Discovering Art In Many Places

If you want to visit the Picasso Museum in Barcelona, get tickets well in advance.

I did not. I missed the artistic opportunity of my life. It bothered me for days.

Two weeks later, we were returning to Barcelona after a visit to Mallorca. That morning, we took a bus to the town of Solér, planning to ride a scenic train ride through the mountains back to Palma,. We arrived a half hour before the train’s departure, and I felt the pressing need for a bathroom.

Shopkeepers pointed me toward the train station and the public toilet. I was unprepared for what I discovered there.

In the middle of the men’s room floor stood a pedestal. On it was a plexiglass case. Inside the case was this piece of pottery:

Just in case there was any doubt, a sign on the wall announced this was an original Picasso vase—displayed proudly in a toilet in a small village in the Mallorca mountains.

What could lead an architect, engineer, or local official to place a priceless Picasso in a restroom? This thought came to my mind and I still believe it:

Whoever did this believes that art can be an integral part of all aspects of life, even in the most unlikely of places.

Think on this: Why do we have gardens? We create gardens to please the eye and the nose, while birds flock to the flowers, delighting our ears. The vibrant energy of thriving plants nourishes our innate craving for beauty and life. It’s easy to view a garden as a canvas for art.

But are there other ways to bring art into our daily life—without having to own an original Picasso?

Imagine the possibilities.

Art itself is not just for obtaining and admiring. There are benefits that science is only recently discovering.

“Creativity in and of itself is important for remaining healthy, remaining connected to yourself and connected to the world,” says Christianne Strang, a professor of neuroscience at the University of Alabama Birmingham. According to Dr. Strang, this can include any kind of art, from sculpting to music to woodworking to beadwork to doodling.

Art can transform our brains. It helps us to imagine a future that is more ideal. And as we do that, we structure our brains to match that future. Art of all kinds changes our minds.

Art all around us can enhance our experience of the world. Buddhist philosophy embraces the concept of maya, the belief that our outer worlds are a dream. We do not really experience the world, but rather we interact with our own perception of the world. But is this necessarily a bad thing?

Hardly. Because we cannot conceive all—or even most—of reality, we then can pick and choose what to focus on.

When art blends into a moment in our day, we have a new picture of our own “dream”.

While in Italy and France this summer, I noticed all the graffiti adorning the walls of houses and businesses. These were not the gang-tagging I have come to associate with graffiti in American cities. These were artistic expressions. They told the onlooker that the painters sprayed art intentionally into blank spaces. Like the sculptor who chips off everything that doesn’t look like the final sculpture, so these graffiti artists unveil the art hidden in the blank space.

After arriving home, on a particular frustrating day, I rode my bike through town. I was already exhausted from the pressures of helping clients work through trauma.

I noticed that the public utility company had commissioned people to paint pictures on all the electrical boxes on street corners. One of them was a sunflower scene, reminiscent of Van Gogh’s creations. As I looked at it, I was drawn into its verdant expression. My mood lifted.

Art had changed my perception of life—my dream—for that day. I felt energized to use my own artistic skills in the muddle of the mundane. I immediately went home and did some wire-wrapping. By the time I finished a very simple weave pattern, my appreciation of art’s power to infuse a different dream had won me over.

Art also cements the sense of a community’s culture. Sometimes, it’s evident. The totems of British Columbia’s Haida people, the cameos of Cornelian created by the artisans of Italy’s Amalfi coast, and the jazz stylings in New Orleans—all of these exemplify the historic cultures that created them.

Any culture or subculture that has a unique identity at all creates art to express its diverse voice. This can manifest as a generation’s musical style or a city’s specific artistic genre. Paris is synonymous with Impressionism, New York with Street art and Abstract Impressionism, and Florence, Italy, is renowned for its Renaissance artists, including Michelangelo and Donatello.

However, smaller towns have also made their own distinctive contributions to the creative tapestry. Malfi, Texas, is a thriving hub of Minimalist art, while Sante Fe, New Mexico, is a haven for Native American and Southwestern Art. Gloucester, Massachusetts, is home to the renowned Cape Ann school of painters, and Saugatuck, Michigan, boasts a rich heritage of Crafting.

A person doesn’t need to be a world traveler to experience art firsthand. Art is all around us, in every corner of our existence. Though there aren’t Picassos around every bathroom corner, art still inhabits many spaces we take for granted. Between gardens, architecture, clothing styles, food, jewelry, murals, exhibitions, etc. we are graced with beautiful art everywhere.

If we do not stop to notice it and allow it to soak into our conscious attention, we can get wearied by the frustrations life often holds. Art can restructure that.

As one writer in Cultivate Magazine recently said,

“Art can be especially powerful when it reflects our personal experiences and values. By connecting with a piece of art that speaks to our values, we can often feel a strong emotional connection with it, enabling us to recognize ourselves in the work and appreciate its beauty and meaning.”

I suggest keeping a regular art journal to chronicle what your senses take in. Every person needs to personalize this journal. It should reflect your journey.

But here are some suggestions:

Art Journal Content Ideas

• Daily Observations: Notes on interesting art or design elements seen throughout the day.
• Photos and Sketches: Captured images or quick sketches of local art, architecture, and beautiful scenes.
• Quotes and Inspiration: Quotes from artists or about art that resonate, alongside personal reflections.
• Color Palettes: Samples of colors from the surroundings, swatches from nature, architecture, or interiors.
• Artistic Experiences: Reflections on local art events, exhibitions, or musical events attended.
• Personal Reflections: Thoughts on how certain pieces or styles affect emotions or memories.
• Creative Projects: Ideas for DIY art projects inspired by observed elements in daily life.
• Collage Elements: Incorporate snippets from magazines, tickets to events, or other ephemera related to art experiences.
• Monthly Themes: Focus on a specific theme each month, like “local street art” or “nature as art,” with related entries.
  

So why are there Picasso sculptures in the train station—and bathrooms—in Solér, Spain? Picasso’s father spent many years living and working in Mallorca, and he loved to pass the time in the mountain village of Solér. Through his father, he had met Joan Miro, the most famous artist to come from Solér. The friendship bond was so deep between the two men that when Miro appealed to Picasso to donate some sculptures to the train station, Picasso could not refuse his friend.

Friendship, family, cultural roots all inspire the art being created every day Can you find it? Can you be part of it?