Since ancient people scratched out stories on cave walls, human expression as a historical record, architecture, or even utilities, art has been an integral part of our existence. Anything that does not appear in nature only exists because an artist imagined it and designed it. Although the beauty of nature is often captured in artistic works, someone picked up a paintbrush, a chisel, or a piece of stone and gave us their interpretation of it.
Allow me to explain.
Let’s refer to that old saying, “Back to the drawing board!” What is a drawing board? Well, it’s exactly what it says. Without that drawing board, there could be no buildings, transportation, furniture, clothing, statues, jewelry…you get the picture. Thousands of years ago, someone said, “I wish I had something to sit on!” and designed a chair or “My walls are so bland and bare, I need something beautiful to hang there.”
What makes you choose one car over another or a specific brand of clothes? Most likely, it’s your taste in those items’ style and value. You may prefer a particular jewelry maker or cake decorator because of their outrageous talent that gives you a feeling of joy and satisfaction. The imagination and craftmanship that go into all of these examples draw you to them, and when it comes to art for its aesthetic value, you know if you relate to it, if it makes you feel a certain way, you want to possess it.
Have you ever entered a doctor’s office and felt anxious? I mean, who enjoys going to the doctor’s? Most doctor’s offices seem sterile and cold, but some seem to understand the value of creating a warm and relaxing atmosphere for their patients. One office may have colorful and interesting carpets, comfortable waiting room seats, and relaxing music playing. Then, you notice the doctor or their interior designer has chosen the most beautiful paintings you’ve ever seen in a doctor’s office. Your eyes are drawn to them in such a way that you can’t stop staring at them. They’re art deco paintings of a grand size in gilded antique frames. The period appears to be the Roaring Twenties, with beautiful women sipping champagne and wearing elaborate, colorful dresses and hats.
You must get a closer look!
You rise from your comfortable chair, walk to the painting, and realize the artist has used authentic jewelry as appliques and textured paint that appears three-dimensional. You want to touch it, but you dare not as it looks expensive. Oh, go ahead, your mind says, and you glance around the waiting room, hoping no one sees you. Ever so gently, the tip of your finger touches the raised golden paint that is the chain around one of the lady’s necks that drapes down to the applied ruby-colored stones just below her collarbone.
“Wow,” you sigh. You’re not sure what you’re feeling but you like it a lot.
Your imagination begins to wander to who these ladies are and what their day was like. You want to know who poured the champagne and where they bought those beautiful dresses. You imagine them at this party, dancing and laughing in their fancy heels and feathered hats. The next thing you know, you’re touching the embellishments on their hats and shoes and have forgotten where you are. You’re lost in this incredible work of art when suddenly, you realize there’s another one!
This painting is part of a series!
Casually, you stroll across the waiting room and find another beautiful woman. However, this time, she’s seated at a table with a dapper gentleman decked out in Roaring Twenties style, complete with a golden pocket watch and fedora. Again, the jeweled embellishments, the raised and textured paint, and the style…oh, the style just blows you away. Touch it, you hear again somewhere in your mind, and you don’t even care about stopping yourself or checking the other eyes in the room. Now, all you can think of is, are there more?
“They’re beautiful, aren’t they?” you hear someone ask from behind you. You turn to see that the voice came from a receptionist behind the front desk.
“I love them,” you answer, returning to the painting.
“The doctor chose them when the place was being set up.”
“Are there more?” you ask with hope in your voice.
“Oh, yes. They’re in all the exam rooms, too,” she replies.
Instantly, you remember you’re in a doctor’s office, but now, you don’t care. You just want to see the rest of these paintings!
At the end of your visit, you realize how these paintings put you in such a relaxed state that you no longer felt anxious and uncomfortable about being at the doctor’s office. Your imagination had gone on a journey back in time, and you were utterly distracted by the artwork throughout the office. You even thanked the doctor for having such great taste.
You’ll probably never remember the color of the walls, the design of the carpet, or the rest of the décor, but you know you will never forget those paintings. Your biggest regret as you drive home is forgetting to write down the artist’s name!
Understanding that art is a necessity, not only because we’d probably still be scratching on cave walls without creative, adventurous artists designing our living world but because of how art makes us feel. Over twenty thousand visitors tour the Louvre Museum in Paris every day! Those visitors are the perfect example of what makes us a civilized society—the ability to appreciate that art is life, and appreciating art is understanding the brilliance of art’s gift to the world.
Choosing art for your spaces with imagery that makes you feel happy and relaxed or speaks only to you is a necessary part of what makes us human. Art is an investment in your home or workspace, but more importantly, it’s an investment in yourself and what gives you joy. Surrounding yourself with art, be it an original work or prints, is more than filling a blank space on your wall. It’s your deep connection to who you are and shows that it matters to you to be surrounded by what truly inspires you.
