I Heart Art

For as long as I live, I will never forget the moment I walked into the Grande Galerie of the Louvre museum in Paris, France.  There was a palpable energy in the air of that magnificent place.  It was alive and electric, a hum that seemed to reverberate through the palatial halls.  I felt it course through me, from my fingertips to my sneaker-clad toes.  Maybe it was the rich history found within the paint and the brush strokes on those canvases, that gave tangibility to the energy in the air.  Maybe it came from being surrounded by works of art that emanated absolute creative brilliance.  Or maybe the energy was originating from one lone masterpiece–mysteriously beautiful and luminescent, shielded behind panes of glass, guarded by several middle aged men in navy blazers… Leonardo Da Vinci’s, “Mona Lisa.”

The Mona Lisa is quite lovely in person.  In fact, she took my breath away.  She made the hairs on my arms stand on end.  The sight of her made me want to cry, I was so moved.  I stood before her in that crowded, vibrant gallery–barely moving, barely breathing–and let the awe I felt wash over me.  It was incredible.

I love art and have always enjoyed art history.  My interest increased after visiting several museums across Europe, and especially after seeing Da Vinci’s extraordinary work.  I was hooked!  I took art history courses while attending Utah State University.  I read art books, journals, and periodicals while working on campus in the Serials department of the library.  I attended art shows whenever I could.  I purchased prints and framed them.  I tried to surround myself with art.

Now, ten years later, I am surrounded by a different kind of art.  Prints of famous artwork used to adorn my refrigerator, but have now been replaced by “paint with water” pages and construction paper preschool crafts.  These works came to fruition at the hands of a budding young artist–one I am particularly fond of.  She works primarily in crayon and Crayola markers.  She is notably talented, despite her lack of experience or education.  The potential is there.  I can see the potential for greatness.