Stamped Lips by Andy Warhol, Bright Lip by Bernadette Pascua

Vase with 12 Sunflowers by Vincent van Gogh, Flowers for Milner by Lulie Wallace

Yellow, Blue, Orange by Mark Rothko, ny1206 by Jennifer Sanchez

Art is one of those things that is constantly changing. Over the centuries, art has progressed from simple etchings on cave walls to effortless paintings on canvas to the computer-generated designs we see so often these days. And no matter how far we come, we still look to the past. We learn about the great artists that came before us and we study their works of art. We appreciate the beauty that came from a simpler time, and we draw inspiration from it. Do you prefer the classic pieces of the past or like the modern works of today?

Rooms by the Sea, Hopper.

“I guess I am not very human. All I really want to do is to paint sunlight on the side of a house.” Edward Hopper

Sunlight in an Empty Room, Hopper.

In 1963, four years before he died, Hopper painted Sun in an Empty Room, one of his most mysterious and beautiful works. When asked what he was after in the painting, Hopper responded, “I’m after ME.”

There is a particular time of the year that I love most- the first days of summer. There is magic in the air. A sense that life is long, young and free. Excitement happens in summer. And spontaneity. Although we live in a climate where the seasons are subtle to say the least, the sense of change can be dramatic. It’s still much like that first warm day in New York where coats are shed and Central Park is a sea of blankets. Here, there is a shift in the air, a new smell and a shift in the light. The energy around town changes and the ocean beckons. It seems to happen over night.

This weekend, we spent the days and evenings outside. We revamped our porch, did some planting and spruced up the yard for summer. Spending sunrise to sundown outside, makes you really aware of the light and how it changes seasonally and throughout the day. This week I am exploring light. Light in pictures, in art and in writing.

Today, I have collected a few photos that have got the light just right. Playing with the sunlight when taking pictures, can make for beautiful and unexpected outcomes. Here is a challenge, and I am doing it myself. Let’s take a few photos where we are focusing on the light. The way it falls on your walls in the house throughout the day, on your kids playing at dusk, however you feel like capturing it. I’ll post mine at the end of the week and I’d love to see what you come up with!

Here are a few of my favorites. Enjoy.

1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9

No. 10 by Mark Rothko, Tin Lizzie Green by Jules Olitski

I remember the first time as a young girl that I stood in front of a Rothko painting. The sheer size and the aliveness of the colors stunned me. All these years later, he is still one of my favorite painters. Color field painting and the fashion trend of color blocking, is still going strong. This morning the girls and I were painting and talking about space and color. I showed them some of Rothko’s paintings and this great one by Jules Olitski. We decided to give them a try.

Having very young kids paint blocks of color is more difficult than you think. In order to aid them along we used thin gaffers tape to create a few sections where they would paint with one color and saturate the space. We used watercolors, our favorite quick clean up medium. They chose each of their colors and went to work. After painting they pulled off the tape. The paintings turned out great and the girls like the process.

Whether it’s in fashion, art or home decor, here are a few tips for successful color blocking.

• Try to limit the look to two or three colors. Any more than that can be overwhelming.

• Complementary colors and colors in the same family tend to work best together. Colors like aqua with cobalt or pink with orange.

• For a bold take on the trend, couple red and green, purple and yellow, or blue and orange. Emphasizing a favorite feature with an attention-grabbing bright makes it stand out. To temper it, you can mix in a pastel or anchor the look with neutrals.

• Add just one or two bold colors to your room. Simple features such as a rug, trio of pillows, bright lamp or a lively color blocked painting will make your room look fresh and striking, bringing it to life.

Awhile back, the girls did this art project where we looked at Mia Christopher’s beautiful ink painting as inspiration for creating our own. Somehow Mia came across the post and sent a sweet email letting us know how much she loved the project. She asked if the girls might be interested in doing a little trade. The girls packaged up their paintings, wrote a cute note and mailed them to Mia. Days later a package arrived containing a few original paintings, a beautiful card and a handful of stunning prints. The girls were thrilled! I was so moved by Mia’s kindness. Her work is beautiful and will continue to be an inspiration as the girls learn about color, balance and the simple beauty of art.

Do you look at artwork with your children? Does it inspire paintings of their own? I’d love to hear!