I was in desperate need of creative inspiration, so I treated myself to a day at the Isabella Stuart Gardner museum in Boston. I had missed museums SO MUCH during the year of the pandemic, and though it is not over yet, it felt a little safer to be in public like this.

The museum has set times for entrance, and is big enough that you are never in crowds or groups inside. The interior is large and spacious and gorgeous.

I specifically love the Isabella because it reminds me of Europe. And for a good reason, Isabella Stuart Gardner was a big fan of Italy and the house was designed in that classic Italian architecture style.

I knew I would be seeing a lot of tile, arches and detailed architecture, and mixed textures and materials. All those things inspire me so much. They don’t necessarily come through in my artwork, but I can definitely feel a boost in my inspiration after visiting this lovely place. (Not to mention Isabella’s art collection is stunning!)