The Girard Collection of International Folk Art

I'm a big fan of the work of textile designer Alexander Girard, so when I found myself within an hour's drive of Santa Fe last month I jumped at the chance to visit the Girard Wing at the Museum of International Folk Art. It is here that a portion of the enormous collection of folk art collected by Girard and his wife Susan is displayed. In a word, it was magical. Turning the corner into the exhibit I felt the same sense of wonder that I did as a 6 year old on the It's A Small World ride at Disneyland. Dolls, toys, textiles, masks, hats, nativities, and more fill every inch of the vast space. And the qualities I so admire in Girard's textile designs - vibrant colors, superb sense of scale, whimsical motifs - all come through in the collection's installation which Girard designed. Whenever I need an infusion of creative inspiration I will return to this special place.

I believe we should preserve this evidence of the past, not as a pattern for sentimental imitation, but as a nourishment for the creative spirit of the present.

- Alexander Girard