Tuesday, February 13 2007 @ 04:39 PM CST
Contributed by: Marilyn
Trying to describe Los Cabos is like trying to describe water or sunshine-you have to experience it because words and even pictures don't quite capture the essence. Much of life can be so lived on the surface of things that we lose touch with the importance of how we are feeling and relating to our experiences. The pace of our lives can be almost frenetic with our "to do" lists that stretch far into the future and our world filled with gadgets that we use to save us time. Time we use mostly to give us more "stuff" to do. Hopefully on your vacation time here, you can use some of that time to discover something new about yourself you didn't know before, in addition to the famous Cabo pastime of just relaxing and basking in being. Holiday time is the time for renewing yourself-inside and out.
We watched a charming little film awhile ago about a young man who was born with a disfiguring disease. He had a beautiful soul and personality in spite of his difficulties, but of course most people in his world recoiled at how he looked and never took time to know him. He fell in love with a woman who was born blind and naturally, not being distracted by his looks, related to his whole being because what she loved about him most was his ability to give her an inner sight into everyday things. For instance he'd put cotton balls into her hands and while she was touching and feeling the puffs of cotton, he would describe fluffy clouds which she'd heard about but couldn't "picture" with her mind, having never seen a sky or clouds. He did this with everyday objects to describe colors, things and ideas and she was in total glee for the first time in her life. No one had the insight to do this for her before and her world opened up because of his inspiration. Most people take for granted the gifts of sight, sound and touch not realizing that these are the tools our soul uses to delve deeper into the issues of life. Artists know this on an intuitive level and use these to create what we can't articulate with words.
Throughout history, artists have been the chroniclers of the human condition. The myths, heroes, tender feelings, beauty and history of mankind are all hanging in the great museums and galleries of the world. True artists tap into the heart of the matter and can render a touching moment, a beautiful landscape or everyday objects and situations into timeless pieces of art. A photograph will capture the 3D scene adequately, but it takes the eye of an artist to transform a mere image into an art form that will inspire and give real meaning to the viewer.
Once you discover that special "feeling" that Cabo has to offer, you might want to think about how you can take some of that feeling back home with you to enjoy always. A painting that touches you is something of which you never tire. Vacation time is the perfect time to haunt galleries and studios looking for that special piece that will bring you that "peace" when you see it. Other mementos are usually stored away after a time, or put in albums to be taken out occasionally, not so a work of art which will be there for you to enjoy every day.
Our wanderlust first brought us to Los Cabos in 1990 and when we opened our Golden Cactus studio/gallery in old town Cabo San Lucas, in 1997, there was virtually no art scene here. Now, with Cabo having been discovered by the world, many other artists have moved here from the States, Canada and other parts of Mexico to open artist studios and galleries everywhere in Los Cabos.
There is a wonderful art district in old town San José just a mere 30 minutes from Cabo San Lucas. Todo Santos is somewhat further, about an hour and a half away by car, where some expat artists have discovered the laid back attitude there inspiring and opened up studios and galleries.
If collecting or buying fine art hasn't been a priority in your life, now would be a good time to begin to explore a fascinating and rewarding activity that you can continue adding to at home, or on other vacations. Vacation time permits you the time to scour studios and galleries to find that perfect painting of that sunset you watched, or the desert at dawn or any other memory you've experienced, to take home with you. We encourage parents to include their kids, as this is a much neglected part of most peoples' education in life. Art appreciation begins at home with parents who can help instill the interest and even help their children begin their own collections. Giving a small amount of spending money to be used to buy art for their rooms is a good start. As artists and gallery owners, it is our pleasure to answer and encourage questions about our art and artists, as do most reputable galleries. Art is not only for the elite and is more important than language as the common denominator of people and cultures. (observe the Tender Moment painting by Brent Heighton and experience motherhood in any culture)
There is so much to discover about yourself through the art that attracts you and you have the added bonus of taking home a slice of Cabo life.
