Phillip Lloyd Powell (1919-2008), Door and Surround, 1967, Stacked carved softwoods, polychromed, James A. Michener Art Museum, Museum Purchase with Funds provided by Sharon B. and Sydney F. Martin.
Walking through the galleries, you can’t miss Phil Powell’s brightly colored door, carved with various designs and painted in shades of yellow, orange and red. This month’s mystery image captured a small segment of this door, currently installed in the Putman-Smith Gallery at the Museum. This door was part of Powell’s earliest residence in New Hope, PA.
In looking closely at this work, it reminds me of various doors to buildings I have seen in my travels over the years. The door’s characteristics remind me of the carvings and decorative elements found in the architecture of Spain, such as in the Alhambra in Granada and the Alcázar in Seville. It also reminds me of doors and grand entrances I encountered in India, such as the Taj Mahal in Agra and the Jama Masjid in Delhi. This work also echos the same feeling and presence found in the doors of Gothic cathedrals in France, such as in the Cathedral at Rouen, painted by the French Impressionist, Claude Monet in the late 1800s. So, it’s no surprise that the travels that Powell made to countries such as Spain, Portugal, England, Sicily, India, and Morocco, were a key part of the artist’s creative inspiration for his work. He took the carvings and decorative elements of these cultures and infused them to create his own personal style. He stated, ““travel influences my work the most – for the awareness of what’s been done.” Read More
Staff Memories of “The Pine Street Hotel”
An unidentified man poses at the entrance to the guardhouse, circa 1907 at the Bucks County Prison. Photo taken from James A. Michener Art Museum Archives.
When you think of a museum, what comes to mind? A museum might be a place for you to retreat from the everyday and find solace in works of art. It might be a place that you go to socialize with friends, hear a lecture, or visit for entertainment. In contrast to these ideas, the Michener’s former site was the site of the Bucks County Prison. This brings to mind a very different environment that took place here decades ago.
It’s really ironic that I work today at the Michener. When I was in grade school, I had participated in summer camp across the street at the Mercer Museum. We were making salt boxes in the summer heat, and I remember being bitten by red ants as I sat against their large trees. As we were jumping up and down trying to avoid these persistent and annoying bugs, I looked across the street and noticed that the prisoners from the jail were getting into large trucks. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but the memory stuck with me for years, in addition to the large welts on my legs from those darn ants.
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