This is my very early post to Paint Party Friday, as I have a busy schedule for the rest of the week. I am cleaning out & organizing to get my house ready to sell this Fall.
Last
Saturday I went to the Art Institute of Chicago with 3 other artist friends. I
drove as I always do and would not have gone if not for having friends who
always go to “the city”! As you know I am a “country girl” and struggle with the parking and street direction issues
in the city. I would much prefer a drive out into areas with fields of
corn and old barns. However, it is good that friends suggest these adventures to me. Two
of the ladies who went had memberships, so the other two of us got in free as
guests. The exhibit was outstanding. In glass cases there were
actual gowns from the times of Renoir, Sargent, Tissot, Mary Cassatt, Manet, Monet,
etc. There were 75 paintings by artists depicting the beautiful gowns in
scenes as if the gowns themselves were portraits. In one gallery setting the floor was
covered in artificial grass
and there were park benches to sit on, and “birds” were tweeting!
That was the Plein Air room, of course! It was really a very wonderful
exhibit! I suggest you all go to see it. This is the last stop in
the tour and has been extended until Sept 29, I believe.
Even though the “Café” was closed they were serving really
good lunch items on the third
floor of the Modern Wing in “Terzo Piano”.
The head chef is award winning Tony Mantuano. His team was serving modern Italian cuisine
in a room with huge windows where we could see all the people entering for
Lollapalooza.
When we left
the parking garage ,a bonus, the other three paid my share of the parking fee. Thank you, Ladies! But, I made a mistake, due to street
closures from Lollapalooza and I drove us home by Sheridan Rd. and Willow
instead of 90 & 53! It was more scenic, and I pretended that I
did it on purpose because of the construction lane closures on the highway.
The next special exhibit starting November 3 is called American Painting, Culture, and Cuisine.
Here is a link to the AI exhibit. http://www.artic.edu/exhibitions/impressionism-fashion-and-modernity
