- An Artist's Journal
- Posts
- What is it about Beautiful Places?
Why is it that the most beautiful places can only be reached through treacherous journeys?
Time and time again, people traverse rough roads or risky hikes to reach beautiful views. It seems absurd.
Yesterday, Ryan and I embarked on a motorbike ride through steep and winding mountain roads to arrive at Diamond beach, a popular spot here in Nusa Penida. The water was gorgeous, and the descent precarious.
The journey made me wonder—why do we humans risk our lives to witness beautiful places? It is as if the survival instinct can be overrode by an instinctual longed for beauty. It awakes something within us, something beyond animal.
Of course, the practical explanation could go something like this: The treacherous roads are a consequence of the place staying beautiful. Once development hits, nice roads are paved and buildings built at the expense of the natural scenery.
Right now, this place is quite simple. The tourists come to explore the beaches and the instagram-famous rock formations, and the locals do their thing. But what no one shows in those pictures is the drive there. The road so steep, so many turns, so worn down in parts that it is a miracle so many of those instagram pictures are out there.
 Diamond Beach, Nusa Penida |  The road there, breathtaking views with an edge that goes straight down. Potholes everywhere. You get the point. |
Anyway, I am interested in this not only in a worldly sense, but in a greater sense of a symbolic world. As in my paintings, natural scenery is molded to fit a emotional state of being, a journey through the human experience.
In between holding on to Ryan for dear life, singing classic hype songs such as “Eye of the Tiger,” and saying “Lord have mercy” under by breath, I couldn’t help but think that that scenery was perfect for a painting I have brewing up!
From the Sketchbook:
 The accompanying text: “On the hills and valleys of love and life—riding along on the back of the motorbike. Trusting, even when nothing is guaranteed. Enjoying the view, resting in the wind.” |  Little Anna and Ryan on our motorbike |
This idea, very bare-bones from a couple weeks ago, first appeared in my notes app like this:
It just so happens that the journey to Diamond beach fits incredibly well with the hills and valleys I had in mind—the precarious yet beautiful journey perfectly symbolic of the ups and downs in a romanic relationship, and in any life of intensity.
Anyways, I’d like to report some serious progress. Good news! Check back in a few months to see this baby come to life ;).
Thank you for tuning into the Artist’s Journal! More soon.
xoxoxo Anna