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Buckle Up Virginia
By Madelyn Miller, the TravelLady
Everywhere you travel, people tell you to buckle up.
Whether in a car or airplane, your seatbelt is a travel universal.
In
all my travels, I have never seen better looking buckles than at the Virginia
Museum of Fine Art. These people obviously know how to buckle up with style. If
you are ever in Richmond, Virginia, be sure to get to the museum to see their
belt buckle collection, it nothing else.
And this is a big compliment coming from a Texas girl who
collects cowboy boots and belt buckles.
The Kreuzer Collection
Over
twenty years ago, Munich art collector Gisela Kreuzer purchased an Art Nouveau
buckle to add to her wardrobe. It was designed by Ludwig Knupfer for the German
firm of Theodor Fahrner. Mrs. Kreuzer continued to acquire these pieces of
wearable art for several years.
The collection went unremarked by her husband, Dr. Karl
Kreuzer (himself an art collector), until he noticed his wife's unusual
accessory one evening at a concert. From that moment on, he became an even more
avid buckle collector than Mrs. Kreuzer. The Kreuzers stopped building their
other collections to devote themselves to researching and acquiring Art Nouveau
buckles.
Some
five hundred pieces later, the Kreuzers' passion has become the largest
assemblage of European and American Art Nouveau buckles and related jewelry in
the world. Impressed by the presentation of the Sydney and Frances Lewis
collection of Art Nouveau, the Kreuzers knew the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
would provide an appropriate setting for their own collection.
Now part of the Museum's permanent collection through a
gift/purchase arrangement, the buckles represent many of the major designers,
movements, and motifs that gave Art Nouveau the universal appeal it enjoyed
between 1890 and 1914. The buckles presented here represent a cross section of
this amazing collection.
Virginia
Museum of Fine Arts 200 N. Boulevard Richmond, VA 23220
804 340-1400
www.vmfa.state.va.us
Register for E-news to be in the know and win free stuff!
www.vmfaenews.org
All images by Katherine Wetzel (c) Virginia Museum of
Fine Arts
OTHER BEAUTIFUL THINGS TO DO AND SEE IN RICHMOND, VIRGINIA
WHERE TO STAY
The Jefferson Hotel is loaded with Southern charm and
hospitality.
101 W. Franklin Street, Richmond, VA. 23220
Tel. 804.788.8000
800-424-8014
www.jeffersonhotel.com
WHERE TO DINE
Zeus
Zeus Gallery Cafe
201 North Belmont Avenue, Richmond, VA 23221
(804) 359-3219
Acacia
3325 W Cary St, Richmond, VA 23221
(804) 354-6060
Julep’s New Southern Cuisine
1719-21 East Franklin Street, Richmond, VA 23223
804.377.3968
www.juleps.net
BEST BREAKFAST
Plant Zero Cafe
BEST CHOCOLATE STORE
For the Love of Chocolate
2820 West Cary Street Suite A, Richmond, VA 23221
(804) 359-5645
BEST PLACES TO BROWSE
ARTWORKS Studios & Galleries
With over 70 artists represented in ARTWORKS Studio and
Galleries, you are sure to find just the right thing to suit your style and
taste. Or to give as a gift. I went to Plant Zero for breakfast (which is in the
same building) and left with an original photo print, a necklace, a handmade
paper card and a holiday ornament. And most of the galleries were not even open
yet. Imagine what damage I could have done if everyone was open.
The huge gallery space offers original works of art by
Virgniia artists—paintings, drawings, illustrations, photography, ceramics,
sculpture, mixed-media, clothing, jewelry, gifts and much more.
Best time to go is for the Fourth Friday Art Openings 7-10
pm. You can tour the studios, meet the artists and enjoy live music.
Artworks is conveniently located ½ mile from downtown, just
over the 14th Street bridge.
320 Hull Street
804-291-1400
info@artworksrichmond.com
www.artworksrichmond.com
Artists to View
I loved the hand painted stools by Ellen Burns Art Work.
She also makes other groovey furniture. But by the time I got to Richmond, I had
filled my suitcase with so many Virginia purchases; I could not even consider
anything bigger than my purse. I will always treasure my holiday crystal ball
filled with colorful, whimsical ribbon. Stop by her studio, even if you only
have a little room left. She offers things in almost any size or color. Next
time I will have to remember to drive a truck.
Ellen Burns
320 Hull Street
Richmond VA 23224
804-674=6563
www.coolstools.com
Shelia M. Gray
Mostly metal clock and paper sculptures. 420 Hull Street, Richmond, VA 23224
Studio 161 in the Skylight
Gallery at Art Works in the Plant Zero Complex
Sheila@mixed-up-media.com
Krishanna Spencer, Altered Artist
The gallery director was wearing a necklace by Krishanna and I had to have it. I
literally took it off her neck. And now I wear it every day—a wonderful reminder
of my time in Virginia.
Krishanna’s specialty is assemblage - putting together
articles into works of art. She is also a writer. Maybe that is why I liked her
work so well. We have professional karma. I hope she likes my writing as much as
I like her art.
Her art making and writing studio is dedicated to helping
women heal and empower themselves through their creative spirit. In addition to
clay sculpture, assemblage and collage, Krishanna is a freelance author and also
currently hosts Goddesslore at BellaOnline.com, a column that explores women's
spirituality through the feminine. You can reach her through Artworks 804
291.1400.
Victoria Dye
Photography
I got a wonder print of Pacific Goose barnacles, abalone and red Mussels.
But if I get tired of it, she has a free one-year exchange policy
Victoria@victoriasimages.com
www.victoriasimages.com
MOST ARTISTIC THING TO DO ON A THURSDAY NIGHT
Thursday evening at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts enjoy
Art After Hours
BEST PLACE TO GET YOUR FEET RUBBED IF YOU HAVE BEEN WALKING
TOO MUCH
Slip Salon. Have Michael do a reflexology treatment on your
feet. They offer lots of other great services—but I could get addicted to
Michael’s reflexology treatments if I lived in town.
Slip Salon
1331 East Cary Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219
Tel: 804.343-SLIP(7547)
FOR MORE INFORMATION
HELPFUL WEBISTES
www.virginia.org
www.visit.richmond.com
GREAT GUIDEBOOKS
The Thirteen Colonies
Travel Historic America
Fodor’s
www.fodors.com
Revolutionary Mothers
By Carol Berkin
www.aaknopf.com
Borzoi Book published by Alfred A. Knopf
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