The Getty Museum

I've been thinking a lot about expanding my artistic horizons lately, so when my in-laws were in town a few weeks ago, I was really excited to visit the Getty with my mother-in-law, Louise.  I love visiting art museums and galleries, I find it very inspiring.  Louise is an artist herself (she does a lot of plein air painting, which is the outdoor landscape style) so it was really fun to hear her insights on different artists and techniques that she has studied.
One of the main exhibits that we went though was themed around the French Aristocracy before the French Revolution.  It detailed (through paintings, original clothing, furniture, and accessories) what their daily routine was like, from getting up in the morning, till going to bed at night.  It was really interesting!  They were a very cultured people who spent a great deal of time reading, writing, playing music, and learning to draw or paint.  Ahh the life! :)
Another exhibit we went through was a small photography gallery called "In Focus: The Tree."  It was really cool... and a great reminder to me of the fact that if you set it up right, just about anything can make an awesome photograph!
Speaking of photography, I brought my camera along and took a few pictures throughout the day.  They aren't anything fabulous, but here they are:


This first picture is of a painting in one of the only exhibits in which you can take pictures.  It's pretty amazing... the detail and colors were just incredible.  Unfortunately, I'm a  putz and forgot to write down who DID the painting so....

The museum was fairly crowded the day we went, so it's always nice to find a quite spot where you can sit and take in the beauty.

I love that they have this Van Gogh.  It's so crazy to be able to walk right up to such a famous piece!

One of the other things I really like about the Getty is their beautifully landscaped gardens.  After going through a few exhibits, Louise and I went down to the cafe and got a large chocolate chip cookie and some tea, then headed down to the garden to enjoy our food and the scenery.

On the way out I snapped a few pictures here and there, but this one is my favorite:

In the few weeks since I went to the Getty, I've been motivated to finish up a few projects.  I've had a base-coated canvas sitting on my table for a few months, and I'm proud to say that I finished it!  Once it dries I'll have a picture of it up here on my blog.  I've also started another project that I've wanted to do for a while.  I love finding new sources of inspiration, and I'm so thankful that my schedule allows me time to be creative during the day.  Yay art!  :)