Art Blog for The Inspiration Place

Challenging racism, sexism and class, this selection of five exhibitions will give you diverse perspectives into art history which is just the way I like it. Whenever my creative well runs dry, a trip to New York City will fill my inspiration bank with more ideas than I could ever do in a lifetime. For each show, I am already fantasizing about who I most want to drag with me to share in the...

You see that "painting"? Well, it's not a painting. It's a quilt by Dawn Williams Boyd titled "La Croix De Guerre" picturing the Harlem Hellfighters who fought along the French in World War I. The artist carefully chose assorted fabrics with different gray values to look like a painting. The quilt even includes an antique US Army pin and real buttons to embellish it by hand Oscar Boycott This was...

It is with a little trepidation that I share one of my favorite tricks for avoiding crowds at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Because if everyone finds out, well then, maybe it might get a little more crowded. But after struggling to find pictures and descriptions online to show you this favorite meeting spot, I quickly learned why this entrance has remained one of the best kept New York art...

The summer 2015, I took a trip of a lifetime to Amsterdam. One of the highlights of the trip was the van Gogh museum. Being an art history major, a self-proclaimed museum expert and a professional artist, I thought I knew all there was about van Gogh. Boy was I wrong! Here are 5 new things I learned about van Gogh.. test yourself and see if you knew them too. How much do you know about van Gogh--...

The two artists that have had the greatest influence over my portraits are John Singer Sargent and Mary Cassatt. Today, I am going to turn the spot light on Sargent as I have just revisited some of these influential portraits at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. You can see them as well until October 8, 2015.  In this portrait above, Portrait of a Boy, Sargent paints the child of one of his friends....

Hands are often called the second portrait and for good reason. It is not a surprise that an artist that values her hands above all body parts (except maybe our eyes) would notice others' hands. The hands are a source of self-expression. We often refer to people who talk "with their hands." Read on to learn why hands are the "second portrait." In the portraits of John Singer Sargent, he...

I admit I am a museum nerd, but nothing relaxes me or lifts my spirits more than visiting an art museum. Here is a virtual tour of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's 2015 costume exhibition entitled "China Through the Looking Glass" which explores the influence of Chinese culture on modern fashion designs. The exhibit is open through September 7, 2015.

Lately, I have been obsessed with butterflies and their metamorphosis partly because of transition I am going through with my family. Yet, we are all in a constant transitions throughout our lives. Whether the transition of growing older, changing our life purposes, moving, or simply adjusting to the changes of those around us. The Alice in Wonderlandtale still captivates us with its lyrical...

As an artist blogger I feel a tremendous responsibility to turn a spotlight on women artists. Since  Frida Kahlo is currently at the New York Botanical Gardens, I want to share a guest blog post I wrote.

Turn a spotlight on Women Artists

This post is part of my "Famous Women Artists" series where I turn the spotlight on different women artists on my blog. Blenda Tyvoll has asked me to focus on...

The diamond-rich region of India attracted artists, poets, writers, and traders from all over the world who were inspired by all that sparkles.  The diamonds were passed down through royal courts and some made their way to Europe.  This exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art brings together the opulence, elegance and fantasy of that era including diamonds the size of gum balls, rich...

The New York Botanical gardens have re-imagined Kahlo’s beloved Casa Azul in the Conservatory and simultaneously are displaying rare artworks in their art gallery.  Frida Kahlo was born on this day, July 6th.  So Happy Birthday Frida!! This exhibition is on view through November 1, 2015. From the website: This blockbuster exhibition is the first to examine Frida Kahlo’s keen appreciation for the...