Pasadena hosts a freebie night at all the local museums. I asked to kids to hop in the car and they both said ‘no thanks’. So, it was a date night for me and lovely. We went to the Norton Simon Museum and Art Center College of Design.

 

Norton Simon kicked off our night. This is my favorite museum. I think its art collection is better than the big Getty Museum, but not better than the Getty Villa, but that’s only antiquities. Norton Simon has lovely gardens too. It’s big enough to wander and not see everything, but not too big that you’re overwhelmed. True gem of Pasadena. Free on 1st Friday’s of the month. I’ve been dragging the kids since they were in the stroller.

Norton Simon has all the masters, plus contemporary and Asia arts. Some of my favorites.

Ballet figures by Degas

Van Gogh’s Peasant and Mulberry Tree,

 

Picasso’s Woman with Book

Sam Francis’s Basel Mural

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Next we drove up the hill to Art Center College of Design, which is always fun and inspirational. In between jobs, I took product design classes there. It was super fun and inspiring. They say that the students are either extremely talented or extremely rich. I was neither, but I had fun there.

We were at North, Hillside, but I’ve also taken a night class at the South Campus, formerly a wind tunnel building.

 

We saw student projects which are always impressive. Many car manufacturers sponsor design studios in the college. Here’s some of that:

   

There was a special exhibit for Ray Eames, collaborator and wife of Charles Eames.