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"Near the Beach, Shinnecock" by William Merritt Chase

There is a gem of an art museum in Toledo, Ohio. 

I spent an afternoon there on the way to my artist residency at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.  Only 10 minutes off Route 80, the museum was easy to find.  It was not crowded and had easy parking and free admission (donations welcomed).   The staff was friendly and recommended restaurants as well as pointing out the special exhibits. 

"Antibes seen from la Salie" by Claude Monet

In three hours I felt I had traveled the world, and through time.   I visited a medieval cloister, was mesmerized by a wall-sized wooden sculpture by Louise Nevelson, felt the pain depicted in Marisol's "The Party" (a sculpture/installation about alienation), visited the Flemish, Italian and American collections. 

And then I settled in for some quality time with the Impressionist painters.

"Crépuscule in Opal, Trouville" by James Abbott McNeill Whistler

I was especially focused on paintings of water and sand since I'm about to spend two weeks painting these subjects (at the Indiana Dunes along Lake Michigan).  I've included some of my photos here.  (Photography was permitted by the museum.)

"Regatta at Trouville," Gustave Caillebotte

"Summer Sea, Isle of Shoals" by Childe Hassam

I hope some of you will be able to visit the Toledo Museum of Art.  If you have been there, leave a comment and tell me what you liked best about it!