Art and where you can find it

In Newport which is about 26 miles south of where I live there is a small district by the beach that Cal and I found by accident called Nye beach. In front of one of the buildings by the beah is this statue made of old junk parts and bits of glass. I have visted this piece many times and have caught the sun striking the head to make it glow and the rest although it has turned rusty from all the rain and salt air it is stunning to see. It has a name something like the Ambassador I think and it does it's job well. With it's arms spread in welcome to all who come to visit.
It always reminds me that art can be anywhere. I see it everywhere here in Oregon. I see it from the people who take driftwood and make baskets to the one who draw huge pictures in the sand that only last until high tide or a windy day. The ones you see like this and the photographers everywhere. It doesn't matter though if your art is displayed for the public or you put it on the fridge or you have it in your backyard. It reflects your inner beauty and makes you happy to look at it.
Not all art I see I would put in my house but I can appreciate it. Cal often asks me when I am admiring a piece of artwork, "Where would you put that?" or "That wouldn't fit in with what we have."  It doesn't have to, but I can still like it and enjoy looking at it. I can still open my senses up and take in someone elses creativity and applaud them for taking the time and energy to do it and putting it out in the universe. I don't like all forms of art and music but I don't like all kinds of food either. But for that moment in time I can try it on, see how it makes me feel and in my mind's eye take it for a test drive. That's what is so good about it. My friend Nancy likes modern art. It's not my favorite, but when we went to the Musem of Modern Art in San Franciso, in the 4 or 5 floors of paintings and sculptures I found several pieces that I enjoyed very much. And the experience was great to see something that was out of my usual scope of art. I saw it through her eyes in some ways.  Now I look at it from a different perspective. I love the art she has in her home becuase she has shown me how to appreciate the more modern side of my creativity. I evolved because of her. Amazing how art will do that to us!
Art and music to me are what brings joy to the world. Some people say that we don't need to teach children these things. I look around at the disconnected generation that we have now, and say oh yes we do. We need to teach them how to do one thing at a time. How to appreciate all things of beauty in art and music and math and science. They need to be well rounded people, not just techies.
So, if you have children or grandchildren, take them to a gallery or to a museum along with taking them to Disneyland. Make sure that they are getting both sides of the coin. Even if they grow up to be a world class scientist, make sure that they have happy memories of seeing VanGogh or Ansel Adams or a piece of modern art. Show them the world is bigger and brighter and let them choose what they like. Children love to go to those places and ask all kinds of questions that you probably won't be able to answer but go anyway you may learn something too. And the next time you see something in a window, don't just walk by, stop and take in someone elses creativity. Take a moment to send up a silent thank you to those that take the time and the labor of love to make something beautiful. We all have creativity in some way, we just need to let it come out. Uh-huh, even you! I used to say I didn't have it, but it takes courage, and experimenting, and trial and error sometimes to find where it is. But we all have it. We just need to go find it. I did and I don't let anyone tell me I can't do it now.
So, go enjoy some art and find a little creativity in yourself today!