Manitou Springs

I think the best example of simulated environment interacting with the real environment is the picture of the tree and bench. There really weren’t any other benches there, and I think a single solitary bench, not a mass-produced, one-on-every-corner bench, can be art. It makes a statement about how one should enjoy the scenery and enjoy all that Manitou Springs has to offer. It is underneath the tree, so it allows people to sit there and use the shade from the tree as they rest. Whoever placed it there placed it far away enough to allow the tree to grow out, which is the point of art working with nature; one shouldn’t try to make nature fit the art, but the other way around, which I think makes a statement about society and how we should live the rest of our lives. I think the rest of the pictures reflect Manitou Springs. Manitou Springs has a very laid-back, artsy culture, and having art in the parks and by the sidewalks, in every nook and cranny you see, reflects the dynamic nature of this city. It really shows visitors the spirit of Manitou Springs. I feel that when people come to Manitou Springs, it’s probably for an attraction, and Manitou Springs definitely has a lot of art attractions… but what people don’t realize is that the art doesn’t go away after the attraction ends. A lot of the art stays there to decorate the city, because cities are so plain and boring without it. It’s difficult for me to come up with a city that doesn’t have art, because even the gorgeous skylines of Seattle, New York City, Paris, etc. could be considered art. Probably the best examples of cities without art are the small towns of maybe 50 people that one drives through on long road trips, and no one wants to stop and explore those towns. By taking photographs of Manitou Springs, we have contributed towards the city’s construction by simply supporting it. If no one took pictures or held any interest in the art, there would be less satisfaction in having the art there, and there would then be less art in Manitou Springs. Simply by saying “we approve!” in this informal way is an effective way of ensuring that Manitou Springs stays artsy.