Best Day EVER! Philly Art Museum via my children's eyes

We had such a fun day today!
The girls and I went down to the Philadelphia Museum of Art for "pay what you wish day" which just so happens to be "family art studio day"   Lucky us! 
We woke up early and arrived shortly after the museum opened.  They had lots of fun crafts to do with the theme of Around the World  Sonya and I made beautiful carpets in paper with yarn fringe.  Lydia made a Ganesha puppet and a miniature period furnished room.  I really enjoyed making my little carpet.  I just so happened to be thinkin' on things such as flowers and leaves in functional art.

While in the Art Studio the kids were going on about Pigasso.  Soon enough I found his name spelled out for them and they could figure it out.   Picasso Picasso Picasso...  popular guy I guess ;-)

Sonya was obsessed with finding a picture of Picasso. OBSESSED!  Repeat it 100 times and zig zagging through the rooms kind of obsessed. Not a picture by Picasso, it needed to be a picture OF Picasso.  I was worried until we found this self portrait.  She was so sure that he was going to have multiple noses.  It was a let down.

The kids were so cute drawing each other's portraits on the car ride down and then sitting down as soon as we hit the impressionists to sketch out some landscapes.

And this is what I came for.  That's what I needed--- the stroke I would like to master.  It was great to see this after mulling over a concept, finding "the tool" to try it.  I need to make time to sit down with it, but right now I am collecting ideas.... I think it will be much more about mastering the use of this tool I hope will help me make the effect......

Collecting architectural inspiration.....  looks a bit like manufactured buttons.

This was adorable!  Sonya sketching like crazy the little ceremonial Japanese tea house.  She was SO serious.  And we patiently waited. 

another leaf and floral concept......

A Lovely Door! 
We only made it though 2 or 3 wings.... and had lunch and went to the make and take craft.  I don't think the kids are as into the Asian art as I am.  I think that their impression of a lot of it was that they have sat through million of my documentaries on Asian Art, Architecture and culture and they've seen it all before a million times!   Ha!  Seeing these wonderful works live and in person and they are so cool mellow about it. 
I can't wait to go back next time.  I have the April Family Studio day written in on my calender.  The kids and I had a blast!