This last week, I was fortunate to be a part of an artsy group on an outing, or maybe “adventure” would be a better choice of words. We didn’t paint this week; instead, we headed to the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. We went to visit the Prix de West exhibit, and it did not disappoint!
We wandered through artwork submitted by about 100 artists from across the nation. We spent most of the day exploring each piece, critiquing, studying, and just standing in wonder! I already knew I was in good company with this group of local artists who had a wealth of knowledge in their own right. We talked about depth, design, and so much more. So many of the paintings were meant to be viewed from across the room versus up close. Well, we got up close! I tried to absorb every bit of knowledge they discussed.
But there were a few things I learned about this independent bunch of country ladies.
First of all, I came across a group of preschoolers as they walked through the exhibit. I tried to ask one about their matching T-shirts. She politely put her finger up to her lips and hushed me. I guess they were told to use their quiet voices!
Before this, we had driven up to the entrance and noticed there were cones blocking the main drive to the front doors. We needed to get one of our ladies closer, so we opted to move the cones to get closer to the entrance. That worked really well until we went to unload the walker on wheels. Since the drive is on a hill, that walker decided to start rolling down the hill. I’m sure it was entertaining to see four ladies wrangling a runaway walker!
We enjoyed lunch inside the food court. Before we entered the exhibit area, we put our water bottles inside our purses. After exploring the beautiful artwork, I took a detour from the group. I got lost exploring art and history. My phone rang with a voice saying, “Where are you?”
I made my way back to the front entrance to find my ladies sitting there. They confessed that one had pulled out her water bottle, at which time a nice man explained that no food or drink was allowed in the exhibit area. I wondered if I should have stuck with that preschool group!
While our designated driver went to get the vehicle, we had to move the cones again to get the truck up the hill. Everything went smoothly getting our 89-year-old friend loaded and the walker put in the back.
Remember that nice man? Well, he reappeared. He earned his pay that day! We were reprimanded for moving the cones. He said we should have asked him to help. I thought, “Sir, this bunch doesn’t ask for help when they are capable!” We even had one hiding in the bushes to move the cones back after our getaway!
So, if you go and need to unload someone at the door, make sure you find the nice man. Tell him a bunch of country ladies said he would assist you!
You can take the country ladies to the big city, but you can’t take the country out of them!
We drove home with inspiration to paint and a few mischievous adventures!
