On a recent trip to Chicago with my sister, we attended an exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago. There were many famous paintings that I have seen my whole life through photos and books. Now, they stand in front of me hanging on the wall. Monet, Sargent, Cassatt, Wood, etc… all amazing and beautiful in their own right, but one stood out to me as the best thing in the building.

The painting is by someone I had never heard of, Francesco Paolo Michetti titled Springtime and Love was a really pleasant surprise. The amazing detail in the faces and shadows of the tree on each child climbing up the branches. The boy laying on the rock is almost obscured by the shadows cast by the cherry trees flowering arms. The whole painting is about 2’6” tall x 4’ wide. The detail must have been painted with a very tiny brush to get the exquisite expressions on the faces and clothes. The bright sun shining on the scene near the coast seems like an afternoon light. The hilltop overlooking the sea from high above is the perfect place for a picnic and the fact that there is a dog looking at the painter/viewer makes it seem like you are really observing the scene yourself.

I collect ideas and ephemera that inspire me to design my sets and paintings. I print out pictures and tack them on my idea board for just the right time. This will definitely go in my collection as I paint lots of florals like the ones below.