I could imagine my young great grandmother Mary Degan with her mother celebrating the completion of one of their beautiful crazy quilts as I was looking at a painting I saw called “The Quilting Frolic” by John Lewis Krimmel. “The Quilting Frolic” was among a number of paintings I saw yesterday when my husband Gary and I visited the new exhibit, “American Stories Paintings of Everyday Life, 1765-1915″ at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
In this wonderful collection of paintings you can look back at your own families history see what was happening to farmers, house maids, sales people, fishermen, free men, painters, families, slaves, Native Americans, freed slaves, cowboys and immigrants through the eyes of painters who captured everyday life. Among other things you’ll be reminded of how far women have come when you see the everyday roles we filled in 1850. These paintings and this show are not to be missed. If you plan to be anywhere near New York City for the holidays make plans to see American Stories! Wow!
