Finding beauty in the ordinary

by Malique Moore

A person can start to overlook beauty and awe when it’s surrounding them day by day.  I have experienced this first hand and I know how easy it can be to get disillusioned when everyday life gives you no chance to catch a breath. However, on a recent solo-exploration through the Harrison Center, I began to notice minor things that seemed as though they deserved a show of their own. There were decorated doors, spray painted floors, under-construction galleries, and stained glass windows that seemed passed by and under-appreciated.

I’ll be the first to admit that I am one of those people that you can catch with their eye fixed on something, whether staring at the funny shaped clouds or the interesting cracks in the sidewalks. Becoming an intern here at the Harrison Center gave me a reason to have such wandering eyes. Being an already creative person in photography and several other mediums of art, this is the perfect opportunity to get inspired and learn from successful, local artists. Even when I’m walking through the hallways covered in vivacious art, I am drawn to the art and immediately feel inspired. However, as the paintings and sculptures have become more and more familiar, I have noticed more and more new things. My eyes are seduced by the stained glass windows and the sun’s rays as they shine through. My mind lights up with inspiration, no longer from the art everyone notices but by the collaged doors of the artists’ studios. And I am transported to a more free form of art when I walk on the spray painted floors.

Gallery #2 in preparation for the next show.

Now I don’t want you to think I’m disregarding the amazing art that surrounds the hallways of the Harrison Center! It’s those pieces that stir the creation rushing through my veins.  Those very pieces are the ones I hope my art will have the honor of hanging next to! But I am shining a light on the art that deserves a show of its own one of these days. Whether it’s a glimpse into the Harrison Center’s past or a glimpse into the artist’s studio whose doors remain shut for now. Either way, during a person’s journey through the Harrison Center, it’s good to have wandering eyes and notice that every nook and cranny of this place has a piece of art.