No, I didn’t get a new car. Charlotte has a new mascot. The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art is opening on January 2, but right now I’m drooling over the outside of the museum, including the recently installed Firebird sculpture by French artist Niki de Saint Phalle.
I love the way the orange brick frames the sculpture. I just couldn’t help smiling when I stood next to it. And the light! The light bouncing off it creates these gorgeous constellations on the ground.
I am so totally stoked about this museum. Its big ol’ collection includes works by Giacometti, Miro, Picasso, Le Corbusier, Alexander Calder, Warhol, and on and on. I can barely wait for Jan. 2. For more info, click here.
Emily Smith Pearce 
Cool! I saw her L’Ange Protecteur sculpture at the train station in Zurich. I’ll have to make a trip down when it opens. 🙂