museum of science and industry — blog

Sunset Behind the Museum, Oil on Canvas, 24” x 36”

I started a plein air painting of The Museum of Science and Industry years ago when I lived in Hyde Park. While painting the front of the museum someone told me the best view is from the back and they were right! One evening I was back there painting as the sunset, it was beautiful and I've wanted to make a painting of it since.

In the documentary, EXPO: Magic of the White City I learned that the Museum of Science and Industry was built to house fine art for the World's Fair. It was the only building that had to be fireproof which is why we still have it today.

My painting will be at The Palette and Chisel October 14-15 for their Open House Exhibition, the show correlates with Open House Chicago so there will be plenty to do and see!

The Palette and Chisel will be having an open house during the architecture tour this weekend, I hope to see anyone in the area there! I've lived in Chicago for 6 years and I've still not gone on an architecture tour. I've planned on it a few weekends but life gets in the way I guess, or you don't realize what you have at you fingertips until you move.

Luckily, The Museum of Science and Industry is not too far away and it is beautiful. The building was originally built for Chicago's World Fair to exhibit fine art, which I learned from watching EXPO: Magic of the White City. If you haven't seen it I'd recommend it. Plus it's narrated by Gene Wilder and who doesn't love him? I could probably work from the museum every day and still find little details I didn't notice before.

Here is a drawing of one the reliefs going along the building.

The framed drawing, with my tiny little house plants.