Monet in Normandy, part 1

Before Thanksgiving, I had a chance to view the Monet in Normandy exhibit at the North Carolina Museum of Art. It was a fantastic experience. I had planned on blogging about it right after I went, but I got distracted and didn't get around to it at the time. Here were my reactions to the exhibit:

Monet's career spanned from the 1860's to the 1920's--an incredible time span in history. Imagine working from the time of the U. S. Civil War, through the Industrial Revolution, the turn of the 20th Century, and World War I. His persistence and longevity inspired me as I contemplate a lifelong career path.

Monet worked on as many as 14 canvases at once. That takes multitasking to the next level!

Visting the works was an ideal Artist's Date (a la The Artist's Way). I happened to be there with my Mom, Aunt, Uncle, and Grandmother, but I would like to go back again two more times, once with my husband and once by myself.

If you are anywhere near Raleigh, now through January 14, or Cleveland (February 18-May 20, 2007), I urge you to make an effort to see this amazing exhibit, which brings together 50 Monet paintings from museums and private collections around the world. No reproducion or print can capture the experience of seeing these works with your own eyes. That's part of the the magic of Impressionism. By focusing on Normandy and arranging the works chronologically, this exhibit provides an excellent visual progression that shows Monet's style evolve over the decades.