"Landscape Box" by Taleen Batalian on Zatista.com

Sometimes, probably in my better moments, I realize that a major function of art is to remind us that perception is almost never a constant. I was reminded of this recently while looking at some abstract landscapes here on Zatista.

"Beach Landscape III" by Jacquie Gouveia on Zatista.com

Most of the time, we go through life thinking that a hill is a hill and a tree is a tree. Everyone who walks the same streets and drives the same roads sees their surroundings in exactly the same way, right? Wrong!

"Sahara" by Mary Lea Bradley on Zatista.com

The very fact that some people interpret landscapes — the very surroundings that anchor our existence — so differently is a real wonder-inducer. Who knows if it’s personal experience, education or a fundamentally different way of seeing the world that informs their perspective, but I love the way these pieces fly in the face of convention.

"Shangri-La" by Lana Bernberg on Zatista.com

It can be hard to question the “given” elements of daily life, but when you, or artists around you, manage to do it — it can be a nice little jolt. Sometimes it’s differences of perspective — our uniqueness, really — that reminds us how grand life is.

"#6" by Don Weaver on Zatista.com

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