UGLI Visits the National Museum of American Illustration

Today, members of the Illustration club and guests were invited to attend the last event arranged by the Esperanza administration. A bus was chartered to transport the group from FIT to the National Museum of American Illustration (NMAI), located in Newport, Rhode Island. The three hour-plus ride was well spent viewing explosions, gun fire and good company.

We were all impressed to find the museum housed in a mansion built in the colonial, rich-side of town. I felt we accidentally walked into the set of Ghost Whispherer.

I think the image speaks for itself...

We Ooo'd and Ahh'd at the Rockwells, Parrishs, Wyeths, Leyendeckers, Oakleys... Some people stretched their necks and the rest poke their noses. For most of the time we gathered around Norman Rockwell's preparatory sketches, trying to leech his..., do I dare say, guineas?

Some of us waited patiently for the other to finish their ogling.

Hunger for food beckoned us from the visual luncheon. The employees of the museum recommended a diner called the Newport Creamery. It was rather interesting to step into the place and have the customers and employees stare questionably at us. I personally think its the clothes. We were dressed NYC drab, while the locals were springtime Gap. The Creamery was totally five stars. It must have to do with farmland being so close by. A good number of us couldn't resist ordering the New England Clam Chowder.

Despite being a holiday weekend the ride back was smooth. We passed the time watching Inglorious Bastards and playing guessing games. A few of us napped it out.

Special thanks to Professor Eric Velasquez for sparing his busy schedule to act as Club Chaperone. Also, great job to Charles George, Christian Castro and YuQuan Tan for running Illustration Club for the past two years. Kara, me and the rest of the new administration will continue to build on the foundations our predecessors had established.

Images of the Museum were borrowed from the NMAI website