Last month I wrote about traveling to see an exhibition in Baltimore as part of a grant that I was awarded. Part of that grant also allowed me to visit art museums in Washington D.C. I have been to DC many times over the years but it was always with family. This trip, I was on my own over two days. Traveling by yourself has so many wonderful benefits including being able to move at your own pace. I visited five major art museums and navigated through hundreds of pieces of art over two days. I was able to sit at length, studying a painting or talking to the museum curator.

Each of the art museums I visited had incredible permanent collections. It was the special exhibitions that I was most excited about, discovering emerging and established artists that I had never seen before. There is no substitution for standing in front of a work of art just as the artist had done. Below, I have highlighted some of my favorite artists that I connected with.

When I look at art, I’m doing a critical review. Some things that I consider are: composition & color; the message or emotional connection; a new approach or technique; do I like this piece and why? This same process of critiquing is used as I’m creating my own paintings. Because I had seen so many pieces of art in Baltimore and DC my eye became even sharper. When I returned to my studio and looked at my current work with a broader perspective, I knew exactly what needed to be done.