Vist to Minneapolis Institute of Arts

Quote of the Day:  Ostapchuk is a painter's painter...often uses the launguage of music in how he "riffs" off others, "playing" with his paint and giving his colors "rhyme." Christopher Atkins describing the painter Mark Ostapchuk whose work is featured in its own room at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.

As you can see, The Children's Theatre Company and The Minneapolis Intitiute of Arts are connected. What a brilliant plan that was! When I was here with my 14-year-old son Zach, he asked to look around. We didn't come close to seeing the over 80,000 exhibits. I spent another two hours here with my friend Krista and her two boys, Ben and Matt, before exploring more of the city, then watching Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy.

My goal was to seek out and take pictures of intersting letters for my AtoZ blog Challenge in April.

I also liked this glass display from early America.

I told Krista to jump up and be like she's the lady in this colorful dress. I love it when people play along with me!

Matt & Krista in the Matisse room

Krista and Matt in the room made for a publicist!

Krista's favorite piece - rain on the streets of Minneapolis.

That's what she called it. I didn't write down the proper title.

This one made me think of my dad whose theme song might be, "I Could Have been a Cowboy."

Krista and I thought that little carrier would have worked for her preemie twin girls who are now 4 and a half. (They stayed back with Grandpa and Grandma for this trip. We'll take them to "Pippi Longstocking.")

Here's where I came alive. I walked into this room and caught my breath. I took a picture of Krista taking a picture (please keep your flash off), then sat down to text my artist friend JeMA. I typed, "At the MIA with Krista & boys. Thinking of you. Someday, a room for Art by JeMA!"

I grabbed the flyer on Mark Ostapchuk and read it last night. No wonder his art made me come alive. Read the Quote of the Day. He is inspired by music, particularly Jazz music, and evokes it through his art. The colors, lines and swirls, stimulate my imagination, and remind me of my friend.

The MIA is free and open to the public (sweet deal for families). It's connected to the Children's Theatre so you can come early and make a special outing of it. And, there is a park nearby to run or have a picnic. If you didn't bring food, stop at the the cafe. The food is delicious, fresh, and very affordable. Here's the lovely shrimp flatbread that I enjoyed.

You want to dig in, don't you? Too bad, I ate it all up!

This is one of my favorite pictures from our Spring Break excursion.

Matt waiting for food.

I'm one of those geeks who loves museums and art galleries, especially when they're accompanied by performance space, music, and good friends.

Go. Create. Inspire!

Journaling Prompt:  Do you enjoy art galleries, museums, and performances? Where do you like to go? What inspires you?