Category: Art

 

Stories and photos about interesting art I discovered in my travels.

The Best Chicago Street Art – Finding Murals, Sculptures and Other Public Art in the Windy City

The best Chicago street art comes in many forms – and it is free.

Growing up in Chicago I used to spend my teenage summers hanging out along the lakeshore, biking, swimming and sunning. Sometimes I would spend my day at one of the many sandy beaches, but more often than not, I would just bike the length of the rocks along the lakefront.

Those large limestone blocks were put in place in the early part of the 20th century to prevent erosion, but they eventually became a canvas for local want-to-be artists who covered them with cans of spray paint and multi colored paint brushes. This was the Chicago street art of my youth.

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Indulging My Obsession With Japanese Temari Balls

I discovered the unique art of Temari balls in Japan and collected a variety of examples throughout my recent trip.

I am walking uphill in one of Tokyo’s residential suburbs. It’s my last day of a six week sojourn around Japan, and I am as far as I can get from the Tokyo hotspots of Shibuya and Shinjuku and still be within the greater Tokyo Metropolitan area.

I am looking for a very specialized museum, well off the typical tourist beaten path, but despite walking up and down the sidewalk, I don’t see it. My Google maps app has reliably brought me to the appropriate subway station, but now it says that my goal should be right here. Yet it continues to elude me.

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Experience the Kyoto Shibori Museum – Keeping an Ancient Artistic Tradition Alive

On two of my visits to Kyoto, I took a traditional fabric dyeing class at the Kyoto Shibori Museum which preserves and promotes the old traditions for producing decorative Japanese textiles.

The Kyoto Shibori Museum preserves and promotes a disappearing tradition for producing decorative Japanese textiles. On my two visits to the museum, I learned that the Japanese art of shibori fabric dyeing is to tie dying like Leonardo da Vince’s Mona Lisa is to a paint by number canvas – it’s a whole different world of artistry.

I tried a couple of the museum’s shibori dyeing classes where I learned all about this ancient Japanese technique and also went home with a beautiful handmade souvenir. Continue reading “Experience the Kyoto Shibori Museum – Keeping an Ancient Artistic Tradition Alive”

Impressions of Monet – Spend a Day in Giverny in Monet’s Garden

A day in Giverny is an easy trip from Paris for all those that are fans of Clause Monet impressionist paintings. I am sharing all the information you need to make this an easy excursion by train from Paris.

If like me, you like impressionist paintings and gardens, then a day trip to Claude Monet’s home in Giverny is a must. Giverny is about 50 miles northwest of Paris and can easily be reached by train for a relaxing scenic break from the busy Paris scene. Continue reading “Impressions of Monet – Spend a Day in Giverny in Monet’s Garden”

The Best Day Trip From Cleveland: Cuyahoga Valley National Park and Other Local Sights

A visit to Cuyahoga Valley National Park is an easy day trip from Cleveland, Ohio.

One of my travel goals is to visit all of the National Parks in the US. As I continued my Midwest road trip through Ohio, I was happy to add another stamp in my National Park Passport. My short stop in Cleveland gave me a quick taste of this revitalized city. But most important, the day trip from Cleveland to Cuyahoga Valley National Park let me add another checkmark in the visited column of my National Parks list.

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Discovering Artistic Indianapolis – My Favorite Things to Do in Indy

Discover the best of artistic Indianapolis with this list of the best things to do in Indianapolis.

Not long ago I took a road trip down memory lane with a tour around the Midwest. As I was doing research on what to do and see during a stop in Indy, the list of places to visit in Indianapolis became quite long. Since I only had two days, I decided to experience artistic Indianapolis, of which there were quite a number of choices.

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PhotoPOSTcard: Finding Chihuly in Indianapolis

A few years ago on a Midwest road trip I stopped in Indianapolis and indulged my Chihuly glass art obsession. I visited the Indianapolis Children’s Museum primarily to see Chihuly’s Fireworks of Glass and Pergola Ceiling. This is one of his signature inverted chandelier designs that is over four stories tall and has 3200 pieces of glass. I also had fun exploring the museum which is one of the best children’s museums in the country and is also the biggest in the world.

Thanks for visiting.

Rose

PhotoPOSTcard: A Moment Frozen in Time

One of the best reasons to visit Fairbanks, Alaska in winter is to see the amazing sculptures created during the World Ice Art Championships that are held here each year. The year we visited, this highly detailed and delicate ice sculpture was my favorite. Two acrobats are frozen in time as they perform their aerial acrobatics with ice rings. This sculpture was impressive to see during the day, but it really came alive at night once it was lit up.

Thanks for visiting.

Rose

A Date With a Chihuly Glass Exhibit at Kew Gardens

I love the work of glass artist Dale Chihuly, so I could not resist seeing the Chihuly glass exhibit at Kew Gardens in London.

I admit it-I have an obsession with all things made by master glass artist Dale Chihuly. I love the vibrant colors, the movement, and yes, the engineering and science that it takes to make his towering art installations.

Throughout my travels, I go out of my way to see his work if it is on display nearby. So, when I was in London the summer of 2019, I made it a point to have a date with the Chihuly glass exhibit at Kew Gardens.

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PhotoPOSTcard: When Art Imitates Life

Good street art stops you in your tracks and forces you to take a closer look. Whether it is big or small, it draws you in. The art walk in Frederick, MD has just those kinds of murals. In this photo, can you tell what is real and what is an imitation? The two large windows are both faux, and everything else is real. You can pick up a map of Frederick’s Art Walk at the Frederick Visitor’s Center.

Please note that I was hosted by Visit Frederick. All content is my own.

Thanks for visiting.

Rose