Art – Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics

Tackling TX Cities in Austin & Bastrop

Izabella Urbani

Prior to the kickoff of the TCMA Conference, we went to the Blanton Museum of Fine Arts, where we got to learn, look, observe, and interpret various kinds of art! For some of us, it was our very first art museum.

Morgan’s favorite exhibits were American art and Modern American art. Her favorite artist, Albert Bierstadt, had a painting that she liked called “Sioux Village near Fort Laramie.”

The painting featured a native encampment in 1859 that was centered around a sense of calmness and was overall, a beautiful, timeless piece. I can understand why Morgan liked the piece, as well as the artist!

Isabel admired Cilado Meireles’ artwork called, “How to Build Cathedrals” which was created in 1987 and composed of 600,000 coins, 800 communion wafers, 2,000 cattle bones, 80 paving stones, and black cloth. This piece was probably the piece that everyone had different interpretations of, which again, is the beauty of art!

The cattle bones were hanging from the top, almost like a ceiling, while the coins were scattered around the bottom, and the wafers acted like a spine from pennies to the bones. It was overall a very dynamic and intriguing piece.

Jessica loved the beautiful Ellsworth Kelly Chapel, which I believe was another of the group’s favorites! It was comprised of a circle of squares and a sun-colored glass that had all the vibrant colors.

When the sun shined through, it was even more beautiful! Its walls were decorated with Ellingworth black and white paintings that brought out the colored glass.

Whether a piece is simplistic, challenging, controversial, disruptive, or detailed, we learned it’s ultimately up to the viewer on their take always of art.

Clay Pit, Jessica Cuevas

We then ventured to a neat Indian cuisine restaurant, Clay Pit, for lunch. For many of us, it was our first time having an Indian dish. Our appetizers consisted of Naan, Samosas, and Papadum which was like a flattened-out tortilla with lentils.

The appetizers were delicious, but we mostly enjoyed our flavorful and savory meals which ranged from medium spiced Butter Chicken to Chicken Kabobs and Coconut Curry Chicken. One of the great things about traveling with LEAP is that they encourage and provide us with opportunities to try new things.

Texas City Management Association, by Isabel Behm

Once we finished our delicious lunch in Austin, we began to make our way back to Bastrop to kick off the Texas City Managers Association Conference. On the drive into the resort where the conference was being held, we were met with a beautiful scenery surrounded by nature.

The first event we attended was Career Development. The presenter, Larry Gilley, is Vice President and Executive Recruit of Strategic Government Resources.

We also heard from four panelists, Matt Mueller (Town Manager of Little Elm), James Childress (Town manager of Flower Mound), Dalton Rice (City Manager of Morgan’s Point Resort), and Chrystal Davis (Assistant City Manager of Carrolton).

The recurring theme of this session was how to strengthen your resume, as well as your interviewing skills. We got to hear first-hand about what these specific city managers looked for and how exactly they dealt with balancing and managing their workload. Some of the main points of the presentation were to get to know the position you’re applying for prior to an interview by either reviewing the city’s website as well as their city council members and knowing why you are the right fit for the position itself.

When the panelists were given time to speak, they gave countless pieces of advice about how exactly to be successful in those positions. The biggest piece of advice that stood out to me was the advice given by Chrystal Davis. She stressed the importance of being able to take time to breathe and assess your priorities so that you can have a work-life balance and be able to manage your home life as well. Some other things mentioned were the importance of knowing your own personal strengths and weaknesses and being able to let your team succeed and learn from their mistakes. It was an amazing experience to be able to hear from these city officials firsthand and get an inside look at how exactly they managed their specific towns/cities.

Interestingly, we finished the night at a reception, where we spent more than two hours…

…meeting with people, learning new things about city government, and networking in the hopes of landing a job when we graduate!

A Presidential Tour: Jean Becker and President G. H. W. Bush

Isabel Behm

It is not every day that you get a tour of a presidential office, and even less common to get one from a presidential chief of staff. But on a busy Wednesday in the middle of summer, LEAP students had just that opportunity: Jean Becker offered a wonderful two-hour tour of former President George H. W. Bush’s office in Houston, TX. Coincidentally, the tour occurred on Barbara Bush’s birthday, one of many connections we would make over the course of an educational afternoon.

Although we didn’t personally know Ms. Becker, we felt like we did from discussions with Professor Yawn and our reading of her book, “The Man I Knew.” And in the conversational, warm manner of her book, Ms. Becker welcomed us with open arms and was full of enthusiasm upon our arrival.

One of the first stories she shared with us was about the christening of the USS George H W Bush. Ms. Becker stressed how important it was to President Bush that the christening happen while his son (George W Bush) was still president. While the Navy said that this wasn’t possible, being a former President (and father of another) has its perks, and with a few phone calls, Ms. Becker was able to make it happen. The office is full of photos, and each photo has a story, and no one is better at bringing these stories to life than Jean Becker.

Another treat of the afternoon was having the opportunity to sit in the chair that President Bush sat in during Cabinet meetings in the White House. Each of us took our turn in the chair, and all of us enjoyed looking over the items that President Bush had on his desk. For a moment, we felt a bit presidential.

The conversation with Ms. Becker ranged across many topics, from international security to the friendships that President Bush developed over the years. One of those with an unlikely individual: Bill Clinton. This is somewhat surprising, of course, because President Clinton beat President Bush in the 1992 election, so one might expect some animosity. But following an international emergency in 2004, President George W. Bush asked his father and Clinton fundraise to help those affected by the disaster. This sparked a friendship that lasted until President Bush’s death.

While we learned a lot about the man President George H.W. Bush was, we also learned about how Ms. Becker came to be his Chief of Staff and how her life was drastically changed. She grew up in a small town, went to college in her home state, and upon graduating, worked her way up with various newspapers to USA Today. In 1988, she was assigned to cover the wives of the presidential candidates. When George H. W. Bush was elected, she was offered the role of Deputy Press Secretary to the first lady.

When this job ended following President Bush’s loss in 1992, he offered her the position of his “interim” post-presidency chief of staff. The interim position lasted for more than 25 years–until his death in 2018.

In a very relatable way, Ms. Becker shared many thoughts about her career, offering us valuable advice for our own careers. In particular, she reminded us it was okay to stray away from our “plan,” which is what she did when she was offered a job at the White House.

We were there for more than two hours, and time flew by. When we left, we all agreed that we could have listened to her all day, if schedules and time permitted. She was a wealth of knowledge, we absolutely enjoyed every second of it, and we were impressed by her example of hospitality and generosity.

Side Note: It wouldn’t be a LEAP trip, if we didn’t learn something about art. So it was interesting that, when we entered the building, we encountered a bust of George Bush done by Huntsville artist David Adickes.

Moreover, we also saw a work by George Rodrigue, an artist LEAP is familiar with through trips to Austin and New Orleans. Here the work was on President Bush’s wall, and it was signed to him by George Rodrigue!

Combat, Conflict, and Command: Women in the Military

Erin Juarez

On May 4th, Jessica and I went to a World Affairs Council (WAC) event at the Glade Gallery in The Woodlands to hear from retired Lieutenant Colonel Kyleanne Hunter and Senior Fellow and Director of the Military, Veterans, and Society Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), Katherine Kuzminski, speak about women in the military. Interestingly, we had previously met the CEO of CNAS, Richard Fontaine, at a previous WAC event.

The Glade Gallery, as usual, had stunning artwork adorning its walls and upon viewing them all we were able to determine our favorite art piece.

After a brief introduction by the sponsor of The Woodlands’ series, Champion X, one of our favorite moderators, Ray Cunningham, gave us a brief introduction of who Lt. Colonel Hunter and Mrs. Kuzminski are. Kyleanne Hunter served in the Marine Corps as a Lt. Colonel and has multiple combat deployments as an AH-1W “Super Cobra” attack pilot and is now a Military and Strategic Studies assistant professor at the United States Air Force Academy. Mrs. Kuzminski was a Political Scientist at RAND Corporation where she researched military personnel policy before joining the Center for a New American Security.

Mrs. Kuzminski and Lt. Colonel Hunter discussed how it was believed that women were formerly unable to perform “manly” tasks. To begin with, there weren’t many women in the military, and those that were had limited job opportunities within. Mainly because many of the equipment and uniforms were designed for men. Although, women have served in ever-increasing capacities in support of the US military in every war the country has faced whether it is as combat nurses or four-star generals and admirals. Making up approximately 3% of those serving in the military when the draft ended in 1973.

In 2015, all combat positions were made available to females which allowed Lt. Colonel Hunter to be an AH-1W “Super Cobra” attack pilot. Prior to 2015, women in the military could not sign up to do any combat positions which is part of the reason why our “team Mom,” Ms. Stephanie, went into Linguistics despite her interest in a combat position. Both Mrs. Kuzminski and Lt. Colonel Hunter, believe that there are not enough women within the high ranks of the military.

There are multiple reasons for this such as (1) their want and desire to start a family of their own, (2) it is a male-dominated career, and (3) the occurring sexual assaults. All of these are factors that make it difficult to “recruit and retain” women in the military.

They often just serve their time and retire to start their family, which is why we are starting to see daycares available through the military for the children of those who serve.

As a male-dominated career, it used to be difficult and occasionally still is for women to move up the ranks due to the belief that a man is a better fit for those positions. However, this has started to shift with the implementation of tests that target the skills necessary for the specific ranks to help determine who is most qualified with both men and women having the same standards.

Sexual assaults in the military have been a “hot topic” on the news recently, not because there was suddenly an uprising but because women are now finding they can confide in higher-ups to follow through with a consequence for the accused. Part of this is because the most qualified are moving up and those tend to be the ones used to get overlooked but were the most trusted within their squadrons. However, there are efforts being taken to reduce the number of sexual assaults within the military like the committee that Lt. Colonel Hunter is on.

I found it most interesting when Lt. Colonel Hunter mentioned hygiene and protection as the two most important aspects of being a woman in the military. I am currently in ROTC and am considering my options within the Army, so I was curious in knowing how she dealt with these aspects. She revealed her personal choice of shaving prior to her deployment, including her hair, to be most hygienic.

Following the presentation, I had the opportunity to ask Lt. Colonel Hunter more about her experience in the military, including how she managed to withstand the long hours of field training, ruck marches, and other arduous tasks as a woman. We are grateful to the World Affairs Council for hosting Lt. Colonel Hunter and Mrs. Kuzminski, who flew down to Texas from DC!

Russia and the Ukraine: A POLISCI Education

Erin Juarez, April 14, 2022

The LEAP Ambassadors took an evening trip to the Woodlands to attend yet another fantastic WAC event on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine at the Glades Art Gallery. Walking in, the gallery was stunning to witness as the WAC staff welcomed us. It was a wonderful combination: looking at paintings from local artists while preparing to become more educated on a global issue was a terrific opportunity.

The art on display ranged from portraits and landscapes to statues. A favorite of ours was the Cherry Blossom tree that spread across six canvases by Victor Tapu. Throughout the exhibit, we connected the artwork in the Glade to similar works by renowned Masters; for example, we compared the miniature statue of a ballerina to Edgar Degas.

Moving from the art to learning about the current crisis in another part of the world, we heard from Richard Fontaine, the CEO of the Center for a New American Security, one of the world’s leading defense and geopolitical think tanks. Mr. Fontaine was also a top foreign policy adviser to Senator John McCain.

Dr. Fontaine discussed the horrific battle in Ukraine and how it could signal the start of a new post-Cold War era. Putin’s motive to overtake Ukraine was to prevent their affiliation with NATO, among many other things. The war has affected numerous countries. Poland, for example, was one Ukraine’s most significant trading partners, a relationship that will much limited until the end of the war and perhaps beyond. The war has also increased inflation in the US, while also affecting the oil supply and even food staples such as corn. China, too, is watching the war closely, seeing how it will shift the balance of power in the world and change their massive trade relationships.

One interesting fact we learned is that Ukraine has shattered the Russian government-built encrypted phone lines, compelling the Russian military to use unencrypted lines of communication. Who knew?

Hearing an update on the Ukraine-Russia war from Dr. Fontaine was eye-opening. Seeing how these impacts bordering countries of Ukraine and our homeland is heartbreaking, but this will bring us together and prepare us for future moves that may involve a more significant threat.

As always, the WAC event was enlightening and enjoyable, and we look forward to our next event!

Lama Mediterranean Restaurant

Heather Barodi

After filling our heads with new knowledge about the war in Ukraine, we stopped at Lama to expand on our understanding from outsides our country’s borders at a Mediterranean restaurant located in the Woodlands!

Our appetizers were classic Mediterranean dishes, homemade falafel, and hummus with warm pita bread. Overall, all the food was terrific, but the hummus appetizer we got was the biggest hit among the ambassadors. The entrees ranged from chicken shawarma and gyro sandwiches with sides of rice and french fries. At the end of the meal, our plates were empty from devouring each of our entrees. We had some hot tea and baklava to end our meal, which was a sweet touch to our full stomachs.

Elvis Livens up Huntsvegas

The Old Town Theatre brings numerous acts to town, but few stir as much excitement as, “The King.” Of course, Elvis Presley passed away more than 40 years ago, but there are numerous “Elvis Tribute Artists” around to keep him fresh in audience’s minds, and Travis Powell is one of the best, offering a full command of the Elvis songbook, uncanny mannerisms reminiscent of “The King,” and a genuine enthusiasm for fan interaction.

And so the LEAP Ambassadors spent a Sunday afternoon assisting the Old Town Theatre with a matinee performance. With a surfeit of volunteers, we helped early on with seating the balcony section, but once the full-house was seated, we moved quickly to photography.

With low lighting and an energetic performer, photography can be a challenge. But with three photographers, multiple lenses, and a curious group of photographers-volunteers, we were able to get some good shots–and it helped that Elvis himself not only yielded to photos, but occasionally even posed!

The evening began with “Shake, Rattle, and Roll,” a wonderful quartet of four women, whose jokes, music, and personalities–not to mention bling–set the tone for the rest of the evening.

But it was Elvis who took the audience to another level, beginning with a medley of some familiar hits, followed by more than two hours of favorites.

Jessica, our shyest member, began by photographing near the stage, but that changed when “Elvis” approached her and offered her his hand. Quaking, she extended it, and also managed to get a great shot of the performer, who certainly looked the part.

But this was a bit much attention for Jessica, so she retreated to the back of the auditorium to work the stationary camera. Heather took her place on the side of the stage, where she also received attention, and also got great shots of Elvis.

He began in black leather, evoking his 1968 comeback tour.

After intermission, he switched to his white, sequined jumpsuit. He was a hit in both outfits.

Speaking of intermission, the Old Town Theatre’s Director, Lauren Edwards, took this time announce the winners of the raffle, and she was joined by an audience member, “Kid Elvis.”

Powell performed the great Elvis tunes, “Don’t be Cruel,” “Love me Tender,” “Hound Dog…”

…”Jailhouse Rock,” and, probably the crowd favorite, “Suspicious Minds.”

What we didn’t know is that we didn’t have to go to the stage to get a great shot, because Elvis soon ventured into the audience, taking photographs, holding hands, and a bit of dancing with the audience. It was a hit, and he worked the entire lower auditorium.

When he returned to the stage, some women decided that they would approach him, leading to a protracted segment in which he sang while allowing women to take the scarf from his neck, which was then replaced by a stagehand. Our estimate is that Powell may have gone through 35-40 scarves in this manner.

We were somewhat surprised when Jessica, our formerly shyest member, sauntered to the stage to get in on the action, reaching for Elvis’s hand, grabbing a scarf, and more or less acting like a smitten fan-girl. This behavior continued for at least a day.

Powell wrapped up the extended set with requests from the audience, the American Trilogy, and closed with “I Can’t Help Falling in Love With You.”

But Travis Powell was not done! He moved quickly to the lobby, posed with fans and gave autographs, and then invited people to Seven Leguas to share in dinner.

Of the thirty or forty events, we’ve done this semester, we were in general agreement that this was the most entertaining. Travis Powell put on a great show as “Elvis,” the crowd was very appreciative, and we always enjoy working with the Old Town Theatre.

Hopping into Spring with the Wynne Home Annual Easter egg hunt!

Heather Barodi

On Saturday, the LEAP ambassadors and volunteers were able to participate in the Wynne Home’s annual Easter Celebration! The event is filled with many games and crafts, such as sand art, face painting, painting magnets, an egg toss, sack races, and more. The event had the added fun of a visit from the Easter Bunny!

Our day started early at 8:30 a.m., when we met with Wynne Home staff Sarah Faulkner, Angela Robinson, and Peyton Conley to assist them with preparations. We hid 1,800 eggs…

….set up the prize tables, the sack race, ring tosses, sidewalk chalk, selfie station, and crafts.

Shortly before the scheduled kickoff, we got an influx of volunteers from the Center for Community Engagement: Sara Burchett, Taylor Morrison, and Bram Sebio-Brundage…

…as well as some of our friends, Isabel Behm and Jocelyn Vazquez.

The Easter bunny made his surprise appearance around 11 a.m. ready to take pictures and even dance with a few ambassadors and volunteers.

The selfie station is always a hit…

…as was the face-painting station.

Everyone was a bit skeptical of the sack races at first, but after a demonstration/ completion between Center of Community Engagement volunteers and LEAP Ambassadors, the lines began forming! The adults might have even enjoyed the sack races more than the children.

After numerous activities, it was finally time for the Easter egg hunt. And when we “opened the gates,” the kids almost ran over us!

After the initial flurry, however, things calmed down and almost all the kids ended up with a bucketful of eggs.

Of course, the crafts table stayed busy, and…

…people also could just relax on the grounds.

Around 12:45 p.m., families were leaving, and kids were getting their last-minute face paint or coloring page. The kids were tired, worn out from their busy morning!

While we were cleaning, the ambassadors and volunteers decided to start smashing the eggs on each other’s heads with the extra ones. Needless to say, there was a lot of confetti tracked into our cars.

The ambassadors and the volunteers would like to thank the Wynne Home for having us help with this event again and we look forward to doing this again next year!

Ode to East Texas

By Jessica Cuevas

As I entered the Sam Houston Memorial Museum Walker Education Center, I was greeted by warm and friendly smiles from the staff and both the former director Mac Woodward, his wife Leanne Woodward, and current director Derek Birdsall. This was no ordinary day over at the Walker Education Center, for artist, Lee Jamison, was exhibiting a select paintings in the gallery, reflecting his work on East Texas.

Lee Jamison, of course, was also there greeting and thanking EVERYONE individually for coming. He was featuring paintings from Huntsville, one of Sam Houston’s Woodland Home itself, and others from across the region.

The room was matched the title of the exhibit, as all the paintings expertly captured the essence of East Texas. Jamison even commented how he had brought more paintings than the room could fit!

The three paintings that stood out the most to me were (1) Roots of Texas (2) His first painting (3) Old Main.

The Roots of Texas is a painting of a tree, its roots, and the trench near it. It was significant since it told the story behind how our beautiful state got its name. It originated from the word Tejas which Caddo Indians used to describe friends. I thought it was amazing that he included his very first painting in this exhibit but also that it was placed next to the Roots of Texas one.

I believe it to be because they are both origin stories, one of how Texas got its name and the other of how Jamison’s art career began. There is nothing better to show that than his very first painting, which is different than the rest of his works. It definitely stands out.

This other art piece just takes your breath away and leaves you admiring its beauty. It is a perfectly beautiful painting of Sam Houston State University’s famous Old Main Building. You can really see and adore the architecture and how majestic Old Main was. This was one painting that everyone stopped to look at and engage in conversation with those around them exchanging their stories and memories of this building. Even that of the night that broke everyone’s spirit as they saw this building burst into flames.

When the clock struck 6:30 p.m., the crowd went over to the next room and took their seats, and waited to hear from Jamison. The opening speech was the quickest history lessons I had ever heard about Mexico and Texas. It was given by none other than Caroline Crimm.

I learned that back then, one of the conditions needed to become a Mexican Citizen was to convert to Catholicism. This was particularly interesting since the LEAP Center is volunteering for a U.S. Citizenship Prep Course.

Crimm’s history lesson led very well into what Jamison would discuss since in her crash course she discussed what happened in East Texas over the course of centuries. Hence, Jamison’s book title and the exhibit’s name Ode to East Texas.

He went in depth about the evolution and stories behind a couple of his paintings, some of which were exhibited, while others were not.

The stories behind each of his paintings really resonated with me since there was a meaningful significance behind all of them, which I found inspiring. When discussing origin stories, for example, he discussed his time at Lon Morris College, where he not only learned to refine his artistic skills, but also met his wife, Melinda!

After his speech, many people re-entered the gallery room to see the exhibit one last time before the museum closed. Jamison even stayed longer to sign copies of his book “Ode to East Texas,” which was on sale at the museum store.

The Jamison exhibit will be displayed at the Walker Education Center until May 28, 2022. Be sure to check it out if you have not already!

Exploring the National Mall: A Day in DC

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Morgan Robertson

For our first full day in D.C., we made sure we bundled up before we braved the chilly weather. After a typical quick breakfast, we laid out a plan of action for the day and set off on foot. Our first location was within a reasonable walking distance inside the National Mall, and we could see our destination from a distance. As we neared, we could see the details of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, which was adorned with Corinthian columns and several reliefs.

We were grateful that there was no great line to enter the museum but we were shocked at the number of people also exploring their way through history. A grand foyer and a posed elephant welcomed us as we entered the building. As a group, we gathered and quickly discussed the best use of our time and the order in which we should meander through the exhibits. We soon were enthralled by specimens, fossils, and skeletons that left no room for downtime. The exhibits were displayed by date, species type, and even dramatic scenes.

Yvette and I split off from the rest of the group and started our journey through time. We were also blown away at the sizes of some of the displays.

A few towered over us…

… while others were the size of a hummingbird’s femur. Yvette and I especially enjoyed the lab on the first floor of the museum which had cameras and screens set up to allow visitors to watch scientists work on the fossils. We were mesmerized by the work the scientists were conducting on the specimens.

Interestingly, we also saw a first edition of John James Audubon’s “Birds in America,” which was beautiful, and bigger than any book we’ve ever seen!

The crown jewel of the museum was, naturally, the Hope Diamond. It was mined in India in the 17^th century and changed hands several times over the last few centuries. It was eventually purchased by famed jeweler Harry Winston who donated it in 1958. It is one of the most famous parts of the museum. It gets its blue hue from trace amounts of the element boron in the stone. We learned that a diamond’s size and clarity are good indicators of its worth. The Hope Diamond is a prime example of the size factor, weighing in at 45.52 carats and costing upwards of $350 million. We could have easily spent the entire day inside the Museum of Natural History alone, but we pulled ourselves away from the many fascinating and—in the case of the Hope Diamond, dazzling displays and headed toward the exit.

Smithsonian National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden

Erin Juarez

As we left the museum we spied portions of sculptures peeping over the tops of shrubbery across the street and decided to investigate further. Imagine our delight when we realized that they were works by artists we know and love! We had recently seen one of Robert Indiana’s “LOVE” while we were in Oklahoma, and this time we found ourselves looking at his sculpture, “AMOR.” A true pop artist, Indiana uses modern materials such as aluminum and bright, contrasting colors in his works.

As we roamed the rest of this sculpture garden, some among us were introduced to other pop artists like Claes Oldenburg and Roy Lichtenstein…

…for the first time. We paused briefly at a striking work by Roxy Paine, whom Professor Yawn acknowledged as being one of his favorite artists. Paine is recognized for his giant metallic tree installations that combine the natural world and man-made elements.

Personally, Joel Shapiro’s sculpture Untitled, 1989 was my favorite. Shapiro is well-known for his minimalist sculptures consisting of fixed rectangular elements that evoke a sense of movement.

And, of course, we also got to see a couple of Calders…

…with so much to see here, it’s no wonder that we fell in love with D.C. as we rambled across the city.

Smithsonian American Art Museum

Jessica Cuevas

After whetting our artistic appetites in the Sculpture Garden, we next visited The Smithsonian American Art Museum, walking across the mall to get there.

But it was the Smithsonian that we witnessed the largest collection of American Artists, some we had previously seen and others we had not. We were exposed to such varied styles of works from artists that we were familiar with, that we found ourselves eagerly moving from painting to painting in the hopes of seeing something new from artists that we had become used to.

Unlike other museums we had previously been to, we were able to see more of Thomas Moran’s and Albert Bierstadt’s works. Their breathtaking landscapes scenes consist of the country’s natural beauty, with luminosity provided by the artists.

Morgan, who typically prefers a Moran or Bierstadt painting over other artworks, today favored a piece by Sargent; the “Corner of a Church on San Stae.” We all noted that this work was much different than anything we had seen by him up until this point. We had only seen his portraits!

Interestingly, we saw an early Jackson Pollock, and the influence his mentor, Thomas Hart Benton, had on him was obvious.

And this became more clear when we saw an entire wall dedicated to Benton!

Up on the second floor, we were able to see the Presidential Portrait Gallery. In this wing was included at least one portrait of every U.S. president, starting with President Washington, proceeding all the way up to President Trump.

Upon entering we were immediately confronted with the famed George Washington Portrait done by Gilbert Stuart.

This portrait is deeply symbolic. It depicts our first president, but it also includes several other details regarding the birth of our nation. In the background of the painting through a window, there can be seen a rainbow emerging from dark storm clouds, suggesting that America was emerging bright and new from a dark and stormy era. Washington’s right arm gestures toward a quill pen and parchment on his desk while his left arm rests on the hilt of his sword, suggesting that our newly-formed democracy was ready to assume its governance role but that it would still defend itself if the need arose. The law and philosophy books under his desk portray Washington as an enlightened leader in addition to his being a man of action. This is the famous portrait that we see on our dollar bill.

Prior to this museum, we’d stopped briefly at Ford’s Theater, where President Lincoln was assassinated. Seeing his presidential portrait and then a face casting made before and after his death, resonated with us.

Although most presidential paintings were traditional and sort of regal, former President John F. Kennedy apparently asked Elaine de Kooning to do something unique when he commissioned his official portrait. The portrait is semi-abstract with hundreds of strokes of greens and blues coming together to show Kennedy sitting casually on the canvas looking back at the viewer.

As the sun began to set, we rushed in order to see as much of the museum as we could. While most of what we saw were paintings, we did encounter a few sculptures including a James Surls piece!

Such a rich art experience on our first full day in our nation’s capital gave us the opportunity to encounter new artists but also to deepen our knowledge of the artists that we were already familiar with.

In leaving the Museum, we realized we weren’t too far from the White House, which prompted us to make a detour before going to eat.

Dinner at Oyamel

To cap off a long and rewarding day on the National Mall, we stopped in at Oyamel, a wonderful Mexican restaurant not far from our hotel. All the food was good, but we especially like the appetizers, which ranged from Brussel sprouts…

…to queso fundido…

…and more.

The entrees were equally as good. We had a mix of food, with the shrimp and the tacos being the best of what we tried.

We didn’t know it at the time, but this turned out to be the best food we would have on our trip.

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