A group of fellow bloggers and I were recently decided to create themed posts for each Friday. This week’s theme is to share a favorite or inspiring piece of art.
This theme was a challenging one for me. My mind wandered through the many museums I have visited in the U.S. and Europe, searching for the one piece of art that stood out as a possible candidate for “favorite”. Scores of gorgeous paintings and statues paraded through my memory but not a single one rose to the top to be the chosen one.
I’ll admit to being quite picky when it comes to art, especially that which adorns my walls. In fact, when I took a quick inventory of the artwork hanging in my house, nearly all of it is in the form of framed photography – primarily of my kids and of my travels.
Huh. Interesting.
Then I took a quick *cough* peek at my Pinterest boards. My photography board (the largest one in my collection) is full of the same. People. Places. Black and white photos and bold, bright colors seem to catch my eye most often.
And that’s when it hit me.
My favorite kind of art is photography. Of people and far away places.
photo credit: seriykotik1970 via photopin cc
My absolute favorites are the more candid people photos, those brief moments when the subject is smiling and looking down or has turned slightly away from the camera with a pensive look. Those photos can sometimes move me to tears with their simple, intimate beauty.
I also love it when a photographer captures the personality of place as though you’re right there feeling the pulse of everything around you, as though you’ve stepped through the lens at the precise second the giant pause button was pushed, just before everything falls into motion once again.
Funny how it takes a post like this to sort out one’s preferences.
The Canon Rebel. Yes, please. photo credit: Khánh Hmoong via photopin cc
I don’t claim to be a great photographer and the photos I’ve chosen to frame and display at home really only have significance to me and my family, so I won’t bore you with them here. But just like my goals and hopes and dreams for being a writer, I also want to be a really good photographer. Quite desperately, actually.
I don’t want to infringe on any photographer’s copyrights so I’m not going to post any of my favorites here. Feel free to skip over to my photography board on Pinterest to take a peek at the kinds of photos to which I’m drawn. (And before you say anything, yes, I know there’s a ridiculous abundance of photos of a certain person on there. Whatever. Don’t judge.)
Also, be sure to check out these blogs featuring more inspiring art work:
Liv Rancourt: Chist and St. Michael
Rabia Gale: Large Blue Horses by Franz Marc
Ellen Gregory: Boticelli’s Venus
Linda Adams: Inspiration in Color in Washington D.C.
Margaret Miller: How Do You Decide a Favorite?
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What about you, artful readers? What kind of art floats your boat? What piece of art would you deem your favorite? What kind of art would move you to spend money on it and then display it in your home? Sit, sip, and tell. Your comments really do make my day and I always love hearing from you.