before I tell of what I find inside, I’d like to write a rather small disclaimer. I am a vet. Yet, sometimes I feel uncomfortable and, frankly, a tad guilty when someone thanks me for my service. Many people offer thanks in a tone, that I can guess comes from the media’s portrayal of vets, like I made some monumental sacrifice and have been abused ever since.
However, I am very proud of my time spent serving this country, even if I counted the days till I was a civilian again. I see the Wisconsin’s Veteran’s Museum as a fun tribute to all who served. I accept it as the State’s way of saying ‘thank you’ in a way that makes me feel good.
The exhibit area, like many museums, is darkened and fresh. There are scenes that captivate my imagination. Of the many exhibits in this first area, I find the Civil War scene of Soldiers firing through a cornfield interesting and telling.
I find my way to the second Exhibit room. Here, the exhibits are more awe-inspiring. Aircraft are suspended from the ceiling as tanks and other vehicles are present in replicated scenes of warfare. Everything from WWII to the War on terror is represented. Plenty of munitions, from guns to grenades, are also showcased.
As I am finished, I realize that this stop should be incorporated with other attractions, if one is to visit this part of Madison. I would suggest the Wisconsin Historical Museum along with this one. They, after all, are set across from each other. I only spent about half an hour in the Museum.
I leave the Museum to witness a fairly historic sight. High school students stand on the Capitol lawn, in recognition of one month anniversary of the Florida school shooting, protesting the gun violence that has affected schools across the nation. I’m impressed by the mass of children exercising their right to assemble peacefully, which, along with the right to bear arms, is also in our bill of rights.
It seems, as I’ve left a museum showcasing weapons that defended and preserved democracy, the irony of how similar weapons can tear it apart stands before me. This is a benevolent and upbeat crowd, encouraging speakers to continue voicing their frustrations.
So, tariffs reigned supreme in the media this past week, pitting congress against the white house yet again. Actually, the White House, itself, is divided in result of this latest move- I believe the chief economic advisor said ‘hasta la vista’ to Trump a few days ago.
As I reach the gift shop/reception desk, I’m stunned. The price of the museum, besides one other, is the cheapest Museum I’ve visited. The fee for an adult is an affordable three dollars. Immediately, I start considering the wisdom of driving thirty minutes to visit this tiny place. Why is it so cheap?
Yet, I turn a corner and my anxiety melts away. Before me lie the most prolific geological specimens one could hope to retrieve from the earth’s crust. Dinosaur skulls and a femur, the latter I’m encouraged to touch, adorn a dark corner. My hand glides over the smooth femur, feeling like light sanded wood. Unbelievably, 65 million years ago this was propelling a biological machine, totally unaware that one day it would be an interesting artifact.
Also, along with the Dinosaur bones, I’m captivated by a replicated nest with actual dinosaur eggs. The species has been Identified after fossilized embryo’s were detected inside the eggs. That’s simply amazing.
I leave the Dinosaur eggs behind and peruse a brief snippet on mining. Included in this bit, copper mines Native Americans conceived are mentioned. Of course, in Wisconsin, one must know the reason for our nick name. No, I don’t mean ‘America’s Dairy land’, I mean ‘the Badger State’.
After the mining exhibit, I find a time line, a brief sketch of 2.5 billion years of geological evolution. The time line begins with the Pre Cambrian era and works its way towards the Ice Age. There’s the basic layout of the earth at a given time frame, then information specific to Wisconsin. As evidence of the claims the giant placards are making, Mastodon tusks, fossils and more lie with the appropriate era. I find it interesting and mindboggling to realize Wisconsin was once underneath a shallow sea, located near the equator.
I end the visit with a discovery of rocks and minerals, cased in glass and begging observation. Its dark in here, and the geological specimens aren’t dull. They shimmer and sparkle in the light of the cases. Amethyst, fluorite, pyrite and more ignites my imagination, guessing what just might lie under my feet.
There are other small exhibits to enjoy, like one on ground water. As I said, the museum is small and I’m finished in about half an hour. I enjoyed my time and felt that I was both entertained and informed. I’ve jostled my memory banks and dusted off that grade school geology class education. Of course, with the aide of exhibits like actual Dinosaur bones, relearning is simply fun.
Courageous battles seem to be a cliché in the media today. I’m not saying people don’t struggle, many overcoming, or succumbing to, horrible ordeals, and I don’t mean to demean those stories as exaggerations of ones fortitude. As I give this some thought, everyone one has had strife to endure in their life. Some battles are more profound, or maybe simply more public, than others. I just feel that, these days, the media outlets salivate over the next cancer survivor or harassed transgendered individual.