reminders from rembrandt, rothko and even the red hat viewer

it wasn't for long -
just another quick hop over to the art gallery.
just to get out some and get a little inspiration.

the energy between us all was great.
the stories were flying as we drove down.
laughter as we walked in.
joy in just stealin' time for a short break.
maybe there's extra joy in knowing it's not for long.
that the time is extra precious.

i've grown up visiting these art galleries.
used to go wander them as a teenager with my girlfriends.
it's been a lotta years of stoppin' in.

i've seen ol' mister rembrant ever since i can remember.
and yet yesterday i think was the first time i really saw him.

i stood there in front of his portrait and i swear he was looking
straight into my soul. i put my hand on my heart as i could just
feel him. i couldn't get over how alive he was.

then there was that rothko that took me years to 'get' -
but once gotten, his work only goes deeper. i stood in front of
one of his paintings and just got lost in the depths.

i watched a man in a suit stand sideways and stare at 'the girl
with a red hat' by an artist that takes my breath away. i so wanted
to take a picture of that man lookin' at her. there he stood sideways
for some reason. there wasn't anyone else there. but he was
standing sideways as if there was a crowd he was fitting into.
and he looked at her over his shoulder for the longest time. i stood
smiling and watching. he seemed so fascinated with her, and yet
reluctant to turn and face her full on.

the painting of madame picasso. the new van gogh that is totally
my favorite. - it just zings me. bumping into davinci and michelangelo...
and the painter who i'm thinking i will never ever remember his name,
but he's new to me and i love what he does.

and the one that someone pointed to that i didn't like.
but as i walked over and looked closer,
i was so taken with the message i got out of it. i loved it.
i loved the food for thought it gave me.

i soaked up inspiration at every turn.
and wanted to bring some of those feelings back with me for the week.
i thought about how cool it was.
rembrandt and rothko are about as different artists as you get.
and yet, each one touched me so deeply.

i like that a lot.
i liked that the painting i thought i didn't like made me think and gasp
and end up enjoying it.

it reminds me that inspiration isn't found in just one form.
it nudges me to keep my eyes open and try to see more and more.
it reminds me that we all have something to offer.
and that truly, the uniqueness of ourselves is such a gift that we forget
all too often.

even the man in front of the red hat painting held a thought for me -
i don't want to look at inspiration sideways. i want to turn and face
it full on and soak it up. i want to stand in front of it open and eager.
what an important element to the soaking it in.

inspiration at every turn.
sometimes i need to go to the art gallery to find it.
and then sometimes the art gallery reminds me that it's everywhere,
if i can just remember the diversity it lives in and open my eyes to see,
and then of course - to stand and become part of it head on.