Many people consider art to be a luxury item, only to be purchased by the rich, or with money from your slush fund. But nothing could be further from the truth.

You take care of your mind and body with healthy food, exercise, adequate sleep and a positive attitude. Art takes care of your soul by filling it with beauty, wonder and a wide range of emotions.

Art serves many purposes, but the main one is to feed your soul. You may find a piece of art that is beautiful to you, stirs your emotions, reminds you of someone or someplace or even inspires you.

I remember many pieces of art, in various mediums, that spoke to me over the years. But the first, and strongest, happened when I was about 10 years old. My family and I went to a prisoner art show at Folsom Prison about 50 years ago. Not much else was going on in the rural area where I lived. And I still remember one piece of art that I saw.

The canvas was about 5 feet tall and had a large tear running almost its entire length. A leather thong had been used to try and sew the tear closed, but as the stitching neared the top of the tear, the bottom stitching began to unravel. It was an impressive piece showing a convict trying to mend his life, but having his efforts come undone.

Art serves many purposes for both people and businesses.

For people, art:

• Personalizes your home.
• Allows you to express yourself.
• Stimulates your creativity.

For businesses, art:

• Can set a mood in an office, either calming or active.
• Makes a company look more respectable and trustworthy.
• Creates a look that builds on the corporation’s branding.

Art has a powerful emotional impact on the artist and the people who view the art. These emotions can be good or bad, depending on your life experience. This makes art a very personal experience for the viewer. That experience can promote inspiration, motivation and stimulation.

It also lets you look at the world through someone else’s eyes. This can open whole new worlds for you, giving you a fresh perspective on something and stirring your imagination.

Having art on the walls of your living and work space makes these areas more enjoyable. You can express yourself, stay motivated and enjoy your time at these locations. I have spent time working and living in places with no art on the walls. The environment quickly became oppressive and boring.

Art has the ability to start a dialogue between people. In a business, this can quickly help to build a bond between an employee and client. If they both like a piece of art that’s on the company’s wall, it helps cement a relationship that can lead to increased sales and customer loyalty. The same can happen in your home, with the artwork building friendships between people.

Artwork can also be used to express wealth, power, and to intimidate visitors. Imagine you have a meeting with a high-powered executive. You walk into his office and sit down in a chair in front of his desk. Behind the executive is a huge and powerful painting.

With the executive sitting in front of the painting, that power becomes part of the person. You feel the power of the painting, the person and the office. Why do you think that ancient cultures created huge buildings and statues? It was an effort to impress visitors, citizens and to show the power of the ruler.

I always prefer to purchase original pieces of art. It makes me feel closer to the art and the artist. Having the piece they actually created can be very moving. But it can also be very expensive. For that reason I, and you, can also purchase limited edition prints, open edition prints and posters. It all depends on what your wallet can bear, and what will work for you. I have all of these on my walls. I may not have the space to hang a 10 foot by 10 foot original painting or photograph, but I have room for a 3 foot by 3 foot print.

Having art throughout your home and office is like creating your own art museum. It lets you fully express yourself, increases your esteem among your peers and creates a living and working space that you truly enjoy.

Express yourself with art. Surround yourself with what you love and what touches your soul. Expand yourself into your living and working environment and enjoy this oasis of your own creation.

Have Fun,
Jeff