On Saturday my husband, Gastone, and Tyler and I drove down to Irvine to the Irvine Museum.  I have known about this muse um for YEARS, but have never driven down to see it.

However, the California Art Club hosted a guided tour led by renown museum director, Jean Stern, and I couldn't resist.   It was wonderful!   Not only were the paintings absolutely stunning... Oh how I wish I could achieve that mastery.. but Mr. Stern is a wond erful story teller and thoroughly entertained the group of art lovers who were there.  Among the many listeners were current well known painters I admire, friends, collectors and art lovers ...  (some people fit into more than one category...LOL).   We were all rapt!  There were so many gorgeous paintings.... here are photos of just a few.

Paintings shown above with Jean Stern:  Maurice Braun (left), Edouard Antonin Vysekal (right)
Paintings shown in photos here from the Museum tour were painted by: 
ABOVE: Sam Hyde Harris (left), William Wendt (center), Guy Rose (right) 
BELOW:  Franz Bischoff (left),  Hanson Duvall Puthuff (right)

What a treat that was....   soon to be followed by my family's artistic efforts.  When we returned we got to watch my dad do the final step of the casting of a part of his silver-handled cane.  My dad, Jim Beach,  was also video-taping the process for another video to add to his award-winning collection.  Here is one small segment of video I got on MY little camera.  (He had two of his own running.)
From there we went to my son, Jon-Paul Fortunati, and his wife, Alexandra's, house where we were treated to a gourmet meal of aged prime rib, asparagus spears, and three-cheese scalloped potatoes.  What a joy to share time with my terrific family!  The perfect end to a perfect day!