I feel that if I am going to wax poetic about Jeaneen Barnhart, I need to give equal time to another favorite artist of mine. Robert Cassilly of St. Louis does beautiful art on a grand scale. From his 67 foot tall giraffe in Dallas, to the massive, bus-sized turtles in St. Louis. Cassilly can breathe life into the largest piece. His busts capture the spirit and temper of the subject, and his animals display the beauty of their form. All the while his art is tempered with a spirit of fun.
His finest work by far though would have to be the City Museum in St. Louis. Located in the 600,000 sq. foot shell of the International Shoe factory, this work in progress is a testament to his creative and playful spirit. It is a peek into the creative mind of the man himself. Walls tiled in printing plates, mosaic lizards made of watch parts, every nook and cranny filled with new and sometimes hidden surprises. A life size whale that, as you walk into it's mouth, turns into a hidden cave, that then takes you to the ceiling where it morphs into a rambling tree house. That's just the first few feet of the ground floor!
Salvaged pieces of buildings make up what is an architectural gallery throughout the museum. This ladies and gents is art you can touch (and play in, on, & around). I feel like I'm five all over again when I am here. At the same time I can marvel and appreciate the work, inspiration, and creativity that has brought to life this once forgotten building.
If you go, (and you should) plan on spending the day. They practically had to drag us out at five o'clock. The sandwich shop has a good menu, and you can grab a beer in the Lizard Lounge. Yes a museum that serves beer, ain't it grand?
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