Life’s Short, Buy the Art!

“Art . . . isn’t a luxury. Like our capacity for understanding, and our experience of love, it is a vitally important part of life.”

Gillian Pederson Krag

Life’s Short, Buy the Art!

While ogling the goods in the window of an upscale boutique, I spotted a plaque that read, “Life’s Short, Buy the Damn Bag!” Perhaps you’ve seen it or a similar version.  While there are certainly reasons not to buy everything we see and want, it’s difficult to argue with the concept.

This is the season of outdoor art shows, when artists from coast to coast set up their tents and display their creations, asking people to part with hard-earned dollars. But art is often a hard sell. Someone might return to my art show booth several times before making a final decision on a painting. And I never know what the final decision will be. I can almost see the thought bubble: Where will I put it? (I can help you with that.) Do I really need it? (Absolutely.) In previous Art Talks, I’ve discussed research that reveals the importance of art in people’s lives. The reasons to surround ourselves with art are many.

“Art is who we are. It facilitates self-realization in everyone.”

Philippe Benichou

• Selecting and displaying a particular piece of art expresses your personality, thus becoming a reflection of who you are.

“All art should inspire and evoke emotion. Art should be something you can actually feel.”

Chris DeRubeis

• Art can impact our moods and state of mind. A bright and colorful painting in your kitchen might energize you, while a painting’s more subdued palette in your bedroom might invoke serenity and calm. Another might bring you joy every time you look at it.

“One eye sees, the other feels.”

Paul Klee

 • Art has the capacity to help us gain new perspectives on ourselves and others by silently urging us to look inward.

“A true artist is not one who is inspired but one who inspires others.”

Salvador Dali

• Looking at a piece of art can inspire our own creative impulses.

“The mountains are calling, and I must go.”

John Muir

• A piece of art can evoke dreams and memories. For example, a landscape—even if it’s a place you’ve never been—might capture a moment from your past, or perhaps it will take your mind to a place you dream of going.

Life’s Short. Buy the art!