The Arts in History
Welcome to the Arts History Page at CATT Center!
If you've been redirected here from the former CATT subsidiary Log Home Sweet Home, we hope you enjoy our new direction. If you are interested in the creative arts, please take a look around the site. We offer free membership to a supportive network of artists. If you'd like to join us and take part in the Forum discussions, click "Free Membership" above. If you subscribe to the newsletter, we will occasionally share with you what is new at Creative Artists Think Tank, with no spam involved.
Creativity is defined as the ability to use imagination to produce something original. Many academics have suggested that creativity may be the defining characteristic of the human species. Think about that. We are all innately creators! This has been going on as long as humans have existed and we wouldn't be anywhere if it weren't for those who have come before us. This page is dedicated to those artists. Keep checking back for articles, links, celebrations, photos, and all manner of things related to the creative arts in history. If you're a history buff like I am, you just might find something interesting here!
-Laura Roberts, CATT Center
American History as Seen Through Quilts
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
The art of quilting was part of American culture for a great part of the country's history. Women, often confined to the realm of the home, expressed their creativity through the designs and patterns of the fabric. They often preserved their family history through using the scraps of fabric left over from a special sewing project, such as a christening gown or wedding dress. They often stitched the names of family and dates of important events into their designs. Quilting also served as a social outlet as women gathered in groups called quilting bees. In October 2021, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, MA, USA is hosting an expedition of 58 quilts spanning 400 years of American history. Click the link to learn more about the exhibition and the history that it teaches.
Ancient Fluorite Carving
This Eastern Greek fluorite-carved idol, only 48mm high, dates from the 4th-3rd century BCE. Fluorite, also called fluorspar, is a beautiful mineral, coming in a myriad of colors, and has been called the most colorful mineral in the world. This tiny sculpture is extremely rare because fluorite is a very soft mineral, only registering a 4 on the Mohs scale. Therefore, most fluorite art does not stand the test of time. However, this one made it nearly 2500 years! The carving represents the mythological owl of the goddess Athena. It was auctioned off for $13,464 (£9,500) in Dec 2020.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
On April 13, 1870, the Metropolitan Museum of Art was incorporated in New York, making it officially established. According to its charter, the museum is responsible for "encouraging and developing the study of the fine arts, and the application of the arts to manufacture and practical life, of advancing general knowledge of kindred subjects, and, to that end, furnishing popular instruction and recreation." It opened to the public on November 20 of that same year. Click the link for a detailed description of the Met's history.
Art and Iroquoian Trees
Have you ever looked, really looked, at Iroquoian art? The old stuff, I mean. It’s really beautiful. I had never known much about Native American art until recently, and I came to discover it in a kind of roundabout way. Click the link to the blog post about the history and symbolism of Iroquoian art.
Nat King Cole
On March 24, 1945 - Nat King Cole's King Cole Trio became the first No. 1 record album on the new Billboard magazine pop album chart. Nat King Cole was an American pianist and singer who is hailed as one of the most influential musicians of the swing era.