We saved our study of Impressionism for after our other history studies were complete.  We are using a terrific book for this: Monet and the Impressionists for Kids. I set the excitement for the unit by talking first about Paris (where Impressionism began). I asked the kids if they knew that Paris was called "The City of Lights?" They did not. I told them that recently I had been looking at pictures of this beautiful city at night, when I began to wonder when this transformation occured. For the last few years we have studied about the numerous wars, the French Revolution, the barricades, etc. How did Paris become as lovely as it is today, especially at night?  I had no idea how to find the answer to that question. Surprisingly, the answer was in our Impressionism book. I told the kids about it, but I would not tell them how it became the city of light. Then we sat at the computer and looked at pictures of Paris at night.  The kids were amazed.  I am waiting to hear their exclamation of disbelief when they read that Napoleon III was responsible for this! The kids and I have a running joke now about Napoleon (and sometimes the III) always showing up, week by week. They thought he went into exile with his ideals a long time ago.

     One of the Impressionists, Claude Monet, did a lot of his painting in his garden near Paris.  I used to have a calendar book full of pictures of his garden, which I cannot find now. I've not been able to find as many pictures of his gardens on-line as I did in that calendar, but they are stunning.  One of our Monet field trips the other day was to take the kids to the nursery with me to select plants toh enhance the small garden we inherited when we recently purchased this house.  Since we have recently moved here from Texas, we are finding a lot of new plants. It was exciting to purchase new varieties that I've never had success with in Texas. 

     In the midst of learning about Impressionism, we are getting an education on color. The other day a new friend from church said she'd help me in my dilemma to select just the right paint colors for the house. Turns out she is an interior designer!  She liked what we did so far and challenged me to enhance the one shade from the front of the house for the family room, with the color "Dry Leaf".  Well we were at the store yesterdy looking at more paint chips and my daughter exclaimed, "Here's one called Lafayette!"  I took it home and it's a perfect match to "Dry Leaf."  "Lafayette" will soon be surrounding us on the walls of our family room! My daughter is now looking for a paint color called "George Washington."     

     My designer friend asked me about my choice of the Calla Lilies. Why not? She has asked me to keep her updated on how well it does. We hope it is a success because we liked it a lot.  I had fun putting in Eastern flowers in a patriotic color pallette for the urns.  Then I put my favorite colors for the garden everywhere else. The potted Mandevilla still needs to find its home in the ground next to the lamppost.

     Although my garden is for the enjoyment of others as well as to lift my own spirits, I am looking forward to using it for some of our art projects. Part of the idea of Impressionism, at least for Monet, was to be inspired by the outdoors and to paint in natural lighting at different times of the day, to capture a variety of effects.  It was during this time that the travel easel and art kit were developed, so that artists like Monet could take their art supplies with them and go wherever they wanted to paint, whether it was a field, the sea or the sky. In fact, when we did the bluebonnet exhibit at the Witte Museum in San Antonio last winter, this was precisely what the artist that was featured did.  In Monet's later years, he developed his garden on his property specifically to inspire him for his painting.  He included an arched Japanese bridge over the water garden that he had built. His most famous pieces, The Water Lilies,  were inspired from this. There is a Japanese bridge spanning the water garden at the Governor's Palace in Colonial Williamsburg. Hmmmm....