Inspiring Beauty

Pot hole mosaic by Jim Bachor

I've long admired artists who create beauty. They make me smile, provide a sense of "all is well with the world," and inspire me to bring my own sense of calm, kindness, and beauty to the world. 

You probably have your favorite artists, someone famous and long gone from this world. I do too. But today, I have a more modern and whimsical type of artist in mind. I'm talking about street artists, or at least artists whose work lives in the street. These are people with a vision of what could be. They find the ordinary, or even the ugly, and transform it.

The tile mosaic of tulips, shown above, is both pretty and useful. Artist Jim Bachor was tired of the potholes in his city, so began transforming them into works of art! He has created a series of flowers, food, and messages to fill Chicago's many annoying potholes.

Guerilla Gardeners sneak in and beautify at night

One of my guilty pleasures is learning about the latest escapade of the organization Guerilla Gardeners! This delightful band of characters sneak around under cover of darkness, seeking out the rundown and neglected areas of their city. What do they do when they arrive at their destination? Why beautify of course! How do they do it? Alone, in groups, and via drive by! They adopt a neglected area, seed bombing, planting, mulching, and watering to create their living works of art. Check out their website here.

Poetry appears when it rains

Some artists use words to create a little magic. Most days their words go unnoticed, but when it rains...Magic! Words appear on Boston's city sidewalks! Stop and take a moment to read the poetry and you may find you don't really mind the rain all that much. Read about Raining Poetry here.

Hippo Sculpture Taipei, Taiwan

Sculpture, a traditional form of art, becomes more interesting, relevant and lively when it's on a street, sidewalk, or any where outdoors! Check out more sculptures captured by Bored Panda readers here.

Water in the Way, 3D Chalk Art

One of the most amazing things I've discovered, as I scroll my way through the internet, is 3-dimensional street art. The images these artists create are jaw dropping fun! Admit it, don't you just want to dip your toe in the water of this pond? I can't help but let my imagination wander into these artist created worlds existing below our feet. See 50 more creations in Peteris Kelle's article at Hongkiat by clicking here.

New London Mural Walk

Well so far, we've looked at transformed potholes, beautified neglected bits of ground, sculptures coming out of the ground, and chalk art that takes us under ground. Had enough? Me either! Let's take a look at the sides of buildings. Boring? Not when artists get to work painting murals on them! These works of art have transformed a once dumpy looking downtown area into an inspiring destination. I'm feeling very fortunate, because the murals I'm referring to are right here in Southeastern Connecticut. New London's Mural Walk project has really taken shape, and I can't wait to go for a walk downtown. Check out the map here. 

Be sure to share your thoughts. I'd love to know what inspires you - Just for Fun!

Laura S. Pringle is the author of The Pringle Plan, a series of educational guides. 

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 ©2017 Laura S. Pringle. All Rights Reserved.