Last weekend my mom and I met at the annual summer art fair in our town of Ann Arbor. Although most people I know avoid the fair at all costs because of the crowds and hassle of parking, my mom and I love it (and if you read my post from two weeks ago, you know that’s what bikes are for!).
As we ambled from booth to booth, resting our gazes on each artist’s work, I asked my mom: “How do you know when it’s time to take a piece of art home with you?” My mom, having frequented the fair for the past 35 years, has a house whose walls are abundantly adorned with original art, so I figured if anyone would know the answer to this question, it would be her.
She had two things to say, both of which I will share with you now. Perhaps as you’re out in the world, you might take these thoughts to heart as you decide when to take something “home” with you – be it in the physical sense (such as a work of art) or in the nonphysical sense (such as an idea or a suggestion).
#1 – It calls to you.
One of the things I love most about art is that it truly does lie in the eyes (or the ears) of the beholder. A painting that touches my soul might have no effect on you. And a piece of music that transports you to another dimension might have no effect on me. As my mom and I strolled the streets of the art fair, sometimes she would feel pulled into a booth that didn’t particularly interest me, and vice versa.
What does it mean when something “calls” to you? I think it’s hard to put into words because there is nothing rational or logical about it. When something calls to you, it simply captures your attention or your imagination in a way that feels insatiable and irresistible.
Only you can know when something calls to you.
#2 – You remember it later on.
A few hours into our art fair trip, my mom suddenly returned to our former topic of conversation. “I know I need to take a piece of art home if I keep remembering it later on. A feeling that I might miss it if I don’t.”
If you see or hear something and never think of it again? It probably didn’t make much of an impression on you. You’ll remember the important things – the things you need to have.
And a tip: Don’t let it pass you by.
While I appreciated the above thoughts my mom shared with me during our outing, what stuck with me most of all was a story she told. Years ago, she was walking through the fair one morning on her way to work. She saw a painting that absolutely called to her and decided she would return on her lunch hour to purchase it. But when she did, it was gone. Someone else had already taken it home. Heartbreakingly, even though this was many years ago, she can still picture the painting in her mind.
And so? Don’t let this happen to you! When something truly calls to you – whether it’s a painting or a person or an idea – do something about it. Don’t let it pass you by.
