We are lucky enough to be members of one of only three museums in the country that will be hosting this massive international exhibit. And while Monet isn’t my favorite painter of all time, I certainly will not turn down an opportunity to see over 50 of his works in one place, so we attended the members-only viewing last night.

The first thing that struck me was how large the canvases were for all the plein air paintings he completed. I have this mental image of a bearded old man lugging giant canvases and paint down cliffs and through fields. It’s no wonder the largest of the paintings were done in the comfort of his own garden at the end of his life!

Here are two of my favorites from the show, Water Lilies (1914) and Rock Arch West of Etretat (1883):

And in some personal art news, one of my paintings (Center of Attention) was accepted to the juried exhibition I entered last month!

To say I am thrilled would be a gross understatement. :)