Meg and Clare's new favorite show is Creative Galaxy, which is exclusively available on Amazon Prime. It is a great show. Arty, the show's hero, solves problems by doing art projects. The episodes present various pieces of art and each episode suggests projects kids can do. We began Friday morning with Meg and Clare making a Starry Night-inspired lantern. They poked holes in aluminum foil using a knitting needle. They then lined a clear Pyrex storage bowl with the foil and put a battery-powered light in the bowl. In a dark room, light shines through the holes and makes star-like lights appear on the walls.
The Starry Night episode of Creative Galaxy had Meg making plans. She loves Van Gogh's Olive Grove painting at the National Gallery of Art (about a 10 minute drive from our house), but suddenly it wasn't enough for her. She wanted to know where she could go to see Starry Night. I was certain it must be at the Louvre, but agreed to look it up for her. I was wrong. It is at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Yep, that city the girls remember driving through just a few weeks ago. The city we drive through every time we visit family in Rhode Island. New York is no Paris. It is very accessible and Meg knows it. I have a feeling a museum trip to New York is in our near future.
These days Meg fancies herself more scientist than artist. Clare has moved to the role of artist. They are making plans for Meg to be a marine biologist in Woods Hole on Cape Cod, while Clare works on her art nearby. They plan to eat dinner together when Meg finishes her day at the lab. I keep reminding the girls that science and art can compliment one another. Beatrix Potter made botanical discoveries while painting the details of fungi. Leonardo da Vinci was both scientist and artist. For now, art and science are both great hobbies and I am glad the girls are enjoying them.