Modern Art Work & The Obamas

Every modern first lady shows interest in the arts with some being avid fans of a particular form or style.  Jackie Kennedy loved the ballet with an exquisite eye for centuries old antiques while beautiful photographs adorned her private space.  Lady Bird Johnson loved wildflowers, especially those indigenous to Texas, while kick-starting forerunners to environmental projects focusing along highways.   Michelle Obama has eclectic taste and is being ecumenical in her choices for the residence.  When a new first family moves in and during their tenure, the nation's museums are open for them to select what they want to display on the their private residence walls in addition to what is available from the White House Art Collection replete with 18th & 19th century artists.  Laura Bush was quite fond of the impressionist Claude Monet's tranquil water scene gifted to the White House by the family of JFK.  She chose to have it in the West Sitting Hall right across from the door to the Master Bedroom where she could look at it while reading or chatting on the phone.  Hillary worked hard to innovate with a sculpture garden with annual exhibits during her stay as first lady.  (Monet in White House private collection courtesy George W. Bush archives)

Alma Thomas (1891 -1971) an abstract artist who was the first African American to earn a 1971 solo exhibit at the prestigious Whitney museum Art of (Hard Edge), Watusi (completed in 1963) is one of the paintings the Obamas placed in the residence. The other abstract from this artist is named Skylight.

President Obama, Malia & Michelle watch the video montage on the modern artists while in Paris at the  museum known as the Pompidou in June 2009.  Photo courtesy of the White House.

The President & Mrs. Obama made some modern choices for their walls.  Modern art is a theme shown over the past few months with a trip to the Pompidou Centre or the Centre Georges Pompidou during time in Paris.  The Kandinsky Exhibit was quite fun Mom & Dad, but for Sasha & Malia they got to try their hand at making art based on the Alexander Calder (1898 - 1976) exhibit.  It is part of the experience for all children visiting that section of the museum. Wonder what Wassily Wassilyevich Kandinsky (1866 - 1944) would think.

Richard Diebenkorn (1922 -1993) painted Berkeley No.52 circa 1955.  The colorful abstract has a place of honor at the Obamas. 

Art is a theme throughout the young tenure of the Obama presidency.  Thursday starts the First Couples foray as hosts entertaining heads of state.  A philanthropist married to a United States senator will entertain the Obamas and their guest at her Rosemont Farm.  Teresa Heinz Kerry just missed being a first lady, but 2004 is where Barack Obama came into prominence with the American public.  The Farm will supply the vegetables and meets in a true locavore element that pleases Michelle Obama, though she will not be photographed (today) picking the greens and vegetables herself.  Gardens are a form of art to her. While the spouses negotiate, the first lady will host a tour for the  G-20 spouses (mostly wives) at the Andy Warhol Museum complete with a spectacular luncheon in Pittsburgh.  Prior, the tour will hear more art performed by students, Yo-Yo Ma (performed at the inaugural), Trisha Yearwood and Sarah Bareilles.  An interesting choice of Warhol (Andrew Warhola 1928 - 1987) given the need to treat the international honored guests to sophisticated Americana known as pop art and Warhol was born in Pittsburgh.  President Jimmy Carter feted Warhol in the White house in the 1970s where Warhol presented an art piece that was a rendering of the president.  Warhol has many pieces that explore erotica as well.  Its fraught with interest because the tour will have a climatic ending as one of Warhol's time capsules is due to be opened.  Ought to be quite the topic over lunch - even with all the translators.

Ed Ruscha (born 1937) titled this hip 1983 piece I Think I'll...  This pop art piece particularly underscores the modern element to the Obama's tastes.  Since 1964, Ruscha paints words into many of his paintings.  Sometimes they are satirical and often with touches of humor.

Upon their return to the White House, the splendor of the choices of the  Obamas own artwork will reign supreme.  Michelle will enjoy the serenity of the art for a few days before taking off to Copenhagen next week to champion Chicago's bid for the 2016 Olympics.  Not one, but two paintings depicting Homage to the Square from Josef Albers (1888 - 1976) adorn the walls at the White House on loan from the Hirshorn Collection.  Albers was also a poet. The painting pictured left is Homage to the Square:  Midday and completed sometime between 1954 - 1957. The painting for the Homage series started in 1949.  Like abstract artist Alma Thomas shown above, Josef Albers was also a teacher.  Upon retirements, they both dedicated the remainder of their lives to their art works. (Photo courtesy The Independent)

A definite nod was given to winner of a 2005 Alphonse Fletcher Foundation Fellowship Glenn Ligon (1960 -) who painted Black Like Me #2  (1992) who is just a year younger than the president.  Again, continuity reaches through the Obama art pieces as Ligon like Albers uses words and paints in acrylic on canvas.  Ligon who is openly gay and an African American from New York has juxtaposed family albums with old school gay porn in one piece.  It is part of the art that many artists of vintage and antiquity along with their modern counterparts push the edges during their times. 

Glenn Ligon's piece on loan to the First Family.

It's fascinating to review a couple of the choices the Obamas have to look at during their home life.  For traditionalists, there is the Edgar Degas bronze figure of Dancer Putting on Her Stocking, a Cézanne (1839 - 1906), yet they mesh with Jaspers Johns lead relief of Numerals, 0-9. Michelle has a wide range of tastes and its reflected in the art selection and her personal style that is not totally dependent on the old masters.  Another voice in the selection of modern and abstract art pieces is the Obama interior designer, Michael Smith of Santa Monica who also worked with the White House curator William Allman.

Another young talented but terribly depressed artist met an untimely death by suicide.  In fifteen years Nicolas de Staël (1914 -1955) produced over a thousand paintings including many abstract landscapes. This painting is entitled Nice completed in 1954.

Missing History & Opportunity in the Obama East Wing

What a heady and tumultuous eight months that whirled by with the first biracial president and African American first lady. My focus is the East Wing of the equation. For the Obamas, two cute and curious kids, an internationally famous puppy and so many inspirational firsts or twists on the past such as the incredible Michelle Obama Kitchen Garden that are now part of the American presidential fabric. But not the electronic strand that marks a spot for the current generation or future ones. It also takes time to coalesce all the moving parts of a White House experience in the first year especially with appointed staff learning the history of the People's House, its contents and all who lived there since the muddy time of John & Abigail Adams. The White House is an eighteen acre bubble shared by an energetic family, military trained attack dogs, eagle eyed snipers, priceless antiques, a rambunctious puppy, incredible works of arts, thousands of daily visitors, vintage trees, a one hundred member staff dedicated to the Residence and now, the newest first lady's bees. That's just the stuff you see if on the premises. It is for those who are not on the premises that my post encompasses.

After leaving the Vatican, the First Family heads to Air Force One to go to Ghana.

The only way to understand the White House is to read voraciously or look at the pictures or if one must, suffer through the soundbites the traditional media thinks are important. What endures is the White House legacy. To that end if one is reading this post online, one should also be able to go to the White House website and find the riches and beauty of the house. It takes a while before new first ladies find their sea legs. Only two first ladies had a relative to call upon to get a multitude of details on the operations of a White House, Louisa Adams had her mother-in-law Abigail Adams as Laura Bush had Barbara Bush.

The West Wing side of the Obama Administration shows savvy at the White House website with a blog, policy briefs, and a YouTube channel. Nothing like it exists readily for the Obama East Wing. Yes, there are a couple of photo albums for the first lady, Michelle Obama, but no blog, no fulsome history of each of the State Rooms, the extensive White House American Art collections, no White House Residence senior staff profiles, no details of events hosted by the first lady that resonate - the music series, the output of the $200 investment of the Kitchen Garden or the choices of China, silverware or floral arrangements used at events. Those things must wait for chronicling by a haphazard news media that misses points for posterity. These details are important and will be part of the record of Michelle Obama's tenure as first lady, especially as the first African American. (Photo courtesy the White House of Michelle Obama meeting the retired Chief Florist Nancy Clarke's new granddaughter at a staff party in the mansion.)

Content on the White House website is important and even the West Wing is struggling to capture everything and get pieces filled in. The East Wing should join alongside the West in providing rich, detailed content about state or official events at the People's House. A great piece has been the live streaming of events on the White House website by both the president and the first lady. Time marches rapidly and before we know it, a year will float by before attention turns to making information available on the website.

The Lincoln Sitting Room off the Lincoln Bedroom on the second floor of the Residence. Cataloging once again the art works for the public is critical.

Certainly Laura Bush had some gaps, but one thing about her being n ex-librarian is that it was extremely thorough on her side of the White House web ledger. It was beyond outstanding and a model that future first ladies should follow with attention to detail to pieces of furniture, pre-scheduled Ask the Staff live chats, individual first ladies portraits and biographies, 3 D tours of renovated spaces - including the Cabinet Room and the Situation Room. Interesting and shocking that President Obama can be comfortably ensconced in the Oval Office decor of President Bush but not the technology savvy displayed on his website. A news sighting of the changing of the White House fountains to Celtic Green for Saint Patrick's Day was duly noted by the press, but its not captured as part of the new thinking the first lady is bringing to White House traditions. I'm waiting, but patiently not so much, as too much history is going by too fast.

Michelle Obama oft repeats that she wants to bring the White House to people who have never seen it and offering up a robust web presence would do that for millions in this nation and millions if not billions more outside of it. Nothing has captured the imagination of global interest like her garden and the implications for nutritional value of home grown local food. Prince Charles waxed ecstatic about the Kitchen Garden and members of Congress along with other guests plus the family eat the fruits of the labor of the kids at Bancroft Elementary, Mrs. Obama, the White House chefs and the landscape crew. It would be great to talk about the garden in terms of healthy eating right at the site - rather than through the occasional news article prompted by a photo op.

Every White House Pet is special. There was a Barney Cam - yeah, he bit a reporter for which first lady Laura Bush wrote a handwritten apology, Socks was a superstar cat and Bo is threatening to need his own reporter assigned to him because he garners so much attention. It was a wonderfully weird presidential picture as the Obamas went on vacation to see a baby car seat (for Maya's infant daughter) and Bo leave a helicopter in the same image. The East Wing smartly came up with a Bo piece that went into bags for the troops. It was pretty cute to watch Malia intently read the doggy bio information before she placed it in the backpack she was supposed to be filling at a service event.

Malia is reading every detail.

All great things in good time, I suppose. Please, Obama East Wing staff - please pay attention to the mound of details about the White House, its environs and the furniture of history that many in the public are acutely interested in for the first time. It is an opportunity so many want and few have have to make such a lasting impact on learning about the White House and its internationally famous first family. The archives of what Laura Bush did is an excellent example from where to start and innovate. We need more information, history lessons and access on the White House website - Please, Please, PLEASE with a vermeil candelabra on top. (Michelle Obama in her East Wing office with her new Chief of Staff, Susan Sher.)

Washing, Waxing & Cleaning the President's House

Mary Kaltman works with chef on 1965 Christmas Cookies in White House Kitchen. Photo courtesy White House Historical Association.

Lady Bird Johnson had Mary Kaltman as food-coordinator-housekeeper and for a while she did the same for the Nixons in the White House. She wrote a book Keeping Up With Keeping House: A Practical Guide for the Harried Housewife for those female denizens against dust (known in the day as homemakers) who wanted the information on how to perform the domestic arts in grand style. In school, the subject used to be called Home Ec (for Home Economics), which made cooking and cleaning a subject for mostly girls. In prior years, Mrs. Mary E. Sharpe took upon herself as the housekeeper to make President Truman's waistline trim.

But Mrs. Kaltman was tough enough to send the domestic side of the Johnson white House into domestic hostility, sometimes famous in the East Wing. Seems she and the oo-la-la famed French chef, Verdon René, hired in April 1961 for his epicurean skills, ran into the budget minded housekeeper/Queen of Food at the White House who insisted on frozen foods, recipes from a common book and a president that wanted his fish slathered in sauce with the skin still on. Mon Dieu. They had a similar arrangement to what the Obama Family has now - on the second floor Sam Kass is in charge of the personal meals and he came with them from Chicago while the Executive Chef handles state functions. A hundred years earlier another battle ended as Mary Todd Lincoln had the housekeeping staff report directly to her. Now, that subject is split into two functions at the Executive Mansion, with cleaning it and cooking for it being two different, yet equal professional career paths. (Sasha clearly knows the ropes and speaks to one of the long tenured White House butlers about exactly what she wants while the First Granny looks on.)

Using the latest tools in 1955, the spic and span brigades wore ties while sanding, cleaning and waxing in the East Room during the Eisenhower era. Photo courtesy the White House Historical Association from a series on the Working White House and the national Archives and Records Administration.

The Cross Hall and Grand Foyer getting a thorough polishing in the Obama White House.

Wiping down, waxing a nations antiques, polishing heirloom silver and vacuuming the nap only one way on priceless rugs every day in the White House is akin to auto detailing a pristine parade of 100 Rolls Royces every 24 hours. Mrs. Kaltman believed in good old fashioned elbow grease and did not cotton to fancy tools or words. Her successor Shirley Bailey was of the same mind and used paste wax, one male person polished the brass fixtures and cleaned the little chandelier danglies day in and day out. She had her folks hand ironing all the linen napkins for events after they came out of the industrial strength washers and dryers. (From the Reagan era vacuuming the Blue Room)

There is a wonderful movie, Back stairs at the White House made on the life of an early twentieth century maid. Many of those at the White House worked for the first family while also working with an aunt, uncle, mother, father and brother. No matter the messes made, memoirs and anecdotes focus on the history and the occasions rather than any grist for the mill. Many serve for decades. An amusing anecdote shared by first lady Hillary Clinton came at the hands of an exuberant tween, Chelsea who had entertained friends with a movie. The popcorn did not exactly land in mouths and Hillary was horrified. The White House staff was in shock as Hillary had Chelsea clean up every kernel and they were not allowed to help. Kind of like Sasha & Malia have no bed service in the mornings - bed made with their own hands before leaving for school and they must help carry in the dishes in the morning for their breakfast.

From 1877, the staff/servants during Lucy Hayes' time as first lady. Almost sixty years later the staff was integrated by Eleanor Roosevelt. She felt the need to make White House domestic staff help African Americans only which kept wages lower and reduced any rancor. Photo courtesy Hayes Administration and Bob Cesca.

The Smithsonian has an exhibit, The Working White House, traveling the nation for the next two years about the Working White House and the staff that makes the Executive Residence run amidst thousands of daily events, an active family, and it being the home of the American head of state with an ambitious entertaining schedule. Christine Limerick, the Chief housekeeper during the Clinton years makes appearances to discuss what happens off camera and what the staff does in their daily and special circumstances. There are butlers, ushers, a presidential valet and a small staff of housekeepers who are mindful of the products they use on the nation's antiques. Laura Bush toted up almost 1500 formal events in eight years. That's a heap of cleaning done with dedication and attention to every fine detail. (Shirley Bailey on the second floor residence in the Nixon White house early 1970's.)

Shirley Bailey in 1970 learned her craft working for hoteliers before setting her keen eye about the executive mansion. The job always has perils such as the hate between the president and the person in charge of the food in the 1930s & !940s. Henrietta Nesbitt as the stern housekeeper overseeing cooking for FDR & Eleanor Roosevelt courted fame for the lousiness of the food served during her tenure. In 1926, single lady Miss Ellen Reilly was hired as the head of housekeeping for the White House and even traveled with President Calvin Coolidge being hired from managing a cafeteria at a retailing outfit in Boston. Blair House, the presidential guest house, has the same attention to excellence and the opportunities to transfer over to the White House when an opening becomes available allows them to serve the president directly.

Its not only the floors, walls, and dishes that get a good scrubbing in the White House. Liberty could usually be found in the Oval Office, but here is Susan Ford with Frankie Blair providing a vigorous doggy bath.

Pool Parties at the White House

White House pool and cabana with solar panels on roof. Courtesy 20 Fun Facts about The White House)

Cherry Blossoms and their annual festival are over for 2009 in Washington DC. Memorial Day is over. At Sidwell Friends, the First daughters end of the school year trumpets summer vacation time. Picnics with the requisite amount of ants and tons of new and old friends to hang out with means making use of the water amenities at the White House. Pool perks extend to presidential vacation retreat at the very exclusive, yet relaxed and woodsy, Camp David as well. Because its outdoors and its been downright chilly and rainy during parts of the Spring in DC, one scene not captured on camera yet are the Obamas using the pool and cabana on the White House property.

Camp David pool outside Aspen Lodge - Main Lodge - during Nixon era - Photo courtesy White House

Not very far from the Oval Office on the West side of the property is the outdoor pool Gerald Ford put in after Richard Nixon paved over the indoor one FDR had installed and promptly splashed the national press corp into that space. Another daily swimmer, Barbara Bush, upgraded the poolhouse to a full cabana. Millie's son, the Bush's dog named Spot, was fond of chasing the tennis balls but was not a big splasher. Barbara Bush recounts seeing a rat up close and personal paddling by her face in the pool as she swam her morning laps. Let us just say Gary Walters, White House Chief Usher at the time, definitely got an earful on that incident. (Spot contemplating is the tennis ball worth it. Courtesy GHW Bush Library)

Pool parties are summer staples. A swim is very convenient after a tough set as its close to the tennis court as well. Like the famed and coveted sleepovers, it will be a big deal for the Obama girls to invite their friends over for a summer dip. From no pool, except the neighborhood one or at their school in Chicago, to having a pool at each presidential property is a kid's dream when its hot and humid. Add in the best ice cream sundae makers, an unlimited supply of root beer floats with a puppy learning to swim and the pool will be a scene of frivolity this summer.

Gerald Ford alongside his two golden Labradors bravely introduced his new outdoor pool to the press bare chested and in his bathing trunks. As president elect Barack Obama had that mouthwatering picture of him in Hawaii. President Nixon took Air Force One all the way back to San Clemente California to walk along the beach in his dressy wingtips. There was the picture of Hillary Clinton she despises of herself in a blue floral one piece bathing suit. Michelle Obama spent time in her one piece black maillot in Hawaii. Pool rules will need establishing as its been years since wee little ones lived full-time at 1600. There also seems to be a recurring theme with presidential dogs and pools. (President Ford swims laps in new outdoor pool for press. Courtesy Ford Library)

Solar power heats the pool with the latest installation during the Bush 43 presidency. Pool parties were a function of the buttoned up Bush era. With the pool being heated, Barbara Bush used the pool even when her hair froze with icicle drips. Bill Clinton gets the thanks for the whirlpool spa. Meanwhile the Obamas will have to decide how the supervision works at the pool and who will be lifeguard during the upcoming dog days of summer with two active girls who will willingly throw pool parties. Last one in is a ...

Tiny Clues on Decorating the White House

Nancy Reagan was the last first lady to privately fundraise and spend time restoring and decorating Blair House which is across the street from the White House with the mission being the United States guest home for visiting Heads of State House. If anyone knows it is past time for several upgrades in those adjoining townhomes, it is the latest first lady. C'mon, a bed that needs an added section for the head of state if they are over six feet tall is just not appropriate. Michelle Obama ordered a beautiful antique bed for the White House and had it modified to Queen-sized for a comfortable night's rest. No idea who the lucky Obama is that sleeps in on that one.

Center Hall on residence 2nd floor with lighter walls. White chairs on right appear much like the 1984 during NR's time at White House. Malia is walking towards the Closet Hall that separates her bedroom from Sasha's. The carpet is the same as the one image below showing Mrs. Bush. Above White House Photo 2009

From the Reagan era, the square creamy chair with peach pillow appears much like the chair upholstered in white above. The famed Chinese screen is on the right. From Architectural Digest from 1984.

We do know that Michael Smith of California received official status as Michelle Obama's interior designer in January. Laura Bush had Kenneth Blasingame of Texas and Hillary Clinton used Kaki Hockersmith of Arkansas. Nancy Reagan also had a California designer that indulged her taste for florals and wall paper with florals. Once every decade, Architectural Digest usually does a photo spread including parts of the private residence once significant work is accomplished by a first lady, the curator, the staff and the White House Historical Association after collaborated on significant refurbishing of state rooms.

1984 Refurbishing of Nancy Reagan's dressing room off the master bedroom. This is the room Laura Bush showed Michelle Obama where to look out of the window to see the Oval office. Malia's & Sasha's swing set is just beyond the Oval Office.

This is from the 1962 refurbishing jackie kennedy did to the same dressing room off her master bedroom. Seems reasonable that this will be Michelle's Obama's personal/office space in her version of the room. Photo courtesy Architectural digest.
Though there is a timeless feel to the furniture, it goes through iterations and upholstery makeovers like the couches Laura Bush had in the West Sitting Hall lived previously as President Clinton's Oval Office couches. We have seen very little of what Michelle decorated in the residence publicly, but there are some clues. Pat Nixon started the trend of painting the Center Hall in yellow. Each first lady since has kept it that way with varying shades to make it feel sunny. Though the lighting is bright in 2009 photo, it appears Michelle chose a shade of paint that is a softer creamy buttercup color. She nixed the idea of porcelain plates in the Federal styled built-in shelving units other first ladies used. The piano is across from what prior was the placement of an eighteenth century Chinese screen (above in 1984 AD photo) that dominates that southern wall because there are only the paladium windows at each end of the Center Hall.

Laura Bush in more formal East Sitting Hall with same patterned rug/carpet seen above in Center Hall in 2009 photo. 2005 Photo courtesy Architectural Digest.

Last November, Michelle received a book that catalogs (pictures, dimensions, used by, etc.) the White House's furniture collection for her to choose from to have ready on the first day in the White House. The Art Collection and the offerings from various museums to decorate the residence portion of the White House are also made available. Mrs. Bush placed the donation from the Kennedy family's prominently in the West Sitting Hall where she could see the Monet as soon as she sat down or left the master bedroom. I am looking forward to hearing about some of the art choices the Obamas are making for the residence with such a world class selction to choose among.