Art History Fun to Keep You Outta’ the Sun!

Posted on by The Wandering Art Historian

As someone who has lived in the Sunshine State for the majority of her life, I can boldly and assuredly say that summers in Florida are no joke. Summers here are hot, they are humid, they are unrelenting and they last until November. Mosquitos are vicious and ever-present and a heavy duty summertime storm can pop up at any time.

That’s why I’m a big advocate for staying inside, especially during the summer months. Inside there is air conditioning, the Internet and snacks. Plus, all my books and my napping blanket are… guess where… inside!

If you want to be like the cool art history kids and stay inside this summer, but need some fun things to do, here are a few recommendations…

For the Collector

If you enjoy collecting toys, action figures, plush or any other type of collectible, consider adding the Funko Pop Vinyl of artist Jean-Michel Basquiat to your collection.

This Pop Vinyl is #5 in their Pop! Artists series and is completely different from the Jean-Michel Basquiat collectible that Funko created as a 2019 Fall Convention exclusive. You may also want to check out the Funko Popsies because there is an adorable Bob Ross that “pops” with an encouraging message.

For the Gamer

If you enjoy playing games, but also want to learn something while you play, you may want to check out Artle. Artle is a bit like the art historical version of Wordle, a popular word game that has taken the Internet and social media by storm. With Artle, instead of trying to figure out the word of the day, you get four chances (via four works of art) to guess the artist of the day. Developed by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., this free game can be played on a smart phone, desktop, laptop, or any portable device and your stats can be shared to social media if you so choose.

This is the desktop version of Artle.
This is the smart phone version of Artle.

For more info on Artle, please visit…

https://www.nga.gov/

For the Builder

If you need a more interactive project to complete this summer, how about recreating your very own Van Gogh masterpiece?

LEGO recently released the next project in their IDEAS line and it is, if you can believe it, a LEGO version of Vincent van Gogh’s “The Starry Night.” Developed in conjunction with MoMA, this epic build recreates one of Van Gogh’s most iconic paintings in three dimensions using more than 2300 LEGO bricks and pieces. And, if you look closely, it comes with a Vincent van Gogh minifigure!

How do you plan to spend your summer? Will you be out and about seeing ART in the wild or will you be staying inside “doing research” (aka building a LEGO Starry Night)? Let me know in the comments!

4 thoughts on “Art History Fun to Keep You Outta’ the Sun!”

  1. Inside Interesting Ideas I’d never know about if not for Adrienne’s wandering around & sharing w/everyone! Lego VanGogh w/mini figure too much fun I am sure as mom of kid who does lego xmas theme setup yearly, oh she’s 54 years!! I’ll try ARTLE eventually thanks for fun posts always!

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  2. How many hours doing Starry Night & what % left to do, Adrienne? The Vincent person w/easel makes it all worthwhile & a masterpiece for your art gallery!!

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The Wandering Art Historian's avatar
I am writer and artist with a degree in art history who loves to talk to people about art. I have spent the last seven years building up The Wandering Art Historian “brand” as a way to connect with people who want to learn more about art. I give lectures and presentations and teach classes and host book club discussions with a creative or artistic connection. I also write about local artists, events, museums, and exhibitions to promote the arts in Central Florida. In 2021, I had a creative crisis. I struggled with authenticity in the art making process. I decided to make myself vulnerable and find out what a real, genuine Adrienne H. Lee artwork would look like. The process was challenging and emotional and revelatory. I learned that if necessity is the mother of invention, then authenticity is the mother of reinvention. I reinvented myself and learned an entirely new medium. The resulting artwork surprised me, and it will surprise you, too. Some people wish for a fairytale ending. For me, the fairy tale is only the beginning.