Put Art in Your Life

Today’s Image

Is art in your life? Is there any or even a little? I hope so, but sadly for many, there is little to none. Today's Image represents this with people visiting the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., USA.

Art takes many forms, of course, but what I’m talking about is drawings, paintings, prints, posters, sculpture—whatever you consider art-- that you see, touch, or experience in your daily life.

The best art, in my opinion, is actual art you have around you because you love it--art that gives you pleasure. Ideally, your art is in the space around you. It can be in your home, in your immediate surroundings, or in your office (or cube), if possible. It is whatever you consider to be your favorite artwork. Not all of us are able to have our favorite artwork around us, and that’s too bad.

Not all of us are able to acquire art, so the next best in my opinion, is a reasonable facsimile of art around you in whatever form. It can be a book with the art of your favorite artist or artists or genre that you pick up and look at daily. It can be an art magazine. It can be art on a wall calendars (the subject of my recent blog). It can be art on place mats or refrigerator magnets. It doesn’t matter. What’s important is that you see it and that it matters to you.

The next best art, in my opinion, is art you can view in person in your neighborhood, your community, or your place of work. This may not be your favorite artwork or art that you would necessarily collect. But it is art that you are able to experience on a regular basis, if not daily, and that is better than nothing.

Why do we need art? The usual cliché is that it enriches our lives and broadens our horizons. Art does that.

But I think we need art because it puts us in a different place with a different outlook if only for an instant. In that instant or longer, hopefully, we enjoy the experience of the art.

It can inspire you --to do better or to move forward in life. It can calm or dazzle you. It can confront or confound you. It can overwhelm you. It can comfort you. Whatever else, it should be a life experience.

I feel sorry for those who can’t or won’t see art in life. What a drab world to live in. That’s a world without beauty or at least without the provocation that art can be. I think it’s similar to those who don’t have a sense of humor in life. They are missing so much. The worst part is they don’t even know it, and try as you may, you cannot explain it to them. Pity.

I want you to think about one of my favorite quotes from an artist. It appears over there in the right column of my blog under Favorite Art Quotes. It’s from Kimon Nicolaides, a mid-20th century illustrator and artist. He says, “Art should be concerned more with life than art.”

Somewhat, although not totally tongue-in-cheek and with highest regard for Mr. Nicolaides’ quote, I would like to turn that around to say:

“Life should be concerned more with art than life.”

Cheers!