Journey To Beautiful Art

 “Art is the only way to run away without leaving home.” This quote by Twyla Tharp speaks for itself, but also describes how I felt while inside the gallery. When looking at one’s artwork, you’re pulled into it. Experiencing beautiful artwork enables one to step outside of the box, and think about other things. Just like one may use music to take them to another place, art can be used in the same way. The artwork in the gallery enabled me to run away from where I was currently at into another world, preferably the mind of the artist. Beautiful art grasps one’s soul, to the point where they’re entered into the artist’s mind, embracing everything put into the picture. When you run away from something, you leave it; sometimes with no intentions on returning. The pictures that caught my attention the most took me on a journey that I didn’t want to return from.

 “Redrum” by Kaila Bacon was perhaps my favorite picture in the gallery. It was the most intense, and just by glancing at it, you get so many feelings. To be more specific, it’s a painting of a dilapidated home. It gives one a scary feeling, a curious feeling. “What happened there, who stayed there?” These are questions that only the artist can answer. Also, the title gives off a lot about the picture. For example, “Redrum” is “Murder” spelled backwards. The title of any piece of art tells its own story. So, when I looked at it I wondered if this could have been a house where a murder was committed. I was attracted to this painting because of the mystery, and I had many questions about it. I like everything about the painting, mainly the detail of the house. Granted, it looks like a house where a brutal murder was committed, so maybe that’s where the title came from. The suspense of this painting makes it all the more intriguing, and gives one the desire to stare until their imagination is satisfied.

The next portrait in the gallery that caught my attention was titled “Don’t Enter” by Charde’ laRoche. Even though this picture caught my attention, it wasn’t one of my favorites. Reason being, it gave off a dark and mysterious tone. As an illustration, there was a green undertone used for the picture, with a young woman standing in front of a door, with a lock on it. Our main character, the young woman has an intense stare on her face, one almost daring anyone to enter this building she’s guarding so securely. Even though this woman looks so dangerous, she’s actually beautiful, and has tattoos on her arms. Aside from this being a beautiful and detailed picture, it has many questions to be answered, and gives off no hints. As a person who loves to analyze, I was disappointed with the fact that I had no answers to my questions. I don’t understand what this woman had to hide behind the door, and how this could relate to society.

            Love at first sight, this is what I felt when I looked at “Mini Jax” by John Shippee. It’s a picture of Downtown Jacksonville, on perhaps a regular afternoon. As a citizen of Jacksonville, Florida I personally love our downtown area. I love everything about this picture, from the title to the picture itself. I love the peaceful look Jacksonville has, but it still stands out as a beautiful city. Furthermore, the title adds on an emphasis to Jacksonville. It makes it as if downtown is Jacksonville itself. Honestly, I can second that, and say that downtown Jacksonville really is a “Mini Jax”. It’s where all of the shows are, all the biggest events, even where our own President Obama has been. Downtown Jacksonville is great, and it does a lot to add definition to Jacksonville. This picture was one of the greatest, and also won First Prize. It very well deserved it, because it was first prize in my book also.

            Art really does take you to another place, a place far away from where you currently are, it takes you to a place where you are comfortable. Each picture that caught most of my attention in the gallery took me to another place. “Art is the only way to run away without leaving home.” This quote proves true, and it’s such a wonderful place where art enables you to run away to.