#8 Highlight of Trip to Portland

Stopping by the Maryhill Museum to get a gander at just a bit of my Brother-in-Law’s spectacular talent.

Matthew Cartwright is a sculptor of undisputed creative and functional art. He reroutes would-be rubbish from the landfills of Portland, and shapes it into clever, amusing and downright magical landmarks. As we speak, his work is part of the Maryhill 2009 Outdoor Sculpture Invitational.

This is his Malabar Bombax, his representation of the flower of the Red Silk Cotton Tree. It is impressive I know. There will be more evidence of his work before we reach the end of this countdown.

If you chance to wend your way along the Columbia River en route to Portland, may I say the Maryhill is worth a stop for an hour or two. It perches majestically on the Washington side overlooking the river.

The exhibits rang from slightly creepy french mannequin dolls adorned in 1040's fashions, to Ansel Adams prints, to a magnificent array of chess sets, to a Rodin collection, all resting on the initial collection of Eastern European encrusted artifacts donated by Queen Marie of Romania in 1926. This blue-blood managed to be related to both Queen Victoria and Czar Alexander II of Russia.



We didn't make it to the replica of Stonehenge where the Museum's founder, Sam Hill, ashes rest in peace. We will be saving that treat for another visit.