We are what we see.

Staying motivated to keep our minds focused on creativity — whether for business, personal or spiritual reasons requires constant attention. It’s said, highly successful people start the day – not by watching the morning news — but with inspirational reading, affirmations of daily goals, and of course physical exercise. After which, they start THEIR day and not the day that’s advertised to them.

Images are plastered into our psyche all day long, starting and ending with TV news — and their sponsors. This is the art of our times. This IS the icon we consume.

Iconography in the archaic terms — imagery of our gods, virgins, sacrificial lambs — once displayed in our most honored areas of the home. Reminders that we have work to do — we need to stay in control of our own thought processes and not be influenced by every image that’s thrown out to us.

We end our days with a big giant TV (usually more than one, sometimes in every room) depicting (oh what) an evil world, interrupted appropriately by someone selling antidepressants or a sleep aid.

What if we used visual art in our homes to sponsor our own social awareness? Reminders that we need to use our resources with earnest, to live clean, stay healthy and move through the day consciously and with generosity to those less fortunate.

Images around the house should bring tranquility to counter balance the riot of violence brought to us each day. Use art wisely. If a picture on the refrigerator is needed to stay on a healthy diet display something that is beautiful, simple and delicious.