Visit a Museum!
We are all looking for inspiration, reasons to keep going when times get tough. One thing you should do very soon is visit a museum.
The act of standing in front of a beautiful work of art by a master is a life changing experience. This week I visited the Ringling Museum in Sarasota, FL and found myself dwarfed by a humongous canvas which must have been 20 feet high. What a monumental achievement!
John and Mabel Ringling (of circus fame) spent their lives traveling the world and collecting fantastic art. This art is now on display for the world to see in Sarasota. One room in the gallery contains works by Peter Paul Rubens, an artist in the Flemish Baroque tradition. Just being in the presence of these immense paintings makes one humble and reverent.
You need time with art! There is an art gallery near you, no matter where you are, and you should take a few minutes to slow down, get quiet, and ponder what it took to create the art on display. No matter what style or period, you will be inspired.
Just as I was dwarfed by the Rubens painting, I found myself dwarfed a different way also! The photo which accompanies this blog post was taken in the Dwarf Garden at Ringling. John Ringling collected this series of statues because the Medici’s had such a collection in Italy and he certainly admired them! I found them creepy and humorous and fascinating. And certainly thought-provoking!
Get yourself thinking! No matter what work you do, there is inspiration for you in great art. Be inspired by what is possible! Set aside some time very soon.
Tim Hinton
January 26, 2024
