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Another Season Takes Shape


On a recent trip up north, my family spent an afternoon at the Museum of Art in Portland, ME. This is a pretty little museum just a few blocks from the city's revitalized dock area. We'd been there several years ago and really enjoyed the experience, and since the beach was a bit nippy this particular weekend (intentional understatement), it seemed like an indoor field trip was a smart idea.
... After stopping at the cafe to get a snack and warm up from the short walk from the parking lot, we set off to see what there was to see.
... Now, I know enough about art to feel comfortable strolling through a museum, but not nearly enough to understand the importance of each work on display. Still, we had a good time wandering from room to room to see what surprise lay around the corner. I did have the opportunity to view an original Renoir and a Monet up close. Being able to compare these two artist's work side-by-side with the others in the building, it was quite evident why they are prized as masterpieces.
... After an hour or so, our little troupe found itself in a room containing "modern" art, both paintings and three-dimensional pieces. I got stuck on one installation, a series of cardboard slices sandwiched together into a series of tall, curved columns and titled Exquisite Laughing Monkey in Repose or something equally descriptive. While standing there, attempting to find the monkey that was apparently so important to this particular artist, I had the typical layperson's reaction to art that he didn't understand, "Given some cardboard, glue and a couple of beers...I could have done this piece in an afternoon!"
... This is when it dawned on me that I actually do create "art" on a regular basis. In fact, all of us in the club are artists. Setting aside the beer and monkey thing, our model airplanes are really sculptures done in the medium of balsa, plastic and aluminum. Regardless of the model's sophistication, it is a three-dimensional expression of craftsmanship, ingenuity and originality, engineering, physics, design...all combined into what we call the sport/hobby of model aircraft. From this point of view, when we step into the pilot's station to fly our model it's actually performance art. My art history education is very limited, but I'd bet a sack of money that Renoir was never asked to fly one of his paintings.
... OK, before you think I've been a little too intimate with my bottle of CA, I'm not suggesting that we're somehow descendants of Renoir (although a walk down the flight line at Rhinebeck would reveal a masterpiece or two). I also don't think we need to break into wild applause upon each successful landing. I just found it interesting to realize that we're a very special bunch of characters...each with our own talents and techniques. Whether we're assembling a store-bought ARF or cutting each and every rib from blank sheets of balsa, we should take pride in our efforts and know that each model we tote to the field is as unique as we are.
... And if we're lucky, perhaps we'll see a "Renoir" or two at Winter Project Night in April.

Keep up your airspeed!

Jim McCoy

R E M I N D E R :

Key exchange night is the February 27 club meeting. Remember to bring last year's field gate key so you may receive one for the coming season. You must have a current MMAC membership to receive a 2007 key.

Web Sites to Check Out

www.carcmc.org Humorous home-spun airborne videos from the Cape Ann RC Club

www.bassfiles.net/parachute.swf Don't miss this skydiver game! (sound & pix)

http://n.ethz.ch/student/mkos/pinguin.swf Smack the penguin game

www.ssrcc.org/home.htm Haute-Voltige videos on the home page

www.twoplaneguys.com/gavids1.htm 8 Unusual Aviation Videos

www.flightzone.co.za/media/harvards.wmv Water-Skiing AT-6s