California

The California coast is magnificent and it is no wonder that the Bay Area has inspired so many artists.  The most inspiring day of my recent trip was my visit to SFMOMA - San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.  My pre-trip email inquiry regarding Diebenkorn paintings in their collection introduced me to Marla Misunas...and her reply set off a volley of emails.  Serendipitously, I know her parents!  We arranged to meet in the atrium and after a great lunch and conversation in the museum cafe, she asked if I would like to see some behind the scenes areas.  Since I work for the College of Lake County Gallery, I jumped at the chance to see the same kinds of things I do on a much grander scale.  Marla was so gracious to introduce me to many of her colleagues and took me through staging and storage areas.  Why the bungee cords across the storage bins?  Earthquakes!  Something we don't think about here in the Midwest, but is foremost in the minds of San Franciscans.  And then we came to an area where many of the paintings not currently on exhibition are kept...there were two wonderful works from Diebenkorn's Ocean Park series in the racks and I got to see them up close.  In the exhibition galleries I might have made the guards nervous, but in that less formal environment I got to study every detail unhindered.  I was so impressed with every staff member I spoke with.  All were so enthusiastic about their work and so willing to share snippets of what they do with me.  I can't wait for the next opportunity to visit!

Up close with Diebenkorn

Thanks Marla!

Next best thing to being there...

I couldn't manage a trip to Denver to see the exhibition, but Sandra Ceas, curator for Collective Singular, granted permission to post the YouTube video on my blog.