kelly's blog

As I wandered the West Building at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, a wispy web of white paint caught my eye. Andrew Wyeth's Wind from the Sea is essentially that, an image of the wind, captured in a painting of an open window. While in front of the work, I marveled at how he was able to capture the feeling of the movement of the curtain billowing from the wind. I pondered the process the artist must go through to translate an image in life to the two dimensional canvas. But, today, as I revisited the painting again, I began to ponder instead, why did I even notice it?

Venice is well known for its wealth of art and architecture that inhabit the floating city, but did you know that contemporary artists live there, as well? At least, temporarily. From June 1 through November 24, 2013, Venice will hold the 55th Esposizione Internazionale d’Arte, or better known as the Venice Biennale to the English-speaking world. The exhibition of art began in 1895 and is held every other year (on odd years.) Today, it showcases artists selected from around the globe to represent their country and is regarded as a premier showcase of contemporary art.

Happy March!

Nothing beats being in front of a work of art. Sometimes these works travel to you, in exhibits and to museums nearby. Other times, you've got to travel to the work itself, which is definitely the case when it comes to the work of Richard Serra. His over-sized works made of steel are often site-specific and their installation alone is labor intensive. These aren't works that travel and that's ok. Because, after all, it's a good excuse to get out there in the world and see it for yourself. Serra can give you an excuse to travel to Spain, the Hudson River Valley, Qatar, or, in this case, my latest Serra sighting was in Los Angeles at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art when I came face-to-face with Band (2006).

Enter the airport security line. Sweater off. Shoes, laptop, and boarding pass tucked carefully into a gray bin. Now where's that bag? You know the bag, it's the one bursting at the seams. The one that's holding three ounces of every liquid you hold near and dear, and you're hoping makes it into the bin without destroying the seal. Ever since the liquid ban, that bag has frustrated me. Frustrated that I have to keep half of my toiletries in a separate place, and worried that I might forget to put that tube of toothpaste in its proper, TSA-approved home rather than where I carried it for years in my toiletry bag. It's that bag, alone, that often makes me want to check my bag. So, I decided to simplify and went solid. Fewer liquid products means I can put things where they should go and forget about it. It also means that bag has never been bursting at the seams again. If you can't change the system, you can at least beat it. Carry on reading to discover some products that will make you carry-on ready for your next trip.

2013 just may be the year of David Bowie. Not only does he have a new album coming out, but he also has a retrospective this year at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. If you're a fan, you may want to book a trip to London this spring or summer to immerse yourself in all things Bowie. But don't hesitate, the exhibition David Bowie is, featuring over 300 objects from the David Bowie Archive, is only open until July 28, 2013.

When it comes to travel, traditional guides offer little value to the niche interest. They won't tell you where to find all the record shops in San Francisco, or where you might find a letterpress print to add to your collection, and they certainly won't tell you to bring hot sauce home as a souvenir. And that's ok, because honestly, you don't want a guidebook's suggestion for something they're completely unable to provide. You want someone who's interested, plugged-in, and just as obsessed as you are. You want a nerd. We've decided to help you out every month by featuring a different theme and a selection of our favorite inspiration from around the web with ideas for travel in mind.

This month, we've gone with the topic of design and we've found experts that will help you find where to go shopping for home goods in Melbourne, discover the perfect graphic installation to photograph, footsteps to follow in Paris, and a blog that will keep you exposed to all aspects of Japanese design. Be prepared, however, because after reading any of these sites, you might just start planning a trip.

Before planning a trip to the pyramids, lovers of ancient Egypt should instead consider a trip to Berlin. This spring, the city's beloved Egyptian, Nefertiti, is having a special celebration. Until April 13, 2013, the Neues Museum is honoring the 100 years since her discovery in Amarna with a special exhibit, In the Light of Amarna. 100 Years of the Nefertiti Discovery.

When you think of seeing art on a trip in the United States, it's easiest to gravitate towards the most well known museums in large cities. However, there are lots of opportunities to enjoy art in excellent musuems, in lesser-known places. One great place to look at art are at any of the American universities across the country. Universities have both the resources and benefactors to help foster an environment for collecting and displaying a significant collection of art. Further, the university setting puts an emphasis on learning from art, as well as about art. It makes for a unique museum experience. Almost every university has an art collection of some sorts, including these four university art museums of note in the United States.

Last year, I started a tradition. Instead of looking at trends or press releases for hot spots in 2013, I break out the globe. And I spin it. Where my finger lands becomes our Travellious Hot Spots for the year. The world is a big place and if we only pay attention to what's trendy, we'll miss out on what just might be our favorite trip. This year, I've found five new places to explore, I hope it inspires you to not only learn more about these five places, but also to let your travel be dictated by chance.