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<\/a><\/p>\nThe Bergins live in the West Loop area, “Ukrainian Village,” near downtown. Not on this busy street, but nearby.<\/p>\n
Here’s their abode, with the two of us, and new snow just starting to fall.<\/p>\n Anne and Micah making tracks. Note Anne’s coat adorned with her own printmaking design . . . not only handsome, but very functional for the cold weather.<\/p>\n Out for a walk with the kids we came across this garage door, just made for photographs. Perfect, no?<\/p>\n I brought a project along, a commission soon to be due, and set up a “studio” in the Bergin kitchen, the kids enjoying the process of it coming together.<\/p>\n When the palette (in this case a saucer from the cupboard) starts looking better than the painting I wonder about it.\u00a0 Often happens.<\/p>\n Anne at her i-Pad while the kids were at school. Note artwork on the walls from years past, one of mine on the left, a piece by Anne (framed), and three by daughter Allison . . . the photograph, the portrait and the design high on the shelf. (Click for better view.)<\/p>\n Also this one, “Blue Door,” a 30″x30″ acrylic on canvas that I made for them some years back. It’s of an actual entry not far from them, though I took liberties in brightening the wall color. The Bergins have it hanging prominently in their kitchen. I temporarily removed it to make my “studio.”<\/p>\n On one of the days, wanting to visit (again) the Art Institute of Chicago, we drove deep into the city.<\/p>\n We spent hours, even revisiting the car to put more money in the meter and come back. Here Anne takes a brief break, keeping up with things.<\/p>\n Remember the days when we weren’t allowed to take pictures in art museums?\u00a0 For some, you still can’t, like when we were in the Van Gogh in Amsterdam. But for most, that’s all changed. Here’s a classic Monet, always one of the most inspiring of painters.<\/p>\n Regarding photographs, we even encountered one singular guard, a black woman, who enthusiastically advised us to move in very close and get details. So I did. Here’s a detail from the Monet shown above.<\/p>\n “Resting,” by Antonio Mancini, done around 1887, got my attention for its striking composition. Note the half-and-half division between the light side and the dark, for example. Then I took close ups.<\/p>\n The brush work in the face, so thick, the edges so soft, the unconcern about the nostril and the teeth and other elements . . . all things to be aware of for a painter of people.<\/p>\n And there’s the wonderful abandon of brush work in the still life<\/em> on the painting’s right side, all just “suggested.” A great example of how to work . . . control and non-control.<\/p>\n Then there’s photography, in this case, mine. The snow was just starting again when we were out picking up the children from school. What better time to get a few shots with the i-phone!<\/p>\n It’s impressionism by camera . . . here risking the shots while driving, one hand on the wheel.<\/p>\n Sometimes I think I should paint like this.<\/p>\n One more (though I took many). There’s beauty everywhere; you can’t compete with nature.<\/p>\n After a night of falling snow, I rose before dawn, put on my heavy coat and ventured out for photographs. I wasn’t the first one up; at least a few were out braving the cold, heading for work or school or wherever.<\/p>\n A distant shot, fuzzy on the focus, but attracting my interest with all the light in the tree.<\/p>\n Looking down the Bergins’ street in the streaking snow.<\/p>\n The trees, otherwise black and bare, become a wonderland of white.<\/p>\n A lone walker making tracks, entering the warm glow of some distant light. Does she know she’s part of beauty, or is she just thinking, “I’m cold and I’m late . . . no time to think about the wonder of it all”?<\/p>\n Cold outside but a lighted window reveals another world of warmth and life and plants of another clime. Note the window reference to an allegiance within. A coffee shop active early. Looking at the photo now, I should have stopped in and checked out that knife collection on the wall (being a collector of such myself).<\/p>\n Heading back to the house, still early, but not before a number of others had been trekking through.<\/p>\n The sun not quite up, the moon still on its way down.<\/p>\n The parents returned from their trip and we went to lunch . . . Acacia, Mark, me, and Anne. It’s times like this, helping when help is needed, that we see again that family is everything. We’re grateful.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n