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How Travel Inspires Artists

Travel has long been a favorite activity for artists, offering inspiration on different fronts. Seeing new cities and meeting new people opens up a whole new artistic world, and it's common for artists to start working influences from a trip into their projects. These influences range from representational physical characteristics to abstract thoughts and emotions.

New Landscapes

At the most practical level, travel shows artists new landscapes and cultures that the artists can then work into their art. For example, artists from New England who travel to the desert Southwest and see those fabled sunsets in person could work those colors into their art. Those new scenes give the artists more material. Unusual landforms, stunning vistas, and even a different setup for a market layout can all form the basis for new designs.

Old Landscapes

Taking time away from their current city and then returning can also give artists fresh perspective. They may not have noticed certain features or behavior before their trip, but now they do, and their art shows that influence. For instance, an artist who returns to a large city like Los Angeles after traveling to a rural town may find the city's road layouts or skyscrapers to be more stunning than the artist had previously realized. The local plant life, for example, might suddenly seem so wonderfully familiar and comforting that it becomes the subject of a new series of artworks.

Experimentation

If travel does anything, it shows people that there is more out there than what they are used to seeing. There are more artistic styles to investigate, more emotions to ponder, more color combinations to test, and more patterns to discover. Artists who travel often find themselves taking more risks because they now know that their previous artistic paths were not the only ones possible.

If you'd like to see art that shows how travel can inspire an artist, check out abstract artist Nubia Gala. Gallery installations and exhibitions around the country and in her own private studio in  Katy, Texas, showcase her colorful, travel-inspired paintings. Art is meant to open minds, and travel-inspired art brings those world influences to you, visit my gallery at NubiaGala.com