-
Lesley Peterson is a Toronto-based blogger tripping on travel, art, culture, museums, cities and legendary landscapes. Catch her on Twitter as @culturetripper or contact her at lesley@culturetripper.com. All content by Lesley Peterson copyright © 2009 - Until the Present. All photos by Lesley Peterson except where other credit noted.
Join me!
In Brussels, the visual enigmas of René Magritte
Green apples, bowler hats, clouds–the imagery of Belgian Surrealist painter René Magritte (1898-1967) is familiar to all of us. His personal iconography has pervaded popular culture via countless movies (Toys, I Heart Huckabees, The Thomas Crown Affair), posters (The Exorcist), video games, television shows (the Simpsons), music videos and rock album covers (Paul McCartney owns many of his […]
Rijksmuseum reopens! Amsterdam
Is the Rijksmuseum now the best museum in the world? I wondered as I entered the Netherlands’ national museum for the invitation-only press preview earlier this month. Years ago, when I first visited the Rijksmuseum as an art history student, I remember floorboards creaking as I approached Rembrandt’s iconic Night Watch. The Dutch Masters were […]
Postcard from Europe: Rijksmuseum countdown, Amsterdam
Walking through Amsterdam’s Museumplein tonight after a gala candlelit dinner at the Concertgebouw, I noticed the Rijksmuseum is keeping its own ‘night watch’ countdown until the museum’s official reopening to the public on April 13. The building looks spectacular from the exterior and I can’t wait to see the interior tomorrow at the press preview. […]
The exquisite 6th century mosaics of San Vitale, Ravenna
The 6th century mosaics in the Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy, have been drawing pilgrims, art historians and lovers of beauty for nearly a millennium and a half. In all my Italian travels, how did I avoid visiting Ravenna for so long? It was always slightly out of my way, easy to postpone. My art […]
04.03.2013 · Filled under: Architecture, Art, Europe, Italy, Spirituality · Tags: Antiquity, GLASS, Italy
Art glass inspired by nature in St. Petersburg, Florida
Fluid and luminous, art glass seems naturally inspired by ocean waves, sunsets and seashells. St. Petersburg, Florida, is a hotbed of hot glass. Its growing community of glass artists and glass blowing studios offers many opportunities to explore this magical art form. And much of the work is inspired by the area’s natural beauty. […]
16.02.2013 · Filled under: Art, Destination Guides, Florida, United States · Tags: Artists, Beaches, Florida, GLASS
ArtSmart Roundtable: Iconography of the Buddha
This month’s ArtSmart Roundtable topic is Iconography. Inspired by a new Buddhist temple going up in my neighborhood, I chose to do some research on iconography of the Buddha. When I told a friend, her face lit up and she exclaimed, “Oh, I love Buddha, he’s so cute!” Cute? Surely she wasn’t talking about the great […]
Let it snow! Wintery works by Canadian artists
Postcard-pretty weather over the holidays inspired this collection of snow paintings by Canadian artists. Here are a few of my favorites, past and present: Maud Lewis (1903-1970), Digby County, Nova Scotia. Despite her disabilities and the primitive conditions in the 4.1 x 3.8 m dwelling she shared with her husband Everett, Maud’s folk art […]
The Staffordshire Potteries, England
One of my favorite art and travel experiences was to the Staffordshire Potteries in the UK. The Staffordshire Potteries are centered around Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire, England. Once the industrial heart of England, much of the area now has a rural feel with over 30 pottery-related sites snugged in a pretty landscape. Though I was there in February, my memories are warm: […]
03.12.2012 · Filled under: Art, Destination Guides, Europe, Legendary Landscapes · Tags: England, HISTORY, museums
Frida & Diego: Passion, politics and painting at the AGO
On now at the Art Gallery of Ontario, Frida & Diego: Passion, Politics and Painting is a rare opportunity to see work by the 20th century’s most legendary artist couple exhibited side by side. The AGO show includes more than 80 works on paper and paintings by Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera as well as more than 60 […]
ArtSmart Roundtable: Genre paintings of Holland’s Golden Age
Time again for ArtSmart Roundtable, a group of travel bloggers with a contagious passion for art. Each month, Roundtable members publish a post on a chosen topic; this month is Art Genres. Be sure to scroll down for links to my colleagues’ unique blogs and perspectives. And now, genre paintings of Holland’s Golden Age. A quick check […]
05.11.2012 · Filled under: Art, ArtSmart Roundtable, Europe, Netherlands · Tags: Artists, HISTORY, Holland