Happy Holidays!

 Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

 Hope everyone is having a great time with their loved ones.

Viggo Johansen "Merry Christmas" (1891)

Pinot's Palette

Imagine spending a night painting while sipping a glass of wine in a studio packed with people like you. You don't have to be an artist or have special skills. All materials are provided; instructions are included; fun atmosphere is guaranteed.

I learned about Pinot's Palette one night passing by one of their studios. It looked very colourful and inviting - the girls were setting up for a lesson. I walked in and asked what it was all about. For $45 you get a 3 hour lesson. You don't have to bring anything as they give you a canvas, paint, and brushes. Just bring some cash as you might want to buy a glass of wine or two. After all it's called Pinot's Pallete. Don't like wine? No problem - they have beer.

I loved the idea of painting in a relaxing atmosphere like that, so I got home, found their website and signed up for a lesson. It's VERY popular and they sell out quickly. They show the painting they are going to work on and the timetable, which is great because you can chose the one you like.

It's a step by step lesson - so everyone leaves the class with a finished painting. You can even purchase a frame if you feel like a real artist by the end of it (after a few glasses of wine of course). During the class one of the staff takes pictures of everyone and puts it up on their website.

Most people come in groups: friends or colleagues - doesn't matter. You paint, drink, and laugh :)

I really enjoyed my experience and would definitely recommend it to everyone interested.

Paul Gauguin/ The Art Institute of Chicago

I just got back from an "epic" road trip that lasted 2 weeks (physical time, and probably a bit longer "impression" time). I briefly got to see a few major cities on East Coast and was also lucky to spend about 3 days in great Chicago.  The city itself seemed a big art gallery to me: with its beautiful Art Deco buildings, wide Chicago canal, above the ground trains, and the famous mirror Bean. Despite the cold and unfriendly weather I still had a great time walking downtown streets and making frequent trips to cosy cafes and shops to warm up my unprepared for such climate self.
I really wanted to see The Art Institute of Chicago but was only able to do a 1 hour visit just before closing time which was still a lot of fun.
I love Paul Gauguin and each time I look at his painting I have a deep fascination with his ability to use colour. There are a few paintings by Gauguin that you can find in the museum, here they are: