The Detroit Institute of Arts

I spent a wonderful day at the Detroit Institute of Arts yesterday with my 6 year old granddaughter, Madeline.

I don't know about you, but sometimes I'm ashamed that there are so many great things to do in our city and I rarely take advantage of them. Sometimes it's because funds are limited, but, to be honest, it's because I think that other things are more important. For instance, I have to do my homework, or work on an order, or clean the yard. But, taking the time yesterday to go to the museum was worth every second that I spent there.

I was motivated and inspired. I made a great memory with my granddaughter. Maybe she was inspired. My visual sense was reawakened. When it was all over I wanted to go home and paint. During the night, I dreamed of great hallways, marble statues and spiral staircases. The images of the works of Van Gogh, Seurat and Monet continue to swirl around in my head this morning.



I will not deny myself the museum any more. I will work it into my Saturdays every chance I get. I'll go alone if need be, but I hope that others will go with me. Discussing great artists with a 6-year-old flutter bug is a challenge. My granddaughter flittered and swirled though the Diego Rivera hall. She stretched and twirled in the American Landscapes exhibit. Although she was very well behaved, her attention span is limited. How much can a 6-year-old truly understand the concept that a painting is 500 years old?



But I would take her again in a minute. Because she did like it. She loved the spiral staircase. The mummies intrigued her. She took pictures of statues, pottery and paintings. She pretended the museum was her castle and she was hiding from the evil queen.

The two of us are a good team. We played eye spy while I rested my knee. We shared a snack in the Kresge court. We both were amazed and a little afraid of the room-sized elevators that took us from floor to floor. We both made a souvenir booklet in the children’s workshop. I bought her a kaleidoscope from the gift shop and I treated myself to a painted rock.





When I asked her what her favorite part of the museum was, she giggled, “the boobies.” I gave her a look like, “seriously?”.. She quickly changed her answer to “the art project.”


Madeline and I took over 260 pictures of our day yesterday. She had free reign of my camera while I drove. Later on, I'll post some more picture of our museum adventure.

Promise yourself that soon you will visit your local art museum, library, science center or historical museum. Take advantage of the cultural events that take place in your neighborhood. Stroll around an art gallery for an hour or two. If you are reading this blog, chances are you enjoy art and creativity. Absorb yourself in it. With it comes a sense of peace and wonder. The visual stimulus lasts for days and it makes you yearn for more.