A Fresh Outlook

By Judy Feldman | www.wildemeyer.com

In French, there’s a saying, “changer les idées,” which could be translated literally to mean changing ideas, but what it really means is doing something different – leaving your usual environment – to get a fresh outlook on things.

House in Vinales 24" x 36"
by Judy Feldman

Just recently, I was able to “changer les idées” by taking an eight-day trip to Cuba. It’s a place I’ve always wanted to visit, since I lived in South Florida, where so much of the Miami culture is Cuban. Also, I was intrigued that a country so close to us could be so different and somewhat forbidden. I went with a group that had a “people to people” permit and an interest in nature. We traveled over about two thirds of the country, and often, I felt that I was in a different time – namely the 50s. (The cars are amazing!)

Playa Largo beach house

Leaving one’s usual environment is good for an artist. We get to see new things and think about how they can translate to our art. I was so impressed with the lush beauty of Cuba, its simple, even retro lodgings.

the colorful, small houses:

Vinales house

 and amazing people who enjoy their music and art so much:

I’ve finished one painting inspired by my trip, "House in Vinales," shown at the top of this post. Working on it brought back memories of these travels and the visual sensory feast I enjoyed.

Bill Colt, another Wilde Meyer artist, also has been inspired by Cuba. Bill’s passion is cars, and I think he also found his visual feast there. I’ll quote him: “It's all about the cars. They say the best auto mechanics in the world are in Cuba because they have to keep 50 year old cars running with virtually no parts.”

The Island City 24" x 36"
by Bill Colt

See more art by Judy Feldman and Bill Colt at Wilde Meyer Gallery.