Day 7

Goodbye Chicago! I am excited to be going home and yet feel sad that I must leave. I had a great time, but I'm exhausted. Everyone was at work when I woke up, so I walked to the florist and bought a bunch of flowers to leave as a thank you gift. I took the blue line train to the airport and that's that!

Day 6

It's a beautiful day!! A friend and I ate lunch in the park and watched the pigeons and playing dogs. I am at the end of the vacation, and am ready to go home. It was a lazy day. I read magazines as my friend worked on a painting. We sat around and visited. For dinner we went out to a fancy French restaurant. The salad, steak, snails, and wine were some of the best ever! I didn't take any pictures today, but here are some sketches I did earlier in the week.

the EL tracks and structure, downtown

on the blue line train
a character at navy pier

Day 5

It is hot! 80 degrees! I went to breakfast with a friend. Upon learning that the Bodyworlds exhibit was sold out, we decided to go see Art Chicago. It's a gigantic art fair with booths representing galleries and artists from all over the world. It took up two floors of a big building downtown and adjoining art fairs next door. There was everything from cutting edge contemporary work to older work from artists like Egon Schiele, Rauschenberg, Jim Dine... Noted exhibits included Joel Peter Witkin, Barry McGee, and David Hockney. I took lots of business cards from galleries that might like my work. I then went to dinner with my friend from Seattle, and met up with some more people at a little bar. A really great old timey band started up and people started dancing. We all had a great time and got home late.

The only picture I took of the fair, and the only time the crowds parted. Rows and rows of booths. Mr Barry McGee
More McGee
I'm not familiar with this artist, but I like it
I don't know this artist either
Again
I like collage
Windy!
The joint is hoppin!
Dancing in up

Day 4

Today the sun came out! I can't believe that I'm looking forward to sun, but I can actually see Chicago without ducking inside from the weather. In the morning I went thrift store shopping with a friend. I accidentally left my keys and phone inside the apartment so I had to carry my big garbage bag full of thrift store finds all over the city. I took the bus and drove all around the lake front. Everyone was outside and enjoying the sun. I decided to go to the touristy Navy Pier. It was great being outside next to the water and watching all the people. I got to the apartment at night, lucky that someone was home to let me in. I relaxed and watched a horror movie on TV.

The sun!!!Buildings shot from the bus
The famous theater shot from the bus
Lunch: a burger joint made famous by SNL "cheezborger, cheezborger, cheezborger"
The pier
on the pier, looking back at the city
the skyline from the pier
A Chicago staple, TV horror host Svengoolie

Day 3

Today I went to The Museum of Surgical Science. It is located along the lake and in a rich neighborhood, so I also walked around and gawked at all the fancy homes. I had lunch under the L and met a friend who moved here from Seattle. We had an adventure going out into a suburb to an Art Institute party where some famous artist had some instillation. Her art ended up being totally underwhelming, but the party was fun and full of lots of artsy kids. We missed the last train, so we had a crazy time trying to get a cab back to the city. Our tragedy was hilarious, and we all got back safely.

The EL downtown.
Fancy old houseFancy old housesSkyline from the museumEntrance to museumInside the museum
The beautiful museum libraryThe great Andreas VesaliusTrephined skull
Strange head in a box

Eye see you!The making of denturesOne of my favorite paintings ever. Fairly certain this is not the original.An example of lots of murals
The apothecary from outside
Inside the apothecary.

Day2

I woke up late and went to "breakfast" with a friend. I then went to The Art Institute museum because they were open late. I was there for 5 hours and didn't even see half the museum. It's huge and full of lots of great art! After that I rode the train to Quimby's, a really great, extensive alternative comic book/zine store where I probably bought too many comics.

Outside my friend's apartment.
The window I sleep under, and the train tracks.
Going in to the Art Institute.Leaving the Art Institute. Beautiful!
Some of my favorite paintings:
by Paulus Potter

by Jaques Antoine Volaireby Jean Louis Andre Theodore Gericaultby Oscar Kokoschka
by Ludwig Meidnerby Francis Picabiaby Balthusby Alberto Giacomettiby Ivan Albright