Farsighted Fly Girl

She looms in the middle of the tropical splendor of  La Savane Park, in Fort de France, Martinique's bustling capital. Strolling past the palm trees, I spotted the marble statue dedicated to the island's most famous daughter, Josephine Bonaparte. Of course, that wasn't her name when she was born in Trois-Ilets in 1763. She was named Marie Josephe  Rose deTascher de la Pagerie and was called Rose until she met Napoleon after she moved to France and he nick named her Josephine.  It seems that Josephine and the statue that was erected in her honor in 1859, represent the tangled and discordant relationship between France and Martinique. Although Martinique is an overseas department of France , the colonial history and legacy of slavery casts an uneasy shadow over the relationship. In 1991, after remaining in fact for 132 years, Josephine's statue was vandalized. Her head was severed from its base, in much the same way that French aristocrats were guillotined during the...

Montreal overwhelms me. In a good way. For art lovers like me who live for connections with artistic and cultural expressions, Montreal is truly a dreamland. There is absolutely no place you can go in this stylish city where you will not be surrounded by art in some form. Metro stations, sidewalks, buildings, cafes, schools, markets, everywhere you turn, you'll be greeted with visual, musical or performance art. Montreal actually enforces a law that at least 1% of  a building's budget must go to public art. I thought it was just me honing in on every art form but no, Montreal really is covered in art. I find that it's an uplifting feeling to always have art close by. I think that's one of the reason's that Montrealers always seem so good-natured and vibrant. The mural above, was created during Montreal's Mural Fest (There is a fest for everything art-related in Montreal) and drew me in with the vivid colors and trippy designs. This painting lines a w...

Puerto Vallarta is small town with lots of charm and beauty, both natural and manufactured. Besides the Sierra Madre Mountains which surround this former fishing village, my favorite spot was the malecon , or boardwalk. You can see the serene vistas of the Atlantic Ocean and the coral-colored cobblestones above but what about those whimsical sculptures? They may look like characters from a Dr. Seuss book but these metal marvels actually serve a purpose. They're chairs! They sizzled from the sun beating down on them but it was still fun to lounge on these practical art pieces. Puerto Vallarta's malecon  was filled with art so I'll be exploring more of it in coming posts.

I love Toronto for many reasons and sometimes it's hard to keep up with all of  those reasons whenever I visit. I  stayed in the entertainment district in downtown Toronto, to be close to  TBEX  events and every morning, as I rushed to the conference, I was struck by how many art pieces decorated my short journey. Within a block, I met with three striking creations, including the presentation above, called "A Touchstone."  They reminded me of colorful bowling pins but the pieces actually represent the trans Canada highway.  I was intrigued by the whimsical sculpture sticking out from the Rogers Centre stadium, above. And I passed this stark red piece  that reminded me of a sideways sailboat. Toronto boasts some great museums and galleries but I forgot that in this diverse city, you only have to step outside to enjoy all aspects of creativity.

Montreal is an art-loving city. That's part of the European flavor of this town. Museums, art galleries and public art fill every block. But Montreal also hosts lots of theater, fashion, concerts and fashion so you almost need a separate visit just to view the art. Rushing about from place to place, I was amazed at how much art I encountered.  My first art encounter was the painting above,which was actually in the press offices for the Montreal Jazz Fest. I was immediately struck by its energy and 80s vibe. I stopped to snap this sculpture on my way to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.  The carvings remind me of Native American art. I know this just looks like two twirly pipes but it is an art installation, I checked. It sits near the Montreal Harbor and I pondered the pipe and water connection. Monuments and statues are popular in Montreal. They litter the streets and parks like shiny ornaments. This piece decorates the entrance of a hotel in Old Montreal...

One of my favorite things about New York city is the vibrant art scene. You don't even have to step foot into an art gallery, art surrounds you everywhere.  I snapped these public art displays during my long strolls though Harlem. The first two murals were painted by school children and the next to last mural graces the subway. The stately bronze sculpture is of legendary freedom fighter Harriet Tubman, casting her protection over Harlem streets.