Art

We are often reminded to stop and smell the flowers, which is an abbreviation of golfer Walter Hagen's advice: "Don't hurry, don't worry, you're only here for a short visit, so be sure to smell the flowers along the way."

My problem is that I'm allergic to certain fragrances. The scent of lilacs, for example, gives me a splitting headache. Perfumes, potpourri, and scented air fresheners all make run run in the other direction. It's kinda crazy; I don't mind the smell of manure or oil refineries or dead skunks, but if you shove a bouquet of posies under my nose, I might go into convulsions.

But I totally agree with the intent behind Hagen's advice. I just happen to interpret it as a visual reminder: Be sure to look at the mountains along the way.

While I was primarily focused on enjoying the athletic competition in Colorado Springs last weekend, I also took time to drink in some of the visuals at the Olympic Training Center. The photo below is of Pikes Peak as seen from a walkway just south of the swimming complex. The lane is lined with flags of countries who compete in the Games, and is quite lovely.



There's also a nice little fountain in front of the visitor's center. I'm unfamiliar with the geological process that created the big ice chunks, but I thought they looked really cool in the early morning sunlight.



OK, this next one probably isn't all that appealing from an aesthetic standpoint, but I thought it was interesting, nonetheless. Perhaps New Yorkers and Los Angelinos see heliocopters perched upon rooftops all the time, but it's not that common of a sight here in Colorado.



My buddy Russ is a helicopter pilot, and has been educating me on some chopper basics. Did you know that whirlybirds fly better on cold days (unlike baseballs), and can't go all that much higher than Denver if it's over 100° on a hot summer day? Makes sense; if the air is thicker, there's more opportunity for pressure differential at the lifting surfaces. Thinking about that makes you realize just how dangerous it is for the firefighters who fly choppers to combat forest blazes in the summertime. Those dudes have some serious cojones.

Anyway, I suspect this particular bird belonged to some fatcat corporate executive who was just wanting to exploit consumers by taking a few more frivolous joyrides before the Occupy protests succeed in putting his evil company out of business. (They probably make medical diagnostic equipment or antilock brake system computers or something, the bastards.)

Anyway, the other walkways were lined with a bunch of 2-dimensional sculptures representing the various Olympic sports, and were very cool. I especially enjoyed the tennis players and karate combatants. But this guy puzzled me:



Naturally I assumed that he was a "moonwalk" competitor and that he had to reach out with his hand to break the finish line tape as he shuffled backwards. But then I realized that none of the other sculptures incorporated a finish line artifact...so perhaps the line behind him was meant to represent something else. Could it be representing a bullet trajectory from the "sniper" competition that went through his head and then also smacked his hand, in a fashion similar to the "magic" bullet fired by Lee Harvey Oswald? Hmm.

Well, neither of those scenarios seemed too likely, since those sports aren't in the Olympics yet. So perhaps I needed another perspective.

Ah, perspective. You see, that's the problem with 2D sculptures that represent 3-dimensional activities -- there has to be an implied depth to the depicted scenario. Perhaps the line isn't going through his head after all, but instead is something he's holding in his hand. Ahh! I see it now -- he's throwing a stick! He's playing "fetch" with a gargantuan puppy!

Wait. Maybe it's a javelin. Yeah, that would make sense. Let's just say it's a javelin.

But what the heck is this? The dude has some serious arthritis. That's gotta hurt.

Even with the understanding that this is a silhouette with perspective, I still can't imagine a human hand configuration that would result in this particular shape. Even Steve Ditko wouldn't subject his characters to such harsh contortions.

But I guess that's what "art" is all about. If that particular sculptor wants to indicate Olympian effort through inhuman finger distortion, I guess that's his prerogative. And I, as an art enthusiast, am free to absorb whatever inspiration from it I might choose.

The point is, my friends, that even if you're not a big fan of smelly, er, I mean fragrant plant life, there are always opportunities for education and/or enjoyment from observing the world around you. As Christmas approaches, I urge you to look around yourself once in a while. Enjoy the lights, the decorations, and the other physical manifestations of cheer. Look toward the mountains and marvel at Nature's beauty, and pause a moment to enjoy the patterns on your windshield before you attack it with the ice scraper. Let's grab every bit of enjoyment and wonder out of each and every day, OK?

Cool. Thanks for stopping by, my friends. Have a great day!