“An artist cannot fail; it is a success to be one.” Charles Horton Cooley

I am an art junkie! When I travel, getting to know a place would not be complete without a visit to the local museum and galleries. For me art is about the in-between spaces of our regular lives, little gems of creativity that slip out- these are the moments that make living interesting. Artists give us a glimpse of their inner lives so that we may better understand them and ourselves.

Here are some of my favorite places to get inspiration:

1. This is the Canadian in me…I love the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto, especially this hallway that makes me feel like I am walking inside a ship. The museum has a beautifully curated permanent collection with giant Henry Moore sculptures and group of seven paintings. Until January 2015 they have exhibitions on Michelangelo and Alex Colville.
2. The Frida Kahlo museum located in Coyoacan, Mexico City is a scintillating glimpse into her fascinating life. On the necessity of creativity Kahlo said “I paint my own reality. The only thing I know is that I paint because I need to, and I paint whatever passes through my head without any other consideration.” Walk through this house to see where she made magic on canvas.
3. While Oaxaca City is full of museums, my favorite is the stamp museum. It is located in a historical building with a large courtyard surrounded by lots of little rooms….little rooms for little art! They also have hands-on activities to engage visitors.
4. The “Wings of the City” sculptures by Jorge Marin give me goosebumps, they embody otherwordly magic. In 2010 these bronze statues opened along Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico City and some were later moved to the airport (This was my favorite…combining my love of airports and flight, with art!). Until February 2015, nine of these statues will be on display at Discovery Green park in Houston.
5. My top place to enjoy art and get inspiration is when I am surrounded by children. As Pablo Picasso said “Every child is an artist, the problem is staying an artist when you grow up”.

See you next month,

Jane