a visit to the phoenix art museum

Hello sweet thing! How ARE you? We’ve been keeping busy while simultaneously hiding from the heat the last few weeks. Monsoon season is upon us, so the heat + humidity is sort of kicking our butts, all while we watch the most epic sunsets ever. I won’t complain, because it really does no good, but you have to know it’s not easy keeping a good attitude as your skin boils off your body, let me tell you.

The weekend before last, I stole some nieces and nephews for a visit to the Phoenix Art Museum during one of their free Saturdays. They’re hosting one every month until the end of the year, with kid’s activities and performances. It’s pretty great. The theme for July was “HATS!” and they had the neatest station set up for the little ones to cut and sculpt a sheet of foam into a hat. SO creative and super freaking cute:

That there is a heartsplosion, I tell ya. Here’s the inspirational piece said sculpture hat came from:

This crappy iPhoto does no justice to Arturo Herrera’s “Felt #10/Red” sculpture, and the color is SO off. But you get the gist, yeah? It’s a beauty, you should really see it in person!

a visit to the phoenix art museum

We had a great time wandering around the museum, stopping for lunch at their yummy cafe. The organizers put together a scavenger hunt for the occasion (#brilliant, BTW). The kids had never been to a museum, and some of the pieces can be a bit dry – or scandalous to a young kid, if we’re talking naked Christian and Renaissance paintings – but the hunt gave them purpose. They had so much fun seeing the art, searching for artworks, and participating with the art/craft stations! I really enjoyed our visit and seeing them experience one of my favorite places for the first time. <3

Here are some of the works I salvaged from my quick snaps with the phone:

Honestly, a visit to the Phoenix Art Museum is probably my favorite way to escape the heat… Aren’t these pieces beautiful? The sculpture above by Constance McBride was especially moving, with full-size sculptures remembering her late mother’s Alzheimer’s disease. The subject’s empty head while in child’s pose got me right in the belly… especially considering my Grandma’s recent passing after years losing her memories from Alzheimer’s. The way these studies move me proves how special experiencing art truly is – especially for the first time. I’ll always cherish this visit with my nieces and nephews, and I hope they will, too.

Have you been to the Phoenix Art Museum? If you’re local, they are hosting free family days through December (check their calendar here) and every second weekend of the month is also free. You should check it out, and let me know if you do 🙂 I’d love to hear what your favorite piece is!

credits: (from top) “Felt #10/Red” by Arturo Herrera, “Marechal Floriano Peixoto (from The World Stage: Brazil Series)” by Kehinde Wiley, “Nude Man” by Viola Frey, “Truth From Within (no. 1)” by Constance McBride, “Pin River, Colorado River” by Maya Ying Lin.

PS> I’m walking and raising money for the Alzheimer’s Association’s Walk To End Alzheimer’s. I’m impressed that 79% of the funds raised actually go towards Alzheimer’s research, support, awareness, advocacy and care – especially when most fundraising walks do little to help the cause they “support.” If you feel so inclined, a link to my fundraising page: http://bit.ly/2vsPZ2G