While on a trip home to New York this past Fall to visit family and meet my newest member, my adorable nephew Joseph Liam, I took a train ride to NYC for an art date at the Modern Museum of Art. Swoon. It was a beautiful day. I love walking around a museum. Although, I love having company when I go out on the town, I also love going it alone.  I went to college in NYC and one of my favorite things to do was just wander around on my own, being inspired and surprised by what I saw. I miss that and felt so blessed to have a day to myself to wander in a city I love.

It is amazing to see so many iconic artworks and famous artists in one place. I thought I would be there a couple hours and explored other parts of the city but, I ended up staying there all day and honestly could have stayed longer. Here are some pictures of my time at MoMA.

Top Left to Right: Henri Matisse, Henri Mattisse, Piet Mondrian, Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo, Pablo Picasso, Joan Miro, Mark Rothko, Vasily Kandinsky.

Me and Claude Monet.

I stumbled into the exhibit The Paris of Toulouse – Lautrec: Prints and Posters. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864–1901) brought the language of the late-19th-century avant-garde to the public through his famous posters, prints, and illustrations for journals and magazines.  His work shows many facets of Parisian life, from politics to culture and the popular entertainment in the form of cabarets and café-concerts. This is the first MoMA exhibition in 30 years dedicated solely to Lautrec, and features over 100 examples of the best-known works created during the apex of his career. I love the color schemes and expression in his illustrations.

While there, I had the pleasure of seeing the Henri Matisse: The Cut-Outs – the largest and most extensive presentation of the artist’s cut-outs ever assembled. I went to the museum specifically to see this exhibit.

[Installation view of “Henri Matisse: The Cut-Outs” at The Museum of Modern Art, New York (October 12, 2014-February 8, 2015). Photo by Jonathan Muzikar. © 2014 The Museum of Modern Art]

I have always admired Matisse’s eye for pattern and color in his painting but, in all honesty the cut outs didn’t move me as much. That said, I knew it was a rare chance to see it and for me to be in NY while it was there it would be a shame to miss it. Well, seeing it in person makes all the difference. They are beautiful and playful works created during a difficult time in his life. The size and shear volume of work is captivating. The shapes, pin holes and colors are wonderful. As are the videos they have compiled about his work, his process and the tedious process of restoring the swimming spool.  Go see it if you can! It’s on exhibit through February 10, 2015. http://www.moma.org/