ima

it was awesome.  highlight: the conservation science lab.  brand new, beautiful.  the conservation scientist in charge, greg smith (very nice, extremely smart ... obviously),  designed every inch from the ground (well, second floor) up.  and its arts and crafts themed.  fully, down to the doorknobs.  and all state of the art equipment.  really, one thing they bought (whatever it does), they're the only museum to have one.  uuuuugh beautiful.  he did all of the footwork himself, too.  most of the arts and crafts things were donated by local artists or companies that specialize in such designs.  he said a lot of people were really excited to have their arts and crafts work in a place other than a bungalow, especially in a place as impressive and unique as the ima's conservation chemistry lab.

periodic table sample for the lab

their periodic table is made of wood, everything carved into it and all in arts and crafts font.  the floors and cabinets and frames on the white board and prints (yes, arts and crafts prints) are all a deep cherry/mahogany wood.  green walls.  unlike any chemistry lab i've ever seen.  completely unique, i'm sure.  i just hope that other labs follow the way.  where else should you study beautiful works of art but in a beautiful space?  who said chemistry has to be all white lab coats and sterile rooms?  i like how this man thinks.  and designs.

i would die of happiness if i ever got a job there.  oh man.  i guess he's planning on staffing it with chemists-turned-conservationists as opposed to art-historians-turned-conservationists, which is where i'm coming from.  but even being able lurk around in the amazing storage facilities and conservation labs below would be a dream.  especially if i was allowed to sneak in to discussions in his arts and crafts meeting room.

morris - snakeshead

on the arts and crafts theme though...

when i was in london i took a preraphaelites class.  only place to take one of those really.  my final paper was on william henry morris, who was the father of the arts and crafts movement.  i liked the preraphaelites just fine, but arts and crafts and aestheticism really spoke more to my interests.  but i was in the perfect place to see his wallpapers, prints, furniture, books.  i was staying right down the street from the v&a, a fantastic museum.  their cafe had morris wallpaper.  awesome.

leighton - lieder ohne worte

and sir frederick leighton as well, who was big on aestheticism.  we had a tour of his house and it was amazing.  he collected tiles from everywhere he travelled and filled his "arab hall" with them.  the walls, floor, ceiling, everything.  and there was a fountain in the middle and a balcony at the top.  amazing house.  quite my style.

leighton's arab hall