I love making City Inspired Art.. The series featured here is called Urbicolous It is my way of giving back to the city. It’s an active study of the relationship between large cities and their populations. I am in love of any type of art and music and literature that support the special relationship between people and the city they live and love in, it thrills me into a productive state. I am always looking for inspiration and when I witness an artist of any caliber expressing their knowledge of that bond between the city and it’s dweller, I am never disappointed in their ability to inspire. The bigger the city, the bigger the expression it seems. The mind and spirit of a mega city dweller is proven to be more evolved and advanced in their interpretation of all things.

I appreciate the Gehl take on all things city. Gehl Architects, an urban research and design consultancy based in Denmark, says   “Our belief is that a livable city is one that provides high quality of life for its inhabitants in and out of office hours” My belief, this is commendable and I agree with their people centered approach to urban design. I do suppose paying mind to a city’s layout and livability of public spaces, roads, bridges, water ways, established businesses, creatives and homes, will do more for the happiness and contentment of its inhabitants. The health of a sustainable city is in direct proportion to the health of its citizens and vice versa. The full circle kind of thing going on there. I can get behind that and do when I make art for the Urbicolous Art Gallery.

Dave Bartlett, Vice President, IBM Smarter Buildings writes, “Smart cities are highly instrumented and connected systems of systems–water, power, transportation, and so forth. Similar to a living system in nature, they can be highly complex, especially when you think about the conglomeration of infrastructure over a city’s history” I have realized, the age of the smart building is upon us, the smarter our buildings, the smart their occupants. Communities are even starting to group buildings in the same manner as a single building with its many utility, security and sewer systems.  These things fascinate both my left and right brain to no end. I can see the full circle when creating art with a message of advancement and evolution. I even value art, music and literature about the atomized city with its empty buildings and piles of rubble, these visions put me in the frame of mind necessary to provoke thoughtful growth.

While I collaborate with like-minded artists and musicians by watching, reading and listening, I’ll grow more fond of the idea of living in the big city. Someday, I will be found in the heart of Chicago. London or Tokyo, creating art in the city streets. I owe a large part of my personal evolution to a city. I learned to open my mind to the idea of many different ways of living life, I learned equality for all, the value of education, the power of an opportunity that comes from a chance meeting with a like-minded soul on the subway. If you took away the experiences I had living in the city, it would leave a massive hole there in that spot that makes me who I am and I would not be able to fill it with any other experiences like those of the city life. I hope to convey with my art, music and literature, what I value and cherish about the great cities of  the world. It’s what I keep in mind every time I create another piece for the Urbicolous Series.

Thanks for hanging out with me and checking out the art. Go to the Urbicolous Art Gallery to see all of the city inspired art. The collection is beginning to grow but I still have lots of work to do. Read the blog in you are so inclined, it talks about art tools, art history, and such. All are welcome to comment.

Worlds Exposition in Green, City Inspired Art by Mary Clanahan

City Inspired Art