lessons that last

It's been a rough day back at the office after being off since December 23rd. What's even harder is thinking that just a week ago I was leisurely exploring the wonderful treasure that is the Art Institute of Chicago. That place is so magical to me & I absolutely love exploring all of the galleries.

I have always been drawn to art, but that love was totally escalated by one wonderful art teacher I had in high school. Ms. Ahrens offered a class in art history that focused mostly on Impressionist art. It certainly wasn't the easiest course of my high school career, but I became so infatuated with the subject that I really didn't mind the hard work.

Visiting the Art Institute of Chicago last week made me really appreciative that I had someone like Ms. Ahrens in my life. I recognized more artwork & artists than I thought I would have & it really brought a sense of satisfaction to me. 

Here's a look at some of my favorites from my awful iPhone camera...

1. Woman at Her Toilette, Berthe Morisot (my favorite, most under-rated Impressionist artist) 2. The Place du Havre, Camille Pissarro 3. Room at Arles, Vincent van Gogh 4. Self-Portrait, Vincent van Gogh 5. At the Moulin Rouge, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (I had to write a final essay in college on this painting) 6. A Sunday on La Grande Jatte, Georges Seurat

 7. Le Ratapoil, Honoré-Victorin Daumier (The Art Institute has a great collection of his satirical sculptures) 8. Woman Reading, Édourd Manet (My mom took me to see one of his exhibits when I was in high school at the Art Institute. I love his work & I think he gets overshadowed at times by Monet) 9. The Millinery Shop, Egdar Degas (This one is special to me because my great grandmother was a milliner) 10. Lion Hunt, Eugéne Delacroix (One I remembered that I didn't think I would) 11. Waterloo Bridge, Clause Monet 12. Painting, Franz Kline (I'm not big on Contemporary art, but it's pretty amazing to see a Kline in real life) 

It was a super fun day for me. After my visit I sent a short "thank you" email to Ms. Ahrens thanking her for all that she had taught me. I know it's kind of lame, but it made me feel really good & hopefully it brightened up her day a little. Teachers are such a special treasure & I really recommend reaching out to one that was especially memorable to you to thank them for the impact they had on your life. It takes 5 minutes, but it could mean the world to them.

PS. If you're into art like me, the Art Institute of Chicago just announced yesterday that weekday visits will be free until February 4th!