Blown Away by Monet

Do I really need to see the highly touted Monet exhibition in Raleigh? I mean...I've already seen many of Claude Monet's paintings at art museums in Washington and New York. Forgive my arrogance but that thought really did go through my mind when I first heard about Raleigh's coup. Last night I got an emphatic answer to that question. I was absolutely blown away by Monet in Normandy at the North Carolina Museum of Art. It is a stunning collection of 50 paintings that span the life of the brilliant French impressionist. This is clearly the most diverse Monet collection I have seen. My appreciation for his creative journey is much deeper now. I enjoy watching people immersed in art. Last night I tapped the shoulder of a woman enjoying the beauty of Monet's Clifftop Walk at Pourville painted in 1882. I asked her: "Don't you wish you could be there?" Without hesitation she answered: "I am!" That is the beauty of great art. It draws you in. Do yourself a favor. Lose yourself in the landscape of Normandy courtesy of Claude Monet and the NC Museum of Art. For those who have already seen the exhibition please share your impressions of the great impressionist!