Date with Myself at the Chrysler Museum & Glass Studio

We in Hampton Roads are spoiled to death these days because Norfolk is home to the Chrysler Glass Studio, quickly becoming one of the most inspiring and experimental glass studios around. In addition to offering daily demonstrations and glass classes, the artists and studio assistants create work that they also sell. A couple times a year, they have a big close-out sale and this past weekend, I happened to catch it just in time!

The selection was seriously amazing...glass pieces both functional and artistic, some super affordable and some quite pricey. I couldn't resist this blinging diamond stained glass nightlight by Kristi Totoritis. We don't even need one in our current apartment (it gets plenty of streetlamp light, thankyouverymuch), but when you see something fun like this, you just give in.

 I mean, c'mon! That's a necessity.

My true weakness is small jugs/vases/containers/boxes that I don't need, so of course I also couldn't pass up this gorgeous coral ombre glass jug. It's just more motivation to find a house: I gotta find more space for all my silly tiny treasures!

Once I finished up with the Glass Studio sale, I popped next door to take myself on a little two-hour date at the Chrysler Museum, which reopened in May after a lengthy renovation. It's really marvelous, and I've become such a museum nerd that I can't possibly get through more than two rooms in a two-hour span. But here are a few shots of some of my favorites from what I did see:

 "Zinc Yellow" by Franz Kline. In love with the movement and color pairing!

 Howard Mehring, "Renaissance Space II." I feel like this color palette is one I want to remember for future projects...so unexpected, but so right!

 A shot of one of the gorgeous new contemporary galleries.

 Ossip Zadkine, "Bust of Carol Janeway." The angle of that nose is just brilliant.

The museum is full of witty copy on the walls and even clever juxtapositions, like these two reclining nudes. It's a great place to wander for a couple hours, and best of all, it's FREE.