Bette decided that they needed to move on and went immediately to the modern art floor and particularly to see the abstract paintings. Tina was mesmerized by this exhibit. She had seen many of the pieces before, but she was really examining each piece as she went. Mary was looking as well and pulled Bette back at some point and whispered that Tina was getting her inspiration from the color and the brush strokes and the composition she saw. Bette just smiled. She wanted Tina to get her inspiration from whatever source she deemed appropriate.

Tina wanted to take pictures, but it was not allowed inside the museum. Tina decided that she would take some in central park. Maybe she would see something there that interest her in her first paintings. This was the first time Tina had actually thought about what she would possibly paint. Bette moved them on to the Impressionist and the Surrealist Exhibits. Daniel like the Surrealism paintings – the Salvador Dali and the Picassos and a few others. But Angie, Mary and Tina loved the Impressionist. The serenity of the scenes and the subjects and all painted with thin brush strokes, dashes or dots of paint and all clearly visible. Yet, the a clear a definitive landscape or person appears to the viewer. This gave Tina an idea.

They moved on to the early American artist who did mostly portraits and scenes which were very familiar to the viewing public.  Angie sited “Washington Crossing the Delaware” as being seen throughout her life. Mary admired John Singer Sargent and his early twenty-first century portraits in life size. Bette had to agree that the Metropolitan Art Museum’s collection of portraits was one of the finest in the world. In fact, it was one of the very best collections of all examples of art created by human beings in the world.

Bette: Come on people, let’s go see some sculpture and then we need to start thinking about lunch.

Tina: Let’s find some restrooms first. I need a little break.

Mary:  Me too.

They found what they were looking for and asked Daniel to meet them in the hall in front of the ladies’ rooms.

Mary: Do you think he’ll be okay?

Bette:  I think he will be fine. There’s a security guard that has been trailing us since the Egyptian exhibit. I do not think anything is going to happen while that big guy is around.