Whenever one talks of inspiration, art is one of the first subjects that comes to mind. From the enormous scale of work in the Sistine Chapel or the minute details in the gaze of Mona Lisa, to the impromptu yet calculated works of Banksy or the disciplined splatters created by Jackson Pollock, art has inspired and caused much wonder. Art naturally causes something to stir up in the mind; be it curiosity, awe, frustration, or boredom. We can be surprised by artwork and the insights it unveils in our own minds, or question the artist’s intent and their ability to create worthwhile work.
Art is wild and imaginative, seemingly crafted from a place only art can come from. The ability to create something from nothing, often for the sole purpose of having done so.
One of the unexpected, yet delightful consequences of installing public art on PATH400 and Buckhead parks, has been the explosion of art that has been inspired by it. After the installation of first murals on PATH400, we noticed a few of the decorative (and functional) river rocks showed up painted. Then more, then more. One trail user has taken the time to curate some along a portion of the highway sound wall.
A Little Free Library turned up in between murals, overflowing with artistic expression. Then another followed in Old Ivy Park. Colorful murals started popping up on previously plain, grey concrete pillars in Mountain Way Common Park.
In 2018, as part of a collaborative effort between the Georgia Audubon, Livable Buckhead and the North Buckhead Home and Garden Club, a section of PATH400 was designated an Georgia Audubon Certified Wildlife Habitat. In an effort to help build additional safe habitats for birds, Livable Buckhead partnered with Salesforce and Vacation Express to have volunteers decorate bird house to be installed along PATH400. What started with a few dozen, has taken on a life of its own, with a local trail users adding a profusion of artistically inspired birdhouses.
Artwork is often one of the easiest tools to use for changing our perspective, entering a different time or place, and fueling our imaginations. Often the impact art has on us is small, a seed, but once exposed to it the germ spreads and grows into something only each individual’s mind is capable of creating.
