Decorative Arts Boot Camp

I was talking to the folks tonight and Dad pointed out that I was talking as though I’d been here forever but reminded me that it has been, in fact, only four days. Four days?! It feels like it has been forever. In the best possible way, I mean, but it does not feel like four days. I was trying to explain what it’s like here, and it’s hard to explain. Dad joked that it was “Decorative Arts Boot Camp” – and it is but with added components of learning how the museum functions & why it made the choices it has & the history of the area.

In the past four days, I have learned more about Early American architecture and decorative arts (in the Connecticut River Valley) than I have my entire life. I’m learning the language, how to approach looking at a house or an object, why things are important and why the producers and the consumers made the choices they did. On top of this, there’s theory readings about how to look at objects and the difference between an object and a thing.

The notebook I’m using already has about a dozen pages of notes. Egad.

So we start in the morning at 9, somewhere along the Street. Flynt Center, one of the Houses, or somewhere else as yet unknown (give me some slack, it’s only been four days). Then we work our tails off learning until noon, break for lunch, then back to work until 5, when we go back for dinner. Until dinner, Josh and Ben are with us, and us Fellows are together until after dinner. We usually spend time before dinner and after hanging out chatting or playing some kind of cards.

I made carbonara the other day. I guess it was good? We had tacos tonight.

I’m exhausted by the end of the day – that’s why this entry is going to be short and less than complete. I’m too tired to do much else. I’ll start with pictures soon – I hope.