One of the questions I hear most often is from families looking to expand their kids’ appreciation of art. I’ve written 7 Tips for teaching your kids to appreciate art museums to answer just that question.

Gorgeous colors, rich with the natural beauty of our earth. A keen eye, to see birds, waves, sunsets, and the talent to be able to capture it perfectly. A respite from today's busy digital world, where I can sit, breathe, and imagine. Those reasons - and more - are why I follow Angela Hennessy, our Artist of the Month, on Instagram and other social media platforms. Her art is beautiful, keen, sharp, and evocative. Even if I'm sitting inside during a Michigan snowstorm, I feel as if, even for a minute, that I am somewhere else in the world, with her and the creatures she so lovingly paints.

Dan Price is a Midwest-based freelance photographer whose aim is to capture the mood of a given moment.  

He got his start when a doctor prescribed daily walks as a part of his treatment in battling Lyme disease. Shooting surroundings that he was presented, like his backyard or a nearby field, became an important part of his recovery.  

Never ever ever ever do you, as a teacher, want to stop learning. It influences the newness of your approach, which influences the receptivity of your students and makes them as excited as you are.

A ghostbuster, pop culture fanatic, and an artist - obviously I wanted to feature him.

So we met up in a corner of a Barnes and Noble, sadly not over coffee, and listened and talked about his many passions, learning very quickly how interesting he is. Now, you don't have to meet up with him to learn this, as I think his art shows it just as well. 

It's a cold, rainy, blustery fall day here in Michigan. Immediately, my thoughts turn to warm, comforting Irish recipes. Yes, I remember many cold rainy days in County Kerry, and eating the best Guinness Beef Stew, accompanied by that lovely classic Irish Brown Bread. Here are two recipes that I love to make.

I’m an avid art museum traveler. Wherever we go, we make sure to visit as many art museums as possible (this is the second priority in our travel planning – the first being great food). When we had a child, I wasn’t concerned that she’d love art museums, too.

Seattle is one of my very favorite cities in the whole world, in part because of the fantastic food available! This is just a *short* list of my foodie finds...look at the end of the article for more recommendations!

I love Instagram. I love finding new people, searching new tags, and getting new glimpses into lives, nature, the world. One such discovery is photographer JoAnn Kraft, who captures nature so beautifully that I feel as if I am right there with her, seeing through her eyes. She's got a talent for macro, for discovering small things, and for seeing what others might not. Here, in words and photos, our Photographer of the Month, JoAnn Kraft...