APRIL 26, 2026 – Most of the afternoon and early this evening was art and play time with our 10-year-old granddaughter. Today was the last day of the annual spectacular Art in Bloom exhibition at the Minneapolis Institute of Art—an event not to be missed, especially in the company of Illiana. At closing time, we moved to the adjoining venue for a stellar production of The Wizard of Oz by Children’s Theater Company. But in some ways, the best part of the day together was the ride home from Sushi Train—our traditional stop after CTC plays—during which Illiana described in intimate detail the main characters who populate her “serialized” novel that is an ongoing work-in-progress.
Three things stood out about Art in Bloom.
First, of course, were the “art” and the “bloom.” Each year a select slate of local floral arrangers—“artists of the bloom”—create floral arrangements to match various paintings among the permanent collections of the Institute. In most cases, the paintings themselves don’t feature flowers at all, so the “matches” involve color, lines, balance, and other elements. The results are stunning.
Second, what gave me special gratification was observing Illiana’s responses to the displays. They captured and held her attention, and it didn’t take long for her to ask to borrow Beth’s iPhone for a shot here and a shot there, and eventually, to keep the device to photograph nearly every arrangement she encountered. She also took photos of stand-alone paintings, saying, “I really like certain paintings and want to take pictures of them.” Then came the really fun part: Illiana started taking notes, and when asked about them, she explained that she wanted to write down points of inspiration for her own art endeavors. As I observed her doing this, I saw the theme of her creative life: “art in bloom.” Sharing this afternoon’s overall art experience with Illiana gave Beth and me great joy.
Third, I was impressed by the size and diversity of the crowd. Ethnically speaking, every continent except Antarctica (no penguins were on the loose) was proportionately well-represented. This was wonderful to see in a place like Minnesota. Likewise, every age group appeared among the crowd—and it was an enormous crowd. Throughout the museum I felt as if I were at the Met with art-lovers from all over the planet. A highlight of the experience was watching the awe and wonder on people’s faces as folks strolled through the endless exhibition rooms; and hearing between friends and couples, the exchange of reactions to all the magnificent art on display. In what for many of us are low times for our country, I found one critical element of civilization operating at the pinnacle: a grand sea of people, a beautiful cross section of community, all gathered around and inspired by . . . a vast collection of fine art. “Proof beyond a reasonable doubt,” I told myself, “that not all is lost; far from it.”
At 4:45 we approached the main exit under the familiar reminder in prominently displayed lettering, “We’re Free. Everyone is welcome. Always. / Thanks for vising the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.” On the other side of the entrance hall, we entered Children’s Theater for the next phase of our Sunday “exposure to the arts.”
Everyone knows The Wizard of Oz as well as any other book, play, movie in the American canon of popular culture produced since June 16, 1902, when the first musical adaptation of L. Frank Baum premiered at the Chicago Grand Opera House. The CTC version was as fresh as if it were being staged for the first time. All the main characters were perfectly cast, and as one expects with CTC, all stage effects were well-conceived and executed, giving due support to the high caliber acting, direction and musical elements.
After our usual after-play stop at Sushi Train downtown, we drove Illiana home. She held our attention the entire way by describing in detail the characters of her ongoing “story.” The kid has been working on it for a couple of years. Beth and I were amazed by the intricacies of the ever-expanding tale and the complexity of the characters. We learned that whenever she’s in a “daydream” mode, at home or school, she “works on” the story, building on it continually.
Whatever we can do to support, inspire, encourage Illiana’s imagination and creativity is our mission. Our ongoing reward is pure delight beyond measure. Today’s “art and play” formed the latest example of that reward.
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© 2026 by Eric Nilsson
