Leaves and Art

Camilla was sick at the beginning of this week, and was taking a nap on Monday. Hyrum was driving me crazy, doing everything to get my attention. And so I put his coat on him and herded him outside to do a little yard work. Normally Hyrum isn't the best at helping, he tries (sometimes), but when it came to raking leaves he was a natural, and was a big help.

He was a natural at jumping in them too.

Mulvane Art Museum

On Friday we went with the Ft. Riley Homeschool Group to the Mulvane Art Museum on the campus of Washburn University in Topeka. The kids got a tour and then proceeded down to the art lab.

The art lab was great, with things for even Mary Emma to work with.

After the art lab I took the kids back to the exhibits to take some pictures.

Notice the guns. I had to get a picture of them in front of the guns.

When we went outside they had just finished a sculpture they had been working on for several weeks. The artist, Patrick Dougherty, is world renowned for his "Stickworks." He had been onsite working with volunteers to create this sculpture. However, when we came out of the museum all we saw was that it was finished and the barricades had been taken away. A woman came up to us and invited the children to explore this work of art. They had a fabulous time running around, finding passageways and windows.

I had a great time taking their pictures. Unbeknowest to me, however, across the street was a group of people watching us. When we turned to leave, I noticed them, and noticed a sign for the exhibit with a picture of the artist. As I looked across the street, I saw that same man. I felt a thud in the pit of my stomach, but as I drew nearer he thanked the kids for giving the sculpture a test drive. Apparently they were the first to go through it. And so, oddly enough, in Topeka Kansas I met Patrick Dougherty.