Art Everywhere

Last night was one of the most splendid nights I've had in a long while. It was full of whimsy, art and wonderful people. Since Ghent has a very large art population (an artist I am not, but know plenty of them) we were instantly aware of a huge art instillation going on right in our our backyard. Basically, since the economic downturn, we've experienced a lot of business closings in our downtown area, so the empty store fronts just stood as a reminder of hard times, tough luck, and just plain ugliness. This was rectified by a fun project to help the aesthetic of our downtown area, while bringing attention to buildings that are actually for lease.

Our neighbors are wonderful people and activists in our area, and created the most wonderful space that would bring an awareness to the growing homeless population in our city. It's quite sad and I have wonderful conservations with the homeless population on a daily basis. They almost all have jobs, but are just down on their luck. It's quite expensive to live here, and I'll be the first to say that if I didn't have Zach or a caring family, I'd probably be living in a shelter, making the money I make. It's quite depressing for people trying to make a living and not getting anywhere. Anyways, their window display was of a makeshift room with a bed, nightstand, and chair and they've created a living exhibit for people in the city to take turns living in throughout the next couple of months. It's a wonderful idea and sparked a lot of curiosity from city leaders and city dwellers.

They also used the window to draw people as they walked by since they needed something to do.

Here are a few pictures that exposed the creativity that resides in our little city. The talent that pours from this city, just makes me proud to be from Norfolk.