Musings on the Cleveland Art Museum - Off the Wall Friday

Monet to Matisse Exhibit

Guess what I did yesterday?  

I took my daughter, Tessa and her two best friends to the Cleveland Art

Atrium connecting the old building with the new

Museum to celebrate her 18th birthday.  Now Tessa had been there before but her friends (both soon to be art majors in college) had not, so I knew they were in for a treat!!

The museum has recently finished a multi-million dollar renovation and its stunning!! Not only is there more exhibit space, new gift shop and restaurant but there is gorgeous atrium.   Now if you didn't know, the museum  is completely free to the public (as set forth by its founding endowment) and it has about 600,000 visitors a year!   Its collection is over 45,000 pieces with works from all the greats represented.

Renoir

This fall it brought a special exhibit,  Monet to Matisse, Painting the Modern Garden to the museum.  Cleveland is the only US venue and it brings together 107 paintings from artists 1860's to 1940's including Monet, Renoir, Klee, etc etc.  The show is ending January 5th with 129,000 people viewing it!!  Its completely sold out at this point but guess who scored tickets for Saturday night?!  Can't wait to  go back to see it!!

Statues in the Glass Room

Still the rest of the collection kept us busy most of the afternoon and was a literal feast for the eyes.  Not to mention, we followed with a late lunch at my favorite Asian restaurant, Siam Cafe.  You'd have to see the menu - a literal book.  It features Thai, Vietnamese,  Chinese  specialities.  The girls played it safe with a heaping dishes of Pad Thai, but I had a seafood curry that featured eggplant mussels, shrimp and octopus!  It was heaven!

Degas and Morisot

I think I wore out the girls since they slept all the way home.
(See nothing has changed much in 18 years)  I think I had as much fun watching the wonder and joy in their eyes as they saw the work for the first time.   They all agreed that this will not be the last visit to the museum.

All in All  - spending Tessa's 18th birthday taking in beauty, art and culture was one of my better ideas.

Tessa and Tiffany!

So what have been up to creatively?