the tourist place i like most and why painting

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There are so many wonderful tourist places out there, it’s hard to choose just one. However, if I had to narrow it down, I would say the best tourist place for me is Gangtok, Sikkim.

Why Gangtok, Sikkim is best Tourist Place for me?

Gangtok is a city with a long and rich history. It has attractions that appeal to everyone – from history buffs to art lovers to foodies – and the city is absolutely gorgeous! Moreover, Gangtok is also a great place to live – the weather is mild year-round, the crime rate is low, and the infrastructure is top-notch. I love the way that it’s an untouched ruin that still retains its mystique.

Especially MG Market and the living of people attract me most. Basically I am from a small town of West Bengal. This tourist spot overwhelmed me most. I have visited so many places i.e. Ganesh Talk, Hanuman Talk, North Sikkim and the Shiva Temple.

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Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History Essays

The grand tour.

Marble sarcophagus with the Triumph of Dionysos and the Seasons

Piazza San Marco

Canaletto (Giovanni Antonio Canal)

Autre Vue Particulière de Paris depuis Nôtre Dame, Jusques au Pont de la Tournelle

Jacques Rigaud

Imaginary View of Venice, houses at left with figures on terraces, a domed church at center in the background, boats and boat-sheds below, and a seated man observing from a wall at right in the foreground, from 'Views' (Vedute altre prese da i luoghi altre ideate da Antonio Canal)

The Piazza del Popolo (Veduta della Piazza del Popolo), from "Vedute di Roma"

Giovanni Battista Piranesi

Vue de la Grande Façade du Vieux Louvre

View of St. Peter's and the Vatican from the Janiculum

Richard Wilson

Johann Joachim Winckelmann (1717–1768)

Anton Raphael Mengs

Modern Rome

Giovanni Paolo Panini

Ancient Rome

Portrait of a Young Man

Pompeo Batoni

Gardens of the Villa d'Este at Tivoli

Charles Joseph Natoire

Veduta dell'Anfiteatro Flavio detto il Colosseo, from: 'Vedute di Roma' (Views of Rome)

View of the Villa Lante on the Janiculum in Rome

John Robert Cozens

The Girandola at the Castel Sant'Angelo

Designed and hand colored by Louis Jean Desprez

Dining room from Lansdowne House

After a design by Robert Adam

The Burial of Punchinello

Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo

Portland vase

Josiah Wedgwood and Sons

Jean Sorabella Independent Scholar

October 2003

Beginning in the late sixteenth century, it became fashionable for young aristocrats to visit Paris, Venice, Florence, and above all Rome, as the culmination of their classical education. Thus was born the idea of the Grand Tour, a practice that introduced Englishmen, Germans, Scandinavians, and also Americans to the art and culture of France and Italy for the next 300 years. Travel was arduous and costly throughout the period, possible only for a privileged class—the same that produced gentleman scientists, authors, antiquaries, and patrons of the arts.

The Objectives of the Grand Tour The Grand Tourist was typically a young man with a thorough grounding in Greek and Latin literature as well as some leisure time, some means, and some interest in art. The German traveler Johann Joachim Winckelmann pioneered the field of art history with his comprehensive study of Greek and Roman sculpture ; he was portrayed by his friend Anton Raphael Mengs at the beginning of his long residence in Rome ( 48.141 ). Most Grand Tourists, however, stayed for briefer periods and set out with less scholarly intentions, accompanied by a teacher or guardian, and expected to return home with souvenirs of their travels as well as an understanding of art and architecture formed by exposure to great masterpieces.

London was a frequent starting point for Grand Tourists, and Paris a compulsory destination; many traveled to the Netherlands, some to Switzerland and Germany, and a very few adventurers to Spain, Greece, or Turkey. The essential place to visit, however, was Italy. The British traveler Charles Thompson spoke for many Grand Tourists when in 1744 he described himself as “being impatiently desirous of viewing a country so famous in history, which once gave laws to the world; which is at present the greatest school of music and painting, contains the noblest productions of statuary and architecture, and abounds with cabinets of rarities , and collections of all kinds of antiquities.” Within Italy, the great focus was Rome, whose ancient ruins and more recent achievements were shown to every Grand Tourist. Panini’s Ancient Rome ( 52.63.1 ) and Modern Rome ( 52.63.2 ) represent the sights most prized, including celebrated Greco-Roman statues and views of famous ruins, fountains, and churches. Since there were few museums anywhere in Europe before the close of the eighteenth century, Grand Tourists often saw paintings and sculptures by gaining admission to private collections, and many were eager to acquire examples of Greco-Roman and Italian art for their own collections. In England, where architecture was increasingly seen as an aristocratic pursuit, noblemen often applied what they learned from the villas of Palladio in the Veneto and the evocative ruins of Rome to their own country houses and gardens .

The Grand Tour and the Arts Many artists benefited from the patronage of Grand Tourists eager to procure mementos of their travels. Pompeo Batoni painted portraits of aristocrats in Rome surrounded by classical staffage ( 03.37.1 ), and many travelers bought Giovanni Battista Piranesi’s prints of Roman views, including ancient structures like the Colosseum ( 59.570.426 ) and more recent monuments like the Piazza del Popolo ( 37.45.3[49] ), the dazzling Baroque entryway to Rome. Some Grand Tourists invited artists from home to accompany them throughout their travels, making views specific to their own itineraries; the British artist Richard Wilson, for example, made drawings of Italian places while traveling with the earl of Dartmouth in the mid-eighteenth century ( 1972.118.294 ).

Classical taste and an interest in exotic customs shaped travelers’ itineraries as well as their reactions. Gothic buildings , not much esteemed before the late eighteenth century, were seldom cause for long excursions, while monuments of Greco-Roman antiquity, the Italian Renaissance, and the classical Baroque tradition received praise and admiration. Jacques Rigaud’s views of Paris were well suited to the interests of Grand Tourists, displaying, for example, the architectural grandeur of the Louvre, still a royal palace, and the bustle of life along the Seine ( 53.600.1191 ;  53.600.1175 ). Canaletto’s views of Venice ( 1973.634 ;  1988.162 ) were much prized, and other works appealed to Northern travelers’ interest in exceptional fêtes and customs: Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo ‘s Burial of Punchinello ( 1975.1.473 ), for instance, is peopled with characters from the Venetian carnival, and a print by Francesco Piranesi and Louis Jean Desprez depicts the Girandola, a spectacular fireworks display held at the Castel Sant’Angelo ( 69.510 ).

The Grand Tour and Neoclassical Taste The Grand Tour gave concrete form to northern Europeans’ ideas about the Greco-Roman world and helped foster Neoclassical ideals . The most ambitious tourists visited excavations at such sites as Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Tivoli, and purchased antiquities to decorate their homes. The third duke of Beaufort brought from Rome the third-century work named the Badminton Sarcophagus ( 55.11.5 ) after the house where he proudly installed it in Gloucestershire. The dining rooms of Robert Adam’s interiors typically incorporated classical statuary; the nine lifesized figures set in niches in the Lansdowne dining room ( 32.12 ) were among the many antiquities acquired by the second earl of Shelburne, whose collecting activities accelerated after 1771, when he visited Italy and met Gavin Hamilton, a noted antiquary and one of the first dealers to take an interest in Attic ceramics, then known as “Etruscan vases.” Early entrepreneurs recognized opportunities created by the culture of the Grand Tour: when the second duchess of Portland obtained a Roman cameo glass vase in a much-publicized sale, Josiah Wedgwood profited from the manufacture of jasper reproductions ( 94.4.172 ).

Sorabella, Jean. “The Grand Tour.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History . New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/grtr/hd_grtr.htm (October 2003)

Further Reading

Black, Jeremy. The British and the Grand Tour . London: Croom Helm, 1985.

Black, Jeremy. Italy and the Grand Tour . New Haven: Yale University Press, 2003.

Black, Jeremy. France and the Grand Tour . New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003.

Haskell, Francis, and Nicholas Penny. Taste and the Antique: The Lure of Classical Sculpture, 1500–1900 . New Haven: Yale University Press, 1981.

Wilton, Andrew, and Ilaria Bignamini, eds. The Grand Tour: The Lure of Italy in the Eighteenth Century . Exhibition catalogue. London: Tate Gallery Publishing, 1996.

Additional Essays by Jean Sorabella

• Sorabella, Jean. “ Pilgrimage in Medieval Europe .” (April 2011)
• Sorabella, Jean. “ Portraiture in Renaissance and Baroque Europe .” (August 2007)
• Sorabella, Jean. “ Venetian Color and Florentine Design .” (October 2002)
• Sorabella, Jean. “ Art of the Roman Provinces, 1–500 A.D. .” (May 2010)
• Sorabella, Jean. “ The Nude in Baroque and Later Art .” (January 2008)
• Sorabella, Jean. “ The Nude in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance .” (January 2008)
• Sorabella, Jean. “ The Nude in Western Art and Its Beginnings in Antiquity .” (January 2008)
• Sorabella, Jean. “ Monasticism in Western Medieval Europe .” (originally published October 2001, last revised March 2013)
• Sorabella, Jean. “ Interior Design in England, 1600–1800 .” (October 2003)
• Sorabella, Jean. “ The Vikings (780–1100) .” (October 2002)
• Sorabella, Jean. “ Painting the Life of Christ in Medieval and Renaissance Italy .” (June 2008)
• Sorabella, Jean. “ The Birth and Infancy of Christ in Italian Painting .” (June 2008)
• Sorabella, Jean. “ The Crucifixion and Passion of Christ in Italian Painting .” (June 2008)
• Sorabella, Jean. “ Carolingian Art .” (December 2008)
• Sorabella, Jean. “ Ottonian Art .” (September 2008)
• Sorabella, Jean. “ The Ballet .” (October 2004)
• Sorabella, Jean. “ Baroque Rome .” (October 2003)
• Sorabella, Jean. “ The Opera .” (October 2004)

Related Essays

• American Neoclassical Sculptors Abroad
• Baroque Rome
• The Idea and Invention of the Villa
• Neoclassicism
• The Rediscovery of Classical Antiquity
• Antonio Canova (1757–1822)
• Architecture in Renaissance Italy
• Athenian Vase Painting: Black- and Red-Figure Techniques
• The Augustan Villa at Boscotrecase
• Collecting for the Kunstkammer
• Commedia dell’arte
• The Eighteenth-Century Pastel Portrait
• Exoticism in the Decorative Arts
• Gardens in the French Renaissance
• Gardens of Western Europe, 1600–1800
• George Inness (1825–1894)
• Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720–1778)
• Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (1696–1770)
• Images of Antiquity in Limoges Enamels in the French Renaissance
• James McNeill Whistler (1834–1903)
• Joachim Tielke (1641–1719)
• John Frederick Kensett (1816–1872)
• Photographers in Egypt
• The Printed Image in the West: Etching
• Roman Copies of Greek Statues
• Theater and Amphitheater in the Roman World
• Anatolia and the Caucasus, 1600–1800 A.D.
• Balkan Peninsula, 1600–1800 A.D.
• Central Europe (including Germany), 1600–1800 A.D.
• Eastern Europe and Scandinavia, 1600–1800 A.D.
• Florence and Central Italy, 1600–1800 A.D.
• France, 1600–1800 A.D.
• Great Britain and Ireland, 1600–1800 A.D.
• Iberian Peninsula, 1600–1800 A.D.
• Low Countries, 1600–1800 A.D.
• Rome and Southern Italy, 1600–1800 A.D.
• The United States, 1600–1800 A.D.
• Venice and Northern Italy, 1600–1800 A.D.
• 16th Century A.D.
• 17th Century A.D.
• 18th Century A.D.
• 19th Century A.D.
• Ancient Roman Art
• Baroque Art
• Central Europe
• Central Italy
• Classical Ruins
• Great Britain and Ireland
• Greek and Roman Mythology
• The Netherlands
• Palladianism
• Period Room
• Southern Italy
• Switzerland

Artist or Maker

• Adam, Robert
• Batoni, Pompeo
• Cozens, John Robert
• Desprez, Louis Jean
• Mengs, Anton Raphael
• Natoire, Charles Joseph
• Panini, Giovanni Paolo
• Permoser, Balthasar
• Piranesi, Francesco
• Piranesi, Giovanni Battista
• Rigaud, Jacques
• Tiepolo, Giovanni Battista
• Tiepolo, Giovanni Domenico
• Wedgwood, Josiah
• Wilson, Richard

Online Features

• Connections: “Flux” by Annie Labatt
• Connections: “Genoa” by Xavier Salomon

EDITORIAL FEATURE

The Art That Made Grand Tourists Flock to Italy

There were many reasons that travelers decided to embark on the Grand Tour of Europe during the 18th and 19th centuries, but the primary one was to see the artistic gems of Ancient and Renaissance Italy. As many still do today in fact.

As well as visiting history’s greatest treasures, Grand Tourists were also in the business of commissioning new art during their travels. Oftentimes, wealthy Grand Tourists would bring professional sketch artists along with them, whose whole purpose was to create souvenirs to take home. If this was not possible, Grand Tourists would have artworks made for them in Italy. A Venetian sketch artist who was widely popular during the Grand Tour was Giovanni Battista Piranesi , whose prints are still passed down through noble families today. And some more creative tourists would sketch Italian scenes themselves. After all, learning the arts first hand was, in essence, central to a formative intellectual voyage like this one.

From Rome to Venice, embark on a virtual tour of Italy’s art hotspots, to discover the art the Grand Tourists pursued, as well as the art they produced.

Rome: The Capital of the World A Grand Tourist’s base itinerary for Italy included must-see cities like Venice, Florence, Naples and sometimes Sicily. And then, of course, there’s Rome . Each Italian city offered immense historic importance in Greco-Roman antiquity, Renaissance art and culture or Baroque architecture. But Rome had it all.

Rome was considered the ultimate stop during the Grand Tour, as it was both a portal back in time thousands of years, as well as a modern-day marvel of Baroque art and architecture. It was lauded as the land of Cicero, the birthplace of Julius Caesar, and home to some of Michelangelo’s most prized works.

Having only heard stories of masterpieces like the Sistine Chapel, tourists understood that the only way to truly experience Italian art and culture was to see this city in person.

Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s Baroque masterpieces left their mark across Rome, making extraordinary art commonplace in areas such as Piazza Navona and the Spanish Steps. Tourists were drawn to spots like the Arch of Titus, the Colosseum and Porta del Popolo.

“Shall I ever forget the sensations I experienced upon slowly descending the hills, and crossing the bridge over the Tiber; when I entered an avenue between terraces and ornamented gates of villas, which leads to the Porto del Popolo…” – William Beckford, letter from the Grand Tour, 1780

Venice: The Floating City of Wealth and Art Venice is often seen as one of the most intriguing and magical cities in the world, and it was no different for the Grand Tourists. It was a must on any Grand Tour itinerary, largely thanks to the wealth the city had built itself from merchant trading and a strong navy. These were admirable qualities to an 18th-century British traveler.

Its reputation may be what brought tourists to Venice, but Venetian Renaissance art and culture is what kept them coming back.

Tourists visited Venice to see paintings by the great Titian , Giovanni Bellini , Jacopo Bassano and, of course, they wanted a Giovanni Battista Piranesi sketch to take back home with them.

One well-known cityscape artist was Canaletto . His acute attention to detail set him above the rest, capturing a lifelike scene that made tourists feel like they were almost taking a real slice of the city home with them.

Pompeii & Naples: Ancient Ruins, Sun & Light There were some Grand Tourists who championed lesser visited cities, oftentimes taking a direct journey to Naples – the land of sun, culture, opera buffa and a few of Caravaggio’s greats. Naples became more of a popular stop in the latter part of the Grand Tour, becoming something of a winter retreat for British tourists, with travelers like J.W. Goethe praising its glories.

“Naples is a Paradise: everyone lives in a state of intoxicated self-forgetfulness, myself included. I seem to be a completely different person whom I hardly recognize. Yesterday I thought to myself: Either you were mad before, or you are mad now.” – Goethe

Places like Pompeii and Herculaneum only added to the appeal of traveling further south in Italy, in search of the ruins that tied the present day to its historic roots. When Italian authorities began excavations of Herculaneum in 1738, and then later at Pompeii in 1748, tourists had even more reason to delve into the mysteries of an ancient past... and enjoy a bit of the coastal sun along the way.

Florence: British Nobility Meets the High Renaissance Known as the birthplace of the Renaissance , early Grand Tourists rarely skipped a stop to Florence , which, simply put, was a haven for art – no doubt thanks to its ornate grandeur in architecture, with examples including the Florence Cathedral and, of course, Filippo Brunelleschi’s Dome.

But there was one attraction which almost perfectly coincided with the new arrival of tourism to Italy – Cosimo I de’ Medici's idea to gain magisterial control of a series of Florentine “offices”, better known in Italian as the “uffizi”. These administrative offices were soon to become both administrative and tribunal, with a gallery on the second floor so that newly acquired art could be properly enjoyed.

The Uffizi Gallery as we know it was not open to the public until 1765, but some fortunate Grand Tourists (who for the most part were nobility or of high social status themselves) were privy to a viewing of works by Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo .

Upon seeing the Uffizi collection , Thomas Beckford, a noted art collector, said…

“…I fell into a delightful delirium which none but souls like us experience, and unable to check my rapture flew madly from bust to bust and cabinet to cabinet like a butterfly bewildered in a universe of flowers…’’

The Uffizi Galleries still remain one of the highlights of Florence.

Learn more about The Grand Tour:

- How Tourism Hasn’t Changed Since The Grand Tour - 9 Books and Films Inspired by the Grand Tour - The Grand Tour of Italy

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Want to take better travel photos? Think like a landscape painter.

Wielding paints, canvases, and creative eyes, artists reveal how to see—and document—nature and cities.

The land doesn’t demand your attention the way billboards do, or traffic lights, or people with their bright clothes and private thoughts. Landscapes aren’t static, but they’re not as fast-moving as the rest of our world. Even urban landscapes, with their ever-present teardowns and build-ups, backdrop most of the art we consume, from films to photographs. But if you stop and focus, as landscape painters do, there’s depth in the world around us and stories unfolding in the foliage, the soil, even in the garbage.

Landscape painters see the world differently than most travelers do. Their eyes have been trained to seek the horizon, read the light, and understand subtle variations in weather.  

It’s part of the job, explains painter Timothy Wilson . For the past two years, he’s been working on a series of images inspired by the landscapes of Maine Coast Heritage Trust . He’s visited over a dozen of the trust’s nature preserves on the Maine coast, painting on cliffs, islands, in marshes and bogs—even from the seat of his kayak.  

He experiences the parks the way any traveler might, eyes open to the wonder of the rugged landscape. But instead of snapping a photo for Instagram, Wilson stops and sets up an easel. “It stops me from looking at my phone,” he says. “Instead of checking again and again, I look at the landscape. I become enmeshed. It feels wonderful.”

You don’t have to be an artist to appreciate the natural world. Anyone can stop and marvel at a sunset. But thinking like a landscape artist can help travelers become better at seeing what’s around them. Next time you hit the road, make sure you have a sketchbook—or even just a cellphone—on hand to capture and compose. Any trip can be an artists’ retreat if you let it.

Find your footing

To absorb a landscape, be it a desert or a marsh, the first step is to find a vantage spot. “When I’m working, I’m carrying my own heft and the heft of my gear,” Wilson points out. “While I like the fluidity of the earth, I don’t enjoy walking through smarmy sandy areas to get to where I’m painting. I like having solid ground under my feet.”  

Instead of worrying about sinking into the mud, or slipping on seaweed, Wilson sets his easel on a well-trodden hill, a dry flat rock, or a place where the seaweed has matted down thickly. “In order to be a good observer of nature, you have to have a good place to stand.”

(See why Maine has inspired artists for two centuries.)

This is equally true for casual photographers. It takes time to compose a good image, even just snapping one for Instagram. It’s worth finding a place off the main trail to stop and ponder the world beyond.

Wilson often paints the sea, which gives his works a strong horizon line. While her process is different, New York City -based landscape painter April Gornik also focuses on creating strong, moody images that feel timeless (and occasionally a little haunting). She tends to look first at the world around her, then paints a landscape back in her studio. “When you travel,” she says, “you deliberately dislocate yourself. So you have to relocate yourself. It’s a healthy thing for people.”

While Wilson finds his footing in a very literal manner, Gornik encourages travelers to reach a place of ease, a sense of comfort within discomfort. “The landscape is the other, the ultimate other,” she says. “Art is about taking the leap, becoming familiar, finding yourself.”

Embrace the weather  

Most travelers hope for bright, sunny days, but there’s an upside to stormy weather. Overcast skies create a different quality of light , one that both landscape artists and portrait photographers adore. Landscapes that veered a little moody and dark show up in works by the Florida Highwaymen , a group of Black painters active in the mid-20th century.  

They practiced “fast painting” and sold their works from the trunks of their cars along major highways, often capturing stormy skies, palms beset by wind, waves crashing on the shore, and slightly ominous backcountry rivers. The Highwaymen weren’t necessarily storm chasers, but their works depicted Florida as an atmospheric, turbulent environment, full of heat and water and life.

It’s highly effective, points out Wilson, to glance upward and observe the clouds. “Painting is a science,” he says. “The air changes what you see. Things that are closer look warmer because of how the light particles bounce. When storms come, it throws everything into flux.”

(Learn how landscape painting helped to save Yellowstone.)

Kim Do , a landscape painter who lives in the Hudson Valley of New York (but has worked around the globe), also says he “loves to paint the weather.” He adds, “We humans are living at the bottom of an ocean of air. We’re the lobsters of our planet. We look up, and we see the weather.” Do says that painting the sky makes him feel connected to the landscape artists who came before him, like famed British painter John Constable , known for his moody way with clouds.

Seek color, find beauty  

Noa Charuvi splits her time between Jerusalem and New York City, two urban environments rich in history and poor in green space. Yet her landscape paintings manage to capture both the energy of her hometowns and the vast beauty of their buildings. Her daily walks around Brooklyn frequently take her past construction sites, where she will stop and snap a picture. “I’m often drawn to a scene because I find a surprising potential for beauty,” she says. “In the construction sites, I’m drawn to certain colors.”

Charuvi emphasizes that even a half-erected skyscraper or demolition zone can provide a rainbow of inspiration: the bright yellow of caution tape, orange buckets for mixing cement, red bricks, and unfinished golden-hued wood. “The packaging materials for windows and insulation, often that’s pastel, pink or blue,” she says. “It all starts with color.” Finding palettes means Charuvi can pull joy from any scene, no matter how banal. There’s also something she likes about seeing history in the making. Cities are constantly changing. Buildings are being torn down, new ones are being built up. Landscape painting, she says, allows her to “make sense of the endlessness” that surrounds us. “It connects us,” she says.  

It’s something we all can keep in mind when we’re exploring the world. There’s beauty in the everyday, in the decay, in the busy streets and in the signs of human life. You don’t have to create a perfect image of the Eiffel Tower every time you travel to Paris —sometimes, it’s more interesting to capture the commuters on the Métro or the pigeons on the mansard roofs.

Linger longer

Perhaps the biggest lesson travelers can learn from painters is this: absorbing and capturing your surroundings takes time. In order to create art or deeply appreciate a place, you have to slow down to observe, dwell, and imagine. Even a good photo doesn’t happen just because you’re looking at beautiful scenery. You have to take a moment to figure out, as Wilson puts it, “the feng shui of a landscape.”

“Lingering and contemplating is something we have to train ourselves to do,” explains Do. “I was painting in Barbados once, and a tourist bus would come by every hour or so. People would come and pour out of the bus, take one picture, and then move on.”

He spent an entire day in that one spot, watching people come and go. Maybe some of them got a nice snapshot, but their trip wasn’t arranged for the immersive work artists crave. Each of these painters emphasizes the significance of letting the world in. You have to absorb it, to hold it, and be held.

“There’s a certain awareness of your surroundings you get from making paintings,” Do says. “We’re immersed in our environments. It cradles us. It’s around us. When you feel that, it’s almost like we’re in the womb of our planet.” His paintings are highly detailed and evocative, and when you’re looking at one of Do’s Oculus landscapes, you feel immersed. That, he says, is the entire point. It’s why we travel, it’s why we make art. It’s that sense of deep, intense connection.

It can happen suddenly, but it doesn’t happen quickly.

Katy Kelleher is a Maine-based writer. Her work also appears in The Paris Review  and Longreads . Follow her on Instagram  or Twitter .

Related Topics

• VISUAL ARTS
• ART HISTORY
• TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY

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Livability.com

UPDATE: Check out our new 2024 Best Cities to Live in the U.S. list.

7 Cities With Amazing Public Art

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In these creative cities, a blank wall is a canvas.

By Amy Estes on March 5, 2024

While street art and murals were once viewed as blights on a cityscape, in recent years, many cities have sanctioned public art and turned it into city-wide celebrations of local artists and creativity. It is not uncommon to see gorgeous, colorful murals on open walls everywhere these days, and even smaller cities are getting in on the act. Kristin Luna, journalist and founder of public art nonprofit DMA-events , says, “Public art is proven to drive economic activity, boost mental health and instill a sense of public safety.”

Additionally, Luna says, “Murals are pretty cost-effective if you measure them against more expensive forms of improving a city’s aesthetic, like streetscapes, building facades or adding 3D art such as sculptures. They also can be executed very quickly. If you own a private property, you don’t need permission to add art to your facade, so as long as you know a muralist for hire, a mural is something that can be done in as little as a few hours.” They are a simple way to quickly create or nurture a sense of culture and creativity in a city. Here are seven cities that have embraced the mural trend and have extraordinary public art to show.

In This Article

1. Boise, Idaho

What started as a single alley door being painted has now evolved into a major tourist attraction: Freak Alley . Said to be the most extensive outdoor art gallery in the Northwest, Freak Alley is now a must-see destination for locals and tourists alike. This fantastic display of art started in 2002 but is now widely known as one of the best destinations for seeing outdoor art. The murals rotate every few years, and eager artists can submit their concepts in hopes of having their art included. A new director took over the Boise-based project in 2019, and she hopes to expand the project. Freak Alley is entirely run by volunteers and donations and is attached to an indoor gallery that sells art to fund the outdoor murals. Freak Alley also prides itself on being inclusive and welcoming to all who wish to be involved and continues to put forth some of the most interesting and unique art in the Northwest. 

2. Memphis, Tennessee

While Nashville is well known as a creative hub, if you’re seeking street art, don’t miss Memphis! International artist Julien de Casabianca is credited with starting the influx of murals as part of his International Outings project, which converts the walls of city structures into mural canvases. He began by scouring the archives of the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art and found images he thought could be expanded into large-scale murals. Since then, murals have exploded throughout the city, taking advantage of Memphis’ historic and unique alleys. While alleys were once necessary for firefighters, trash collection, and other city services, they are now passageways from back in time that also serve as unique canvases for Memphis’ mural artists. 

Luna says, “Memphis is a city that has always embraced the creative arts — after all, music drives much of its modern-day history. But in the past decade, dozens of murals have popped up throughout the city, creating micro-neighborhoods of activity in areas of town that were previously inactive or more residential in nature.”

Additionally, the city of Memphis itself has been incredibly supportive of these murals and installations. “Having a city government that embraces and supports this kind of creativity is clutch; when cities try to intervene with expressions of art, they’re impeding on residents’ First Amendment rights, and things can get sticky fast. But from everything I’ve seen in Memphis, the city is supportive of its artists’ rights and need to express themselves. In fact, you’ll find that Memphis Travel , the tourism arm of the city, has even sponsored several murals around town and in other cities like Denver,” says Luna. 

3. Sacramento, California

Sacramento is an up-and-coming city rapidly becoming a hub of art and culture, and its mural festival, Wide Open Walls , has helped put it on the map. Wide Open Walls is now the nation’s largest mural festival. “Because of events like Wide Open Walls, artists from around the world are realizing that our city is a hub of art and culture,” says mural artist and Wide Open Walls board member Raphael Delgado. Wide Open Walls started in 2016 with the express purpose of making “Art For All.”

Additionally, Wide Open Walls has spurred the addition of many other art-focused festivals in Sacramento, including Paint The Park with the city’s professional soccer team, Sacramento Republic FC , and Murals on the BVLD, which brought public art to the up-and-coming Del Paso Heights neighborhood. Kristin Luna says, “The CEO of Visit Sacramento recently told me that they’ve seen a direct correlation in an increase in tourism since Wide Open Walls was founded. I believe that’s true in any city that’s truly embraced adding murals to its urban landscape. Millennial travelers gravitate toward Instagrammable moments — and what’s more Instagrammable than a bold, colorful wall as a backdrop? — but more so, murals provide fun, free opportunities for travelers of all ages.”

4. Lexington, Kentucky

Lexington, KY , is home to some incredible murals that have transformed this city in recent years. The city boasts several organizations that are focused on adding street art to the city. LexArts is sponsored by the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government , which unites artists, businesses, neighborhoods and artists to create outdoor art. “LexArts is able to grow the Lexington Mural Project,” stated Jim Clark, LexArts’ former President & CEO, “because of the generosity and civic pride of three business owners who wanted to contribute to the beautification of Lexington.”

For those looking for more radical art, Lexington has PRHBTN . According to the organizers, “PRHBTN is an annual celebration of art forms that have been criminalized, marginalized, and under-appreciated in the mainstream, featuring public murals alongside an exhibition of street artworks in a space that complements the raw, powerful nature of the message and artistry of each piece.” PRHBTN boasts provocative art made by artists of all ages and disciplines. 

5. Oklahoma City, OK

Oklahoma City has gotten in on the action of having public art everywhere. From the minute you land at Will Rogers airport , you are greeted with bright and colorful art, and there’s no shortage of murals around the city.

In 2015, the Oklahoma Mural Syndicate launched Plaza Walls , a public art program sponsored by the Oklahoma City Arts Commission and the Urban Art Commission . Plaza Walls is a rotating mural project that provides art spaces for The Plaza District . The Plaza District was once a bustling part of the city, but eventually, businesses left the district and crime rates rose. City activists and artists have worked to revitalize the area, including bringing The Plaza District Festival. The Plaza District Festival, which includes the Plaza Walls Mural Expo , now draws international artists and thousands of tourists to the area. Beyond this rotating series of murals, public art is popping up everywhere, making the city a vibrant and creative place to visit. 

6. Cincinnati, Ohio

Cincinnati got its mural inspiration via some brotherly love: In 2007, former Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory did a “city exchange” with Philadelphia, PA , known for its thriving street art. Upon his return to Cincinnati, Mallory was inspired and worked with Cincinnati ArtWorks to challenge artists to create a mural in each of Cincinnati’s 52 neighborhoods. According to Kristin Luna, “The ArtWorks process is admirable: Notable artists design murals, and then a team of teaching artists and youth apprentices execute the actual design. Many of these youth, who are paid a living wage for their work, have never before painted. They’re not only learning a skill and making money but taking pride in the fact that they’ve helped transform the aesthetic of a major city.”

Beyond this incredible process, Cincinnati has taken its art to new levels by introducing the BLINK festival . BLINK blends murals with digital projections, performance art and light installations, including projection mapping (a technique that includes light, music and animations with murals and three-dimensional surfaces). Through these amazing artistic processes, Cincinnati is carving out its place as a major art destination in the United States. 

7. Tyler, Texas

Magnificent murals scattered throughout Tyler fill up large, blank walls with massive explosions of color and creativity, which allows the city to get crafty with spaces that would be otherwise left unused. This artsy Texas city combines a love of public art with more classical interpretations; from the art deco exterior of Liberty Hall to the city’s Gallery Main Street , there truly is something for everyone. 

Murals line the walls of downtown and represent the quirky community. On South College Street, one exceptionally bright mural of wildflowers proclaims ‘Be Happy!’ — reminding Tyler’s residents that the city and its art are one of a kind. Visit the Caldwell Zoo , the Children’s Park , Tyler Rose Garden, or one of the Beauty and the Box installations on display throughout town to sample some of the city’s colorful creations. 

This story was originally published in 2021. 

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Describe a Beautiful Place You Have Visited

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Updated on 01 March, 2024

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Sample Answer 1: The Serenity of Kyoto's Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

Introduction:

One of the most breathtakingly beautiful places I have ever visited is the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove in Kyoto, Japan. This natural wonder is not just a feast for the eyes but also a sanctuary for the soul, offering an unparalleled experience of peace and tranquility.

Description:

Walking through the towering bamboo stalks, I was enveloped in a sea of green, with sunlight filtering through the dense canopy above. The gentle rustling of the bamboo in the wind had a calming, almost hypnotic effect. I felt as though I had stepped into another world, far removed from the hustle and bustle of city life. The path through the grove led to the serene Tenryu-ji Temple, enhancing the spiritual journey.

Follow-up Questions & Answers:

Q1: What makes the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove stand out?

A1: Its sheer scale and the ethereal atmosphere it creates are unparalleled. The way the bamboo moves in unison with the wind is a unique natural spectacle.

Q2: How did you feel during your visit?

A2: I felt a profound sense of peace and awe. It was a reminder of nature's beauty and its ability to inspire and rejuvenate the spirit.

Q3: What is the best time to visit?

A3: Early morning or late afternoon, to avoid crowds and experience the grove's tranquil beauty in the soft light.

Q4: Would you recommend it to others?

A4: Absolutely, it's a must-visit for anyone traveling to Japan, offering a unique blend of natural beauty and cultural experience.

Q5: What did you learn from the experience?

A5: It taught me the importance of taking time to appreciate the natural world and the peace it can bring into our lives.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is more than just a beautiful place; it is a journey into tranquility and spiritual renewal. Its unique charm and serene beauty offer a memorable escape from the ordinary, making it a precious gem in Japan's crown of natural wonders.

Sample Answer 2: The Majestic Beauty of the Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon in the United States is a marvel of nature that I had the privilege of visiting. Its vastness and stunning geological formations left an indelible mark on me, making it a truly beautiful place.

Viewing the Grand Canyon for the first time was an overwhelming experience. The sheer size and depth of the canyon, with its layers of colorful rock strata, were awe-inspiring. Hiking along the rim provided different perspectives and breathtaking views. Watching the sunset paint the canyon walls in hues of orange and red was a moment of unsurpassed beauty.

Q1: What makes the Grand Canyon unique?

A1: Its grandeur and geological significance, offering a glimpse into millions of years of Earth's history, make it unparalleled.

Q2: How did you prepare for your visit?

A2: I researched the best viewpoints and trails, ensuring I had the right gear for hiking and weather conditions.

Q3: What was the highlight of your visit?

A3: The sunset at Hopi Point was unforgettable. The way the light transformed the canyon was simply magical.

Q4: What advice would you give to first-time visitors?

A4: Take your time to explore beyond the main viewpoints. Each trail offers a unique experience of the canyon's beauty.

Q5: How has the visit impacted you?

A5: It deepened my appreciation for nature's wonders and the importance of preserving such magnificent sites for future generations.

To conclude, the Grand Canyon is a testament to the awe-inspiring beauty of the natural world. Its vast landscapes and rich geological history invite exploration and contemplation, leaving visitors with a profound sense of wonder and respect for the forces that have shaped our planet. This iconic landmark is a must-visit, offering an unforgettable experience that etches itself into the heart and soul.

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Tourist Attraction: IELTS Speaking Part 2 & 3 Sample Answers

Updated On Sep 18, 2023

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In Part 2 & 3 of the IELTS Speaking Module, the assessment criteria mention grammar patterns, vocabulary, fluency and pronunciation, which means that you need to deliver that long, meaningful sentence in a fluent, nice-sounding stream of words.

Let’s practice with a cue card and some easy questions about a popular topic – Tourist Attraction, which can help you get Band 8.0+ for IELTS Speaking.

Describe something you brought back from a Tourist Attraction

You should say:

• What is it?
• Where did you bring it?
• Why did you bring it?
• And explain how did you feel about it.

Model Answer:

I bring back a lot of photos and plenty of stories from my travels. Travel always reinvigorates me. I also bring back modest presents for people who are close to me and souvenirs that usually don’t have any value but lots of memories – like museum brochures, concert tickets, postcards, calendars, prints of paintings, and fridge magnets. I bring these home with me to cherish in scrapbooks.

My favourite souvenir I’ve brought home is a set of high-end chef’s knives from Osaka. They are expensive, but they are the best knives I have ever used. I enjoy cooking, so every time I prepare something, I am reminded of my trip. It also combines my two great passions in life – cooking and travel. At every restaurant we went to during our stay, people would rave about the food and the skills of the chefs. I was inspired by the importance of good knife skills in Japanese cooking and the care that went into each meal. So I decided to learn it for myself. 

I’m thrilled that it has motivated me to get better at cooking and expand my skill sets. In the future, I look forward to bringing home more new skills and knowledge, not just things.

• What it was?
• When and where do you go on this holiday?
• What did you do with it after you brought it home?
• Explain why you think it was something special.

(What it was) 

Let me tell you about when I visited Nami Island, a place of interest in Seoul, Korea, and took something significant home.

(When and where you went on this holiday) 

I visited Seoul for seven days during last year’s autumn with my friends. Although we tried a lot of delicious food and went sightseeing around the city, I was looking forward to the Nami trip the most to accomplish a secret mission. I was lucky to visit the island during its peak of autumn, and there were a lot of maple leaves on the island. It was the first time I have ever seen maple leaves. Therefore, I decided to pick some up and bring them home.

(What you did do with it after you brought it home) 

So, I gave my friends the maple leaves I brought from the Korea trip as a gift, and I could tell by their faces that they were utterly blown away by the maple leaves even though their color had faded . Some of my friends also kept the leaves in their books as a bookmark.

 (and explain why you think it was something special) 

Visiting Korea in autumn and witnessing maple leaves was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me. Having lived in a tropical country, I’ve never seen real maple leaves in person.

Sample Audio

Click on the audio to listen to the sample answer above. Pay attention to the intonation and pronunciation of the words

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Vocabulary:

  A place of interest:

Meaning: Sites of interest to tourists

Example: Cu Chi Tunnel is one of the sites of interest in Ho Chi Minh City.

To go sightseeing:

Meaning: To look around the tourist sites

Example: Last year we went to London, and we spent most of the trip going sightseeing , there was so much to see!

 Accomplish:

Meaning: To finish something successfully or to achieve something

Example: The students accomplished the task in less than ten minutes.

Meaning: Peak levels or rates are when they are at their highest

Example: Traffic congestion is really bad during peak periods

To be blown  away:

Meaning: To be surprised so much

Example: Winning first prize and a full scholarship blew her away .

Meaning: To (cause to) lose color, brightness, or strength gradually

Example: If you hang your clothes out in the bright sun, they will fade .

 Once-in-a-lifetime:

Meaning: An once-in-a-lifetime experience or opportunity is very special because you will probably only have it once.

Example: A tour of Australia is a once-in-a-lifetime experience .

Part 3 questions:

What souvenirs do people buy from tourist attractions.

Generally, people buy things which are available only in that place. For example, when going on a tour to hill stations, people buy powders of tea, coffee, and homemade chocolates which are special in hilly areas. When touring the Taj Mahal, people don’t forget to get a toy image of it. People also buy keychains, pens, and hats.

Why do people like to take photos while traveling?

Photos are wonderful and easy ways of capturing special moments. They serve as a testimony to the places that you have visited. They are also useful tools to capture age. For example, a two-year-old photograph can make him/her jump with joy when they look at it later when they have grown.

Is it good that the locals sell things to tourists?

It is partially good. Local people get business from the tourists, which helps them make a livelihood. But locals take advantage of the tourists, especially foreigners, and sell things at a higher price, which is not good.

What are the pros and cons of taking professional cameras when traveling?

Professional cameras help capture precious moments with very high quality. But some cameras are very heavy to carry and have high chances of getting stolen.

What would you like to buy when you are on holiday?

I love to buy handbags. I have a huge collection of them. I also buy scarves, hand-kerchiefs, keychains, and things which are special in that place.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of taking photographs?

Photographs have more advantages than disadvantages. They capture our special moments. It is a joy to look at our photos of when we were young. But the trouble is they have to be maintained properly. Poor maintenance will lead to them getting torn, and we would have lost some special moment of ours. For example, the photo could be torn between the eyes, and hence our face would not be visible.

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Speech on My Favourite Tourist Place

You’re in for a treat as I share about my favourite tourist spot. It’s a place that never fails to amaze me, no matter how many times I visit.

It’s a location that combines natural beauty with rich history. A place where memories are made, and adventures await. Let’s explore this magical destination together.

1-minute Speech on My Favourite Tourist Place

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, I am thrilled to share with you today about my favourite tourist place – the magical world of Disneyland!

Disneyland, located in California, USA, is a place where dreams come alive. Imagine a world where princesses wave hello, superheroes save the day, and you can fly to the moon and back. That’s Disneyland for you! It’s a place that sparks joy in the hearts of both children and adults alike.

The beauty of Disneyland lies in its enchanting atmosphere. The moment you step into the park, you are greeted by a grand castle, the iconic symbol of Disneyland. It’s as if you’ve stepped into a fairy tale. The park is filled with colourful buildings, merry music, and cheerful characters that make you feel like you’re part of a magical story.

One of the most exciting parts of Disneyland is the thrilling rides. From the spooky Haunted Mansion to the adventurous Pirates of the Caribbean, each ride takes you on a unique journey. The rides are not just fun, they are also safe, making Disneyland a perfect place for families.

But Disneyland is not just about rides and characters, it’s also about shows. The parades are a sight to behold with vibrant floats, catchy music, and your favourite characters dancing along. And as the day ends, the sky lights up with a spectacular fireworks show that leaves everyone in awe.

In conclusion, Disneyland is my favourite tourist place because it’s a world of magic, adventure, and endless fun. It’s a place where you can leave your worries behind and embrace the child within you. So, if you ever get a chance, do visit Disneyland. Believe me, it’s a place where dreams really do come true!

2-minute Speech on My Favourite Tourist Place

Good morning everyone,

Today, I am going to talk about my favourite tourist place, a place that I hold dear to my heart – the beautiful city of Sydney, Australia.

Firstly, let me tell you why Sydney is my favourite place. Sydney is like a beautiful painting that has come alive. It is a city that is surrounded by beautiful beaches, stunning landscapes, and towering skyscrapers. It’s a place where you can enjoy the hustle and bustle of city life, and at the same time, find peace and tranquillity in nature.

One of the most famous landmarks in Sydney is the Sydney Opera House. It is a magnificent building that looks like a big white shell in the middle of the water. It’s a place where people from all over the world come to enjoy music, dance, and theatre. I love the Sydney Opera House not just because it is a beautiful building, but also because it is a place where art and culture come alive.

Sydney is also home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. One of my favourite beaches is Bondi Beach. The water is so blue, and the sand is so soft and warm. It’s a great place to relax, swim, and even learn to surf. And if you get hungry, there are lots of yummy food stalls and restaurants nearby.

Another reason why I love Sydney is because of its beautiful parks and gardens. One of my favourite places to visit is the Royal Botanic Garden. It’s a big garden in the middle of the city, filled with beautiful flowers, trees, and even some cute animals. I love to go there for a picnic, or just to walk around and enjoy the beauty of nature.

But what makes Sydney truly special is its people. The people in Sydney are very friendly and welcoming. They always have a smile on their face and are always ready to help. They make you feel at home, even if you are thousands of miles away from your own home.

In conclusion, Sydney is my favourite tourist place because it has something for everyone. Whether you love art, nature, beaches, or just want to enjoy good food and meet friendly people, Sydney is the place to be. It’s a city that has captured my heart, and I am sure it will capture yours too.

Thank you for listening to me talk about my favourite tourist place. I hope that one day, you will get the chance to visit Sydney and see for yourself why it is such a wonderful place.

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The Place I Like Most Paragraph- for all class students

Paragraph on The Place I Like Most

Answer the following questions into a continuous paragraph on “The Place You/I like Most”:

• a. What is the place you like the most? 
• b. How do you spend your time there? 
• c. How is the weather there?
• d. What is the most exciting thing that happens there? 
• e. What is the effect of such visits? 

The Place I Like Most Paragraph: A favorite place is a place with family, good weather and fun things to do. My village home is my favorite place for many reasons. My grandfather’s family and my uncles live in the village. When I visit, my all cousins and I laugh and play all day and night long. I usually go there during the winter. My uncles and aunts take us to the village fair where we enjoy the rides. We devour juicy cakes and drink fresh date-juice. My family is fun to be with. The second reason is the weather. Instead of being hot and sweaty, it is always cool and moist.

Read more> A Visit To My Primary School Paragraph

When I think about my visits, I can feel the crisp breeze in my hair. I can hear the soft sound of mist falling from leaves. I can feel the warm winter sun on my face. The third reason for my village home being my favorite place is fishing. We catch lots of fishes from the pond. Sometimes we catch fishes on hooks and sometimes we see the uncles fishing with a net. My grandmother cooks them. For all these reasons, my village home is my favorite place to go to. It’s good to visit a favorite place- a place where one can make special memories and that is refreshing.

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Ielts speaking test # 117, ielts band 8/9 level speaking sample., part 1 - introduction & interview, part 2 - cue card/ candidate task card, describe a tourist attraction you enjoyed visiting..

• what this tourist attraction is
• when and why you visited it
• what you did there

Part 3 - Details discussion:

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Describe a drawing/painting that you like IELTS Cue Card

IELTS CUE CARD TOPIC

Describe a drawing/painting that you like You should say:

When you first saw this painting

• What the painting is about
• Who drew/painted it
• And explain why you like this drawing/painting

Introduction

Although I like numerous paintings, one of them is special and worth mentioning.

I saw this painting in my school

What the painting is about 

The painting is about the pressing problems related to environmental pollution in our society. It is divided into three parts. The first part of the painting focuses on air pollution, and it depicts that vehicles cause a lot of pollution. On the right side, there is a solution: switching to public transport with a beautiful metro train shown on it.

The middle part focuses on water pollution, showing how plastic bags are damaging by clogging our drains and reaching the ocean through various water bodies. The solution provided is banning plastic bags and switching to jute bags.

The third part of the painting is sound pollution, which shows various vehicles blowing horns and some people playing loud music. The solution provided is an awareness campaign to tell people about the disastrous repercussions of excessive sound.

Who drew/painted it 

One of my friends, Andrew, drew this painting and he got the first prize for it. After passing from school, he gifted that painting to me, and I hung it on one wall of my bedroom.

Explain why you like this drawing/painting .

I like this painting because it provides us with hope that the solutions are there to every problem, and the only thing we need to do is to take action. By doing so, we can bring a paradigm shift in our environment; to do so, all sections of our society must join hands.

Although numerous drawings and paintings have fascinated me, I would like to talk about a painting that has had a significant impression on my mind. So this is the painting that I saw in the Ludhiana painting exhibition.

And I went there about a year ago. I was utterly astonished at first sight when I saw that painting. It was painted by a local artist whose name is Dr. Lalita. He showed one side that the beggar and the children were crying, and the beggar died. On the other side, she showed the lavish lifestyle of people who spend extra variant on weddings. The painting leaves a message for spectators: it signifies that a significant proportion of the world dies from starvation.

However, on the other side, the rich people are wasting food on their plates and do not even bother serving the impoverished. For instance, our country’s rich and renowned business people, Mukesh Ambani, spent exorbitantly on her daughter’s wedding, and there was tons of food wasted at the wedding.

Upon seeing the painting, I decided that I would not waste food in the future. Instead, I should serve the extra food on my plate to others, so I have joined an NGO serving the people who cannot afford even one meal in their day. It is the painting that fascinated me the most.

Because I am interested in art, I have seen many paintings in my life, but here I would like to talk about a particular painting. When I visited a restaurant in Chandigarh with my friends, we were gossiping and waiting for the food to come.

There I saw a painting hung on the wall and it was painted in three parts illustrating the pollution of different kinds such as air, water and noise pollution and the first part of the painting depicts the information about the air pollution caused by vehicles and industries which harms the natural air which the human being inhales.

Moreover, the second part of the painting illustrates the water pollution caused by the waste of industries, affecting life.

In the third part, the noise pollution is very well described as the honking sounds and the loud DJs that people play during special occasions, and this is the painting that I admire. I like the painting the most because it is a prudent approach to controlling pollution, and we should control it.

Here are some examples of follow-up questions that the examiner might ask during your speaking part 3 related to the cue card “ Describe a drawing/painting that you like IELTS Cue Card ”.

1. What are the differences between painting and drawing? 

Painting is generally a more detailed art form compared to drawing. At the same time, drawing thrives primarily on lines and is usually less complicated. On the contrary, painting utilizes a variety of colors and styles, providing space for plenty of complexity and profundity in the artwork. 

2. Why do some people keep a painting for a long time?  

Most people have a deep-rooted memory of their paintings. They feel elated while looking at them and take them as an integral part of their lives. Moreover, certain images have deep meanings, and people usually keep them to understand the energy in a better way.

3. How does building style affect people’s lives?  

The architectural style of buildings plays a pivotal role in people’s lives. For instance, the buildings with glass cladding look like office structures, whereas structures with solar panels give the feeling of an environment-friendly setup.

4. Should children learn to draw and paint? Why?

Learning painting and drawing is prudent for students because it helps them to depict the creativity inside them. There is no denying this conviction that every person has a hidden artist, which often comes out when he puts his imagination into action.

  5. How do young people share arts with others?  

There are many ways to share art with others in this contemporary eco. The conventional method is to participate in art exhibitions. Apart from this, people can share a soft copy of their art through various social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, etc.

Lastly, people can promote and sell their art through nonfungible tokens, which are gaining momentum.

  6. Do you think the objects we use daily should be beautifully designed? 

Regarding articles of daily use, the focus must be on effective usage rather than beauty because a petite object can look good initially. Still, we only accept its service if it serves our purpose. On the contrary, if it helps us do our routine tasks, we make it an integral part of our lives.

Latest Cue Cards Sep to Dec 2023

1. Describe An Exciting Activity That You Experienced With Someone Else IELTS Cue Card

2. Describe A Successful Person Who You Once Studied Or Worked With IELTS Cue Card

3. Describe a park or a garden in your city IELTS Cue Card

4. Describe a beautiful city IELTS Cue Card

5. Describe a difficult task that you completed at work/study that you felt proud of IELTS Cue Card

6. Describe a time that something changed your life in good ways IELTS Cue Card

7. Describe an interesting person that you have not met in person and would like to know more about IELTS Cue Card

8. Describe a foreigner who speaks your native language (Hindi) very well IELTS Cue Card

9. Describe a person who always has interesting ideas or opinions IELTS Cue Card

10. Describe a successful businessperson you know IELTS Cue Card

11. Describe an area of science (biology, robotics, etc.)that you are interested in and would like to learn more about IELTS Cue Card

12. Describe a drawing/painting that you like IELTS Cue Card

13. Describe a piece of good advice that you gave to someone IELTS Cue Card

14. Describe a rule that is important in your school or at work IELTS Cue Card

15. Describe a good advertisement that you think is useful IELTS Cue Card

16.  Describe a bad service you received in a restaurant/shop IELTS Cue Card

17. Describe a party that you enjoyed IELTS Cue Card

18. Describe an occasion when you waited a long time for a nice thing

19. Describe an activity that made you feel tired IELTS Cue Card

20. Describe a time when you had a problem with using the computer IELTS Cue Card

21. Describe a person who enjoys cooking for others IELTS Cue Card

22. Describe a place in your country that you think is interesting IELTS Cue Card

A Guide To The Best Art-Inspired Destinations In The US

One of the coolest things to do when traveling to a new place is to check out the art scene, and some U.S. cities have such an inspiring art presence that they are worth experiencing fully through the lens of such creativity. The United States, being the melting pot that it is and massive to boot, is a smorgasbord of traditions and heritage. With culture being heavily linked to different art styles, it only makes sense that cities with the most cultural foundations would have large art presences. The exploration of great art can certainly take you places you wouldn't first expect, though.

Finding great art anywhere isn't hard – wherever there are people, creativity can be found. However, some cities are teeming with beautiful and unique finds, and we've scoured the United States for some of the very best art installations and experiences for travelers who love an art-centric vacation. From world-renowned cities that are impossible to escape notice to small towns you may have never heard of, here are some of the very best places to visit for a colorful and art-filled bucket list vacation.

Best city for tattoo collectors

Richmond, Virginia has one of the highest rates of tattoo shops per capita in the country  (via The Box Houston ), beat out only by two high tourist cities that likely have a high number of shops geared toward visitors rather than residents. You'd be hard-pressed to find a Richmonder without at least one piece marking their skin, and the college city takes their ink very seriously with little to no gimmicky shops and many celebrated and renowned artists residing there. For travelers who are looking to add a little ink to their collection on vacation – especially of the traditional variety – a trip to Richmond should be highly considered.

Shops like Hold It Down Tattoo , a hidden gem found in a cobblestone alley near the Virginia Commonwealth University campus, and Heroes & Ghosts Tattoos  in Richmond's popular Carytown are home to various popular artists with different styles. While most artists in the city have a style all to their own that is noticeably unique and desirable, artists like Josh Stephens and Two Pillars owner Charles Berger are stand-outs for their bold and specialized style choices.

Richmond is also home to the world's longest-running tattoo convention, which celebrated its 29th anniversary in 2022 . Over 100 artists participate in the Richmond Tattoo, Art, and Music Festival and people come from all over to get tattooed at the convention, making it a great time to visit the heavily tattooed city.

Best open-air art scene

Detroit, Michigan has had a bad rap for quite some time with a high violent crime rate , but it is back on its feet and has become something of a haven for young people and artists. Art and innovation have sprung out of pure grit and willpower as the people take back Detroit , making what is still one of the nation's poorest cities into one of the coolest as well, rich in culture and creativity. The poverty still heavily present in the city should not be taken lightly when visiting, though. The city, as well as its many longtime residents, should be shown the utmost respect by tourists coming to awe at their home and creations.

It's easy to spend a few days in Detroit just visiting the various outdoor art installations and murals, and following Visit Detroit 's weekend art tour itinerary will take you along a journey that visits a lot of what the city has to offer in way of inspirational experiences. One of the best ways to experience the art scene and really understand the scope of how far Detroit has come back is by visiting The Heidelberg Project , an outdoor art display that strives to rehabilitate the area by turning vacant lots into environments of art. Detroit isn't a city to overlook, especially when it comes to its art scene.

Best city for affordable and awe-inspiring art

Surprisingly, one of the most affordable U.S. cities to travel to also happens to contain some pretty amazing and jaw-dropping art installations. Many travelers visit Philadelphia because of the city's ties to American history, as it is sometimes referred to as the birthplace of the United States. For art lovers, though, Philly is also a pretty great city to see, as the entire city is peppered with breathtaking visuals.

One of the most striking and visually stimulating attractions in Philly is the  Magic Gardens , which is a huge mosaic art piece and gallery that spans three city lots. The immersive art experience was first created by artist Isaiah Zagar in an effort to revitalize the South Street neighborhood of Philadelphia, which became a solid contributor to the city's art and revitalization period known as the South Street Renaissance . The wildly creative behemoth of a mosaic collection is a must-see for anyone visiting Philly, but certainly a point of focus for art lovers.

Philadelphia's Mural Mile is also a near-free attraction that has many impressive art styles on display. Travelers can take self-guided tours of all the important murals that use the city as a canvas. With over 4,000 murals crafted thanks to Mural Arts Philadelphia and local creatives who continue to fill the city with artwork, there is plenty to see when exploring the vast city.

Best cities for art museum-goers

New York City and Washington D.C. both contain some of the best museums in the United States, especially when it comes to art. With New York City being such a diverse and populous city and D.C. being the capital of the country, it makes sense that some of the most well-known art museums would reside within their limits. Both cities honor various styles and historic periods of art within their many art museums and galleries.

New York City is home to the Museum of Modern Art – popularly known as the MoMA – and The Metropolitan Museum of Art , both of which are revered as two of the most admired art museums in the world . The Met, of course, is popular for its annual Met Ball , which is basically an elaborate and upscale costume party where the most well-known celebrities wear designer outfits that reflect the year's theme. The MoMA holds some of the most influential contemporary and modern art in history. Van Gogh's "The Starry Night," arguably the single-most well-known and beloved modern painting, is among The MoMA's inhabitants , as well as paintings by Frida Kahlo, Picasso, and Andy Warhol.

Washington D.C. boasts a whole lot of museums and is home to another of the world's most beloved art museums: the National Gallery of Art . The museum hosts work from artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Monet, and Van Gogh and, better yet, is free for all to visit.

Best city for interesting and unique architecture

While cities like New Orleans and New York City are known to have amazing architecture throughout, Miami, Florida is an unexpected wonder when it comes to stylized buildings. The Art Deco Historic District is home to a number of striking buildings that showcase the Art Deco style of the 1920s, '30s, and early '40s, as well as Miami Beach's most iconic street, Ocean Drive. Movie buffs will recognize some of the striking art deco buildings from various iconic films, like "Scarface" and "Miami Vice" – it's hard not to notice how the style of architecture affected the films' whole vibe. Iconic buildings in this district like The Carlyle and Park Central Hotel with their extravagant yet subtly comfortable design are huge jewels in the crown of Miami's South Beach.

Art Deco isn't the only beautiful design choice that designers made in Miami, though, as the city boasts a pretty hefty presence of Mediterranean Revival-style buildings as well. This style pops up in many of Miami's neighborhoods, among the most famous of these buildings are The Alamo and The Freedom Tower . No matter the style, though, Miami's architecture is timeless and the diversity of its stylized buildings paired with how well the city pulls them off makes it a perfect city for art lovers to enjoy.

Best city for art festivals

Charleston, South Carolina is a Mecca for artists, and both they and their creations come in all shapes, sizes, and styles. The southern city is home to a number of annual art festivals that bring in artists from all over. Whether travelers are interested in adding to their art collections or just experiencing a wide array of artists and styles, attending one of Charleston's art festivals is a great addition to any art-led vacation.

One of Charleston's most anticipated festivals is the annual North Charleston Art Fest , a five-day festival that features not only the visual arts but a wide variety of art mediums. Similarly, the Moja Arts Festival uses different art forms to celebrate African American and Caribbean cultures and the harmonization of the many cultures that influence Charleston. For travelers more interested in music and the performing arts, Charleston's Piccolo Spoleto Festival delivers beautifully in these directions.

Festivals in Charleston are a community affair, but they also are open and welcoming to tourists who want to partake in what the many artists and creators have to offer. For being a decently sized city, Charleston still feels like a small town with its emphasis on community, the fast-paced art festival scene speeds things up in the city, making it a bustling and exciting area for creative-minded travelers to enjoy.

Best cities for guerrilla art

Graffiti and unexpectedly placed art can be found all over, specifically in highly populated cities. Naturally, New York City has a huge guerrilla art culture that can be seen in pretty much every neighborhood in the big city, like The Bushwick Collective . Local contributors as well as artists from all over the world have taken part in the massive art project that is made up of almost 100 blocks of murals and large-scale art pieces. Travelers can take a short, pay-what-you-want walking tour to see all the project has to offer.

Los Angeles is another city in which guerrilla art is heavily ingrained in the culture. Street art and graffiti have made quite a transformation over the years in L.A., and artists throughout the city are doing some pretty great things in terms of large-scale murals – a lot of which have deeper meanings than just beautifying the city. There are numerous areas that have a dense presence of beautiful and sometimes thought-provoking images, but The Arts District and The Container Yard are two that speak to the diversity of Los Angeles' street art styles, as they both display a vast number of differing works.

Graffiti has been around for a long time as a means of public creative expression. Murals have become popular all over the world, but a vacation planned around the art pieces should certainly include New York City and/or Los Angeles, as their cultural significance when it comes to guerrilla art is undeniable.

The city with the most culture-rich art

Any traveler heading into Chi-Town would be remiss to forgo any of the numerous opportunities to experience the bustling art scene the city has to offer. Chicago, Illinois has pioneered and innovated a number of different art forms and styles throughout the decades, like jazz music and the performing arts, and they remain a huge part of the creative scene in the city.

The city of Chicago is the perfect place for lovers of art in all its forms to visit, as visual art is just as prevalent as music and comedy or theater. Pablo Picasso even honored the city with a 50-foot sculpture named after himself to stand in Daley Plaza. Expo Chicago is an annual, international event that curates pieces from galleries all over the world and exposes new art from emerging talent.

The neighborhoods within Chicago are steeped in culture, and the different artworks that are scattered throughout reflect that. Neighborhoods like Wicker Park and River North are home to a number of galleries and host regular creative events like First Friday and the Art Crawl .

Best city for an emerging art scene

Though Austin, Texas has had a consistent art scene for decades, the city is still very much blooming with its indie art scene and, until very recently , a large influx of young people moving there and contributing to the creative atmosphere. Although it was projected to be one of the next big cities in the world for art , skyrocketing rent being seen in larger cities has people relocating. The affordability that first brought artists to Austin is now affecting smaller, nearby Texas towns in a great way.

While there are a number of smaller towns on the outskirts of Austin that are seeing an influx of artists, Bastrop is really emerging as a go-to spot  for outdoor art. The small town has had an art presence for a number of years, but with artists from Austin recently relocating to the town along with Austin's Art Institute, it is expected to boom with creativity in the coming years. The Lost Pines Art Center is a huge gallery, offering free access daily. With murals popping up throughout the town and the Bastrop Art Fest hosting unique artists and vendors, including the metal casting company Pyrology , the town has no problem showing off its creativity. For travelers who like a more small-town feel and want to feel like they are a part of something up and coming, Bastrop is the perfect destination – especially when the established art city of Austin is just a short drive away.

A city built for more than music

While Nashville, Tennessee is overwhelmingly known as a city where would-be country music stars and musicians in various genres flock to, it also has a brilliant art scene. Exploring Nashville's art district is striking, with murals that are both beautiful, moving, and reflective of the city's rich history.

Jefferson Street is home to both history and art, the nearby Fisk College hosts a number of art galleries. A historically Black community, the art around Jefferson Street reflects the culture and experience of those who have resided there and heavily features the neighborhood's ties to music. An undeniable and impactful addition to Nashville's art scene is the Norf Art Collective , which is responsible for a number of the large murals in the city that act as historical and cultural memorials. The collective has incorporated and honored a number of Black figures important to Nashville's story in their art – exemplified in their "Family Matters" mural.

You could spend a lifetime in Nashville, but the city could also be just the thing for travelers simply looking for a creative outlet. The music scene may be what people flock to the city for, but seeing the Music City through the lens of its impactful artwork is a whole different experience.

A small town that prioritizes art

In the middle of the Ozarks is the small, eclectic town of Eureka Springs. The town is nestled in the mountains and lined with local art, galleries, and shops. The town is an art colony and is home to around 300 artists, which is about 15% of the town's population!

A month-long art festival is a feature of the town, which is a great time to visit. The annual May Festival of the Arts is a huge event, with the ARTrageous Parade starting the event off in a major way. Participants in the parade go all out creating vibrant costumes that impress residents and visitors alike. Other art-centric events and mini-festivals are scattered throughout the festival month, like an air painting festival and a performing arts workshop.

With art as the focus of pretty much the whole town, it only makes sense that Eureka Springs would be home to a pretty great art school. The Eureka Springs School of Art hosts workshops for various art mediums and is active in many of the art-centric community happenings, like the annual ARTRageous Parade. The styles of art vary greatly in Eureka Springs, making it a place where pretty much everyone can find some beauty.

Where to see natural art in the wild

Art comes in all forms and frequently takes inspiration from nature, so it only makes sense that one spot on our guide to art in the U.S. would go to a destination where you can catch some truly amazing natural masterpieces. Near the U.S. and Canadian border is Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge , one of the only places to see the Northern Lights from the United States. Not to mention that the stargazing is prime here as well.

There is so much beauty and diversity in nature, and it doesn't take a whole vacation to see something amazing as just going outside can result in a natural wonder . However, the natural world is so sensitive that changing locations can result in some truly unique experiences – seeing the Northern Lights in Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge is one such endeavor. A great place to catch the aurora borealis in the refuge is Moosehead Lake , where you not only have a large, open view of the sky, but the reflection of the lights off of the water is truly awe-inspiring.

An unexpected but necessary destination

Amarillo, Texas may not be one of the large state's most sought-after destinations, but it is quite artistic and unique in its own right. The city's crown jewel of an art installation is the ever-changing Cadillac Ranch , which features ten half-buried Cadillacs on Route 66 that are continuously graffitied by artists. The vibrant Cadillacs can be seen from Route 66, which makes it almost impossible not to stop.

Cadillac Ranch may be one of the cooler art pieces in Amarillo, but it is not nearly the only thing that brings art lovers in. The Hoodoo Mural Festival is a feel-good creative outlet for the whole community that aims to bring people together through art and beautifying public spaces. Texas Monthly 's art guide to Amarillo outlines a lot of the top art destinations in the city, but it's almost as if Amarillo itself is art – a trip to the Texas town will be packed with stunning visuals and creative interactions. For travelers wanting to venture to a large city that is outside the typical art destination codex, Amarillo may be the perfect vacation.