Art
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Ones mans junk is another man’s treasure. Art is the window to a man’s soul. These are all common phrases we hear about art, yet each one has a different twist to the understanding of art. Out of all three the first one is my favorite. It is short, simple and to the point. There is no arguing the statement. Beauty is truly in the eye of the looker.
I can speak from first hand experience in this regard. When I went to Jamaica last summer for a music therapy trip, I a great experience mingling, talking, and helping the local people. One day when I was walking along the beach with a friend I noticed an old shack with a bunch of canvas paintings hanging on the outside wall. I was intrigued so my friend and I walked over and began to speak with the shop owner. He said he didn’t have a store, so he just hangs his work on the outside of the abandoned building and/or on the ground. His work was beautiful, I feel in love with it instantly. It was his families work, his father taught him and his sister. The daughter does the canvas paintings and the son made all the wood carvings. I knew I wanted a to buy a painting but I did not bring any cash with me on that days outing, I told him I would be back in a couple of days. Well I got caught up with my trip and did not get a change to go back to his shop until my last day in Jamaica. I was worried I would miss him before the day was through, so while the group I was with was waiting for dinner I walked to his shop, and it began to rain, (remember his shop is outside) I was worried I was going to miss him so I began to run. Luckily I caught him just as he was putting up his last paintings. After talking prices and doing some bartering I was able to purchase two wonderful canvas paintings. Now I will always have an authentic piece of Jamaican culture that will always be a part of my home, wherever I go. Some people might look at my paintings and not understand or see what I see in the paintings, because they are more than just that, they are a reminder of what I experienced and how that trip changed my life and perspective on music therapy forever.
Beth