Paris is a city full of museums, and one of my favorites is the Musée d’Orsay.  While some may prefer the Louvre (and it is full of artistic treasures), my art preferences run toward the Impressionists found at the d’Orsay.  And, for the record, my other favorite Paris museum is the Musée Rodin.

Located in the 7th arrondissement (1 Legion of Honor), along the banks of the Seine, the museum is a former railway station.  It had a number of other “lives” before being turned into a museum that opened in 1986..  It’s soaring glass and iron roof make for a dramatic entrance, and scattered around the building are little touches reminding you of that former railway station.  Unlike the the Louvre, which is often dark, the d’Orsay is light, open, and inviting.

The Museum is probably best known for its Impressionists, although that collection only makes up about of third of the work you’ll find here.  There are a variety of ways to explore the collections – picking your favorites to see, viewing the art chronologically (lower floor, top, then middle), or just wandering to see what catches your eye and that you want to spend more time with.  I adopted a combination of choosing my must-see pieces and wandering.

Keep reading to learn what you’ll see

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Guadalajara is probably my favorite city in Mexico, with its unique combination of a cosmopolitan city and a historic center.  It is the capital city of Jalisco, and is the second largest city in the country (Mexico City is the largest).  It’s considered the equivalent of our Silicon Valley, with a strong electronics and high tech industries.

Contrast that very modern business core with one of the oldest and most beautiful structures in the city – the Guadalajara Cathedral, a minor basilica that is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Guadalajara.  Located in the downtown Centro Histórico (Avenue16 de Septiembre, Hidalgo y Morelos), the neo-Gothic towers of the Cathedral dominate the skyline.

Originally built during the 16-17th century, parts of it have been destroyed by fire, earthquake, and the ravages of time.  Repairs and rebuilding have attempted to keep as much as possible.

Walking into the cathedral is like taking a big step back in time.  The main altar is made of marble and silver, but you’ll also find ten other altars around the side of the cathedral.  Behind the main altar are sufficient chairs to seat the council of Cardinals.  The cathedral has beautiful stained glass (imported from France, and reminiscent of Notre Dame), many religious artifacts and pieces of art, a mural by Mexican artist Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, and relics of St. Innocent (among others).  This is also home to the largest organ in the country.

Surrounding the cathedral are spacious plazas perfect for strolling, getting a bite to eat, people watching, or enjoying the many artisans the set up shop here.  Don’t hurry through!  Slow down your pace, and enjoy the culture and history of Guadalajara.

Photo credit:  personal collection

Las Vegas may be better known for its vices of gambling and drinking, but the city also has another side – though you really have to hunt it out!

Bellagio: The Fountains of Bellagio

At the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art you’ll find a new exhibit that combines major contemporary artists with a focus on the 1960-70’s:  “Classic Contemporary: Lichtenstein, Warhol & Friends.”

In a move toward showcasing more recent artists, the Bellagio offers this exhibit that features paintings and sculptures from iconic artists of the Pop Art generation.  In addition to the named artists, Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein (“Mirror”), you’ll also see works from Frank Stella (“Sabra III, based on a protractor curve), Ellsworth Kelly, Sol LeWitt (“Floor Piece #4, pat of his series based on the cube), Ed Ruscha, and others.

Classic Contemporary will be on view at the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art through September 8th, 2009.  It is open Sunday – Thursday, 10 am-6 pm, and Friday & Saturday till 9 pm.

Admission is $15 general admission, $12 for seniors (65+) and Nevada residents (ID required), and $10 for student, teaches, and military personnel.  Children 12 and under are FREE.  Audio tours are included in the admission price.  Advance tickets can be purchased online.

The Bellagio Resort is located at 3600 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas.

Photo credit:  Courtesy of MGM Mirage

There are so many great places to see public art, that it’s sometimes easy to pass right by without paying any attention to it.  What a mistake!

I’ve always enjoyed the Mustangs at Las Colinas, a bronze sculpture of nine wild mustangs that are in the Williams Square in Irving, Texas.  Created by wildlife artist Robert Glen, the mustangs are the largest equestrian sculpture in the world, and commemorate the wild mustangs that inhabited Texas.

The mustangs are portrayed bigger than life, roughly one and a half times their true size, and are shown crossing a stream of water.  Fountains on the ground make it look like water is splashing off their hooves as they run through it.

Adjacent to the sculpture, in the West Tower of the Square, is the Mustangs of Las Colinas Museum.  The Museum shows the story of how Robert Glen created the sculpture, including a short video, and also houses some of his other work.

Williams Square Plaza is located at 5205 North O’Connor Drive, just north of Highway 114, in Irving, Texas.

Do you have some favorite public art that you enjoy?  Please leave a comment telling me about it.  I’d love to know what it is and where it’s located.

Photo credit: flickr

This summer,  Taos, New Mexico, celebrates the 40th anniversary of the movie Easy Rider, with its Summer of Love Celebration.

For those of you too young to remember Easy Rider, it is one of the iconic movies of the 60’s. 

It debuted at the Cannes Film Festival in May 1969, and was both a counterculture classic and a warning against the communal lifestyle and use of drugs popular in the era.  It starred Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper and Jack Nicholson, was produced by Fonda and directed by Hopper, and featured music from Steppenwolf, Jimi Hedrix, the Band, and the Byrds.

Dennis Hopper was living in Taos at the time Easy Rider was filmed, and some of the shots were filmed there.  Taos was home to a thriving artists colony along with several thriving communes.  Although the town is much different today, it is still appeals to those searching for a different, perhaps alternative, way of life.

Hopper remains a part-time resident of Taos, New Mexico, and the festival features two of his exhibits at The Harwood Museum of Art.  The summer is full of events, including art, film and music designed to let you flash back to a the era of the late 60’s. 

Taos Summer of Love runs May through September, and kicks off with a fundraising dinner with Dennis Hopper to benefit the Harwood Museum.  The full Summer of Love schedule is available, and you can also follow them on Twitter.

You may not have been Born to be Wild in 1969, but you can recreate the experience in Taos this summer.

Image credit:  Courtesy of Taos Vacation Guide

One of my favorite places in Paris was the Pantheon, a neo-Classical church in the Latin Quarter.  It was modeled after the Pantheon in Rome, and topped with a dome similar to Saint Paul’s Cathedral in London.  Although it was originally an abbey, it now primarily serves as a burial place for many famous French heroes, leaders, artists, and writers.

This beautiful building was constructed as a result of a promise made by King Louis XV in 1744.  He was suffering from a serious and mysterious illness (later believed to be gout), and vowed that if he recovered he would construct a building worthy of the patron saint of Paris. 

He recovered, and construction of the Pantheon began in 1758 and was completed in 1789.  Many delays were related to lack of finances – a common reason for construction delays even today!

Since its completion coincided with the start of the French Revolution, the Revolutionary government order the building changed from a church to a mausoleum where the remains of great Frenchmen could be interred.  Although it has reverted to a church twice since then, today it is once again a mausoleum.

When I walked into the Pantheon it felt austere and cavernous.  I felt the need to use my “library voice.” 

It’s basically a cross-shaped building, with a domed center.  Around the walls are murals depicting religious and revolutionary figures (I particularly liked the series of Joan of Arc), as well at statuary and frescoes.

Continue reading for more information and photos!

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Japanese artist Itchiku Kubota’s colorful exhibit of painted kimonos is on the last leg of its US tour, opening today in Canton, Ohio. 

Each of these beautiful over-sized kimonos took nearly a year to create, and the 40 in the exhibit make up a life’s work.  Kubota died in 2003, and his family now carries on the kimono artistry.

Kimono: The 20th Century Masterworks of Itchiku Kubota is on display at the Canton Museum of Art (located in the Cultural Center for the Arts, 1001 Market Avenue North), and will run February 8th – April 26th.  This is the last stop on its US tour.

Viewing hours are Monday, Friday & Saturday, 10 am – 5 pm; Tuesday – Thursday 10 am – 9 pm, and Sunday noon – 5 pm.

Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for seniors (60+) and Students (ages 13 through college, with ID), and children 12 and under are FREE.  Parking is available onsite.

I had no idea how intricate kimonos could be, and what a work of art Kubota has made of them.

Along with the exhibit, Canton is staging a kimono fest, with special events to celebrate the art of kimono.  Other evens include Japanese tea ceremonies, Sumi-e (painting) and Shodo (calligraphy) demonstrations, Jujitsu and Samurai demonstrations, and a kite festival.

Image credit:  Courtesy of Itchiku Kubota Art Museum

One of my favorite museums in Paris was the Musee Rodin in the First Arrondissement.

Surrounded by beautiful gardens, this collection of sculptures and other artwork was wonderful.

I took the photo of these hands, and don’t even recall what the sculpture was called.  For some reason, I found them compelling.

Join a group of other travel bloggers who are sharing photos today as part of Photo Friday.  I loved the travel photos, and think you will, too!

Photo credit:  personal collection

Permanently docked in Long Beach, California, the Queen Mary represents an bygone era of elegance and style.  A time when it took an ocean liner to cross the ocean.

The Queen Mary served as both an elegant ocean liner and a WWII troopship, but for the last 40 years has been a California attraction, hotel, meeting center, and restaurant (actually three restaurants).  Although suffering from a little ship-worn look the past few years, the once elegant liner is being restored to its former glory with a major capital refurbishing campaign.

The ship is home to a 314 room Art Deco Hotel, decked out in the trappings of cruising in the 1930’s.  Adding to the charm is the largest collection of Art Deco artwork in the country. 

The ship also has a variety of boutiques, an Observation Bar with a killer ocean and skyline view, and fine dining at the Five Star Sir Winston Churchill restaurant.

General admission to the Queen Mary (includes a self-guided ship walk tour that explores 12 decks of the ship) is $24.95 for adults, $21.95 for seniors (55+)/military, and $12.95 for children ages 5 – 11.  Parking is additional and runs $15/day.

A variety of other tours and packages are also available.

The Queen Mary is open daily from 10 am – 6 pm, with extended hours for restaurants and bars.  There are also special nighttime tours available.  Since the ship has long been thought to be haunted, and it’s sailing history is rich in unexplained events and activities. these tours can be a lot of fun.

During the month of January, as a special offer for California residents only, the Queen Mary offers a FREE general admission ticket.  This offer requires proof of residency (driver’s license or other photo ID), and can be claimed at the box office during regular hours.

The Queen Mary is located at 1126 Queen’s Highway in Long Beach (map it).

Photo credits:  All from flickr, exterior; bar; lobby

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Location:  The interior pillars and a glimpse of art from inside the Pantheon in Paris.

There’s marvelous murals on the walls, all sorts of interesting frescos, niches, an cubbies, and some beautiful windows.  It was amazing to wander about, and every time you turned around there was something awe inspiring.

Photo credit:  personal collection

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