Summer in the City

Summer. Summer is in full swing now. As in New Years' intentions, many of us have summer activity intentions, as well.  For instance, there is the summer reading list.   I am always on the look out for a good read.  My summer reading list may turn into my winter reading list.  I keep adding to it.  To complement my summer reading on the French Impressionist movement of the late 1800's, I had the good fortune to see the Impressionist Exhibit at the DeYoung Museum in San Francisco two weeks ago.  The exhibit includes many of the French Impressionist painters including Monet, Degas, Manet and Cezanne.  These paintings are on loan from the Musee d'Orsay in Paris, while the Musee galleries are closed and being renovated.  The DeYoung was one of the museums worldwide that was fortunate to have this exhibit.

So my summer travel plans became more likely and affordable.  I did not have to fly to France to see these wonderful artworks, I only had to travel to the bay area to see them.  The exhibit is on through 9/6/10 in case you would like to travel to Paris via San Francisco this summer.  http://deyoung.famsf.org/  There is a wonderful companion show at the Legion of Honor, "Impressionist Paris, City of Light."

For another summer trip here in northern California, the Sierra Nevada mountains are not too far away either.  Attached is a watercolor of a sugar pine that I discovered on a trip into the Sierras near Mammoth Lakes area.  These pines are such a study in strength to paint and the day that this pine was discovered, the sun was in full gear and the sky was a brilliant cerulean blue that contrasted beautifully with the dark green of the sugar pines.

I would love to hear about your summer reading list and travel adventures far and near.