Art Unexpected

I think humans crave art from time to time.  It's as necessary as the air we breathe.  Sometimes, we seek it out in museums, shops, and books.  Other times, it sneaks up on us when we least expect it, and that's when life can seem truly magical.  I had art hit me out of nowhere not once, but twice this morning.  It made me smile, and I thought it might do the same for you.

Thomas and I spent a little time at Disney World's Magic Kingdom around Halloween.  Now, we were both raised by Disney fans, and were both taught to plot out your plan of attack early, show up at opening, and stay till closing.  In that time, you'd better do everything you want to do.  As my Dad used to say, "hurry up and have fun, this is costing me money" (with a wink and a crooked grin, of course).  With this shared sense of urgency, Thomas and I bolted from attraction to attraction, pushing through crowds, knocking down small children (well, not really, but definitely hopping over them), and generally acting like we were on Supermarket Sweep.  Little did we know what we were missing in our frenzy.

Disney is a master at detail.  Don't believe me?  Watch Toy Story and take note of scuffs on the wall, and dings in the doors.  It's the little things, folks.  The park is treated no differently.  Just look around at the topiaries, signage, and, oddly enough, the ground itself.  It seems that, from time to time, the custodial cast members like to have a little fun with their job.  Using nothing but a broom and a bucket of mop water, they can create crowd-pleasing character drawings, right before your very...um...feet.

Photo Credit:  DisneyParks Blog

This portrait of Goofy came courtesy of David, a cast member from Amherst, NY.  Next time you're in the park, look for David (or one of his co-workers).  Even if you miss the "show", maybe they can serve as a reminder to take your time and enjoy the scenery.  You may stumble across a little unexpected pixie dust in the process.

Now, I'm lucky to have some wonderfully talented friends.  What I love, though, is when one of them surprises me with either a new talent, or one I just never knew about.  A few years ago, I did a theatre tour with Doug.  Then, he impressed me with his quick wit, movement skills, and out and out theatrical talent.  Now, I'm doubly impressed to find out that he's also a fabulously talented visual artist.  I knew he could sketch, but I had no idea to what extent his artistic talent went. 

I'm thrilled to be able to share with you a link to his Etsy shop, Yesterdays Coffee.  There, you can find original paintings and other incredible works of art.  The prices are pretty awesome, too.  Congrats, Doug!

    

Photo Credit (Above and This Photo):  Yesterdays Coffee