Linda, Sandy and I just got back from our "All art all the time" trip to New York City. Our main objectives were to see the Daniel Sprick solo show at Arcadia Fine Arts and the Dutch Masters exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art .

Both show were amazing, but the Daniel Sprick show was one of the top three solo exhibits I have ever seen. My top three in no particular order; John Singer Sargent at the National gallery in Washington, DC, Richard Schmid retrospective at The Butler Institute of American Art Youngstown, Ohio, and Daniel Sprick at Arcadia Fine Art NYC, NY. If you have never seen a Daniel Sprick ( Or Richard Schmid for that matter) painting in person I urge you to do so. The elegant beauty that Sprick depicts what could be viewed as unappealing subjects (skulls, bones, dead bugs, egg shells, etc) has to be seen to be believed. I have admired Mr. Sprick's work for years but I was amazed at how much more spectacular the paintings were in person as compared to photographs and web images.

The Dutch Masters exhibition was overwhelming in its own right. Being a huge fan of Rembrandt and Vermeer this was a must see show. It was the MET's permanent collection grouped by how it was acquired, but to see it all on display together was worth the trip. We spent the most time analyzing the Rembrandt's and Vermeer's. I would have loved to have seen them when they were just completed and not after 400 years of age, cleaning, and restoration.

We also had time to visit galleries carrying paintings by Daniel Greene, Jacob Collins, and too many more to mention. Endless thanks to Sandy for guiding us around the city like a pro. Thanks also to Pat for providing us a room with a view from Central Park South so we could wake to a view of Central Park in Fall Color. We also visited the Salmagundi Club of New York to look around this historic artists club and view the American Artists’ Professional League Exhibition the same show that Linda won an award in last year.

Time will tell if our painting will be influenced by the great art we viewed on this trip, I hope it is.

I believe that art can change your life, so live with art in your life.

Steven