Westmoreland Museum of American Art

I have been to many memorable places in the short span of the last three months. Most recently, I had the pleasure of visiting the Westmoreland Museum of American Art in Greensburg, PA.

When I arrived there with my group, it was around 1:00 p.m., meaning we walked in just in time for a guided tour of the museum. We jumped at the opportunity, knowing it would be a loss to miss out. 

Our tour was directed by a museum docent named Annie Quiggle. Quiggle was a wonderful wealth of knowledge who was clearly passionate about the museum’s most recent exhibit, “Our Own Work, Our Own Way.” It was an exhibit that showcased art pieces from 48 different women artists who lived in the southern United States.

There were so many beautiful works on display in the exhibit, but my personal favorite was one called “Charlatan” by New Orleans artist Caroline Durieux (see photo to the left). 

“This is a very unique piece since it showcases a technique that Caroline invented called ‘electron printmaking.’ She used radioactive ink to create it during the Depression era,” Quiggle said.

Another piece in the exhibit that, as a group, we agreed to find especially interesting was a piece done with a mixture of pastels and graphite called “Still Life With Cyclamen.” It was created by Zelda Fitzgerald, the wife of famous writer F. Scott Fitzgerald (see photo to the left). 

Outside of the museum’s women artists exhibit, there were a couple of other pieces in their permanent exhibit that I was drawn to as well. One such piece was a beautifully done oil-paint portrait of George Washington created by Philadelphia artist Rembrandt Peale around 1824 (see photo to the left). 

According to Annie Quiggle, there are about 72 other Washington portraits made by the same artist, all showing the former president at various ages. One of these portraits is on display in the Oval Office in the White House in Washington.

The other museum-owned piece that seemed to attract the attention of many people was a mixed-media sculpture called, “Parade to the Baptism” (see photo to the left). It was created by an artist named Vanessa German from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

I spoke to a couple who were observing this piece at the same time that I was, a man named Richard and his wife Darla. I had a short conversation with them about the sculpture and about the museum as a whole.

“It’s really neat to see so many different pieces under one roof. It definitely makes you appreciate all of the artists and the work they’ve done,” Richard said.

Darla seemed particularly intrigued by Vanessa German’s piece, and she was keen to share her thoughts about it.

“This one [she gestured to the sculpture] is especially very interesting. I like how it’s pretty much made of everyday pieces you’d find around the house. I find that very inspiring because, to me, it stands for how anyone can do art, and with anything,” she said. 

And that, I suppose, is the biggest take-away one can have from visiting the Westmoreland Museum of American Art. Creating art is a thing that, for the most part, no other animal has ever been able to do. Moreover, as humans, we create art because we want to express our feelings and thoughts. 

This expression is very much evident in the incredible exhibits at the museum. It earnestly shows that you, as a person, have artistic potential no matter who you are.  

And maybe you'll find that whatever artistic medium you find you enjoy working with the most will resound with you for the rest of your life, encouraging you to create more and more. Perhaps, if you're lucky, one of your pieces will be displayed at the museum someday. I know that would certainly be an amazing life goal for me.