ART and Hitchhiking

When hitchhiking started in the love fest with highways built across America,

it was highly accepted and actually endorsed.

It was the PRIMARY way for servicemen to travel cross country.

Home on leave.

Or just traveling when back from war.

That was the fifties and sixties, so I have heard.

It was only brought into the "danger" zone when J Edgar Hoover

promoted how dangerous it was in a nationwide campaign.

Yes, there were bad things that happened over the years.

Yes, there were serial killers that found their prey on the highways.

(think Gacey - the Clown man who murdered young men after picking them up and keeping

them imprisoned for weeks)

Hoover publicized the dangers of hitchhiking on a poster campaign

and the whole country began looking at it in a different way.

So what does this have to do with ART?

Art Hitchhikers are a bit more positive.

They are those folks who really are not educated in the arts,

or even knowledgeable about them.

But they go to art galas, openings, and art shows with gusto.

I have seen thousands of them.

They enter with trepidation.

And do not usually make any art purchases.

They join in because they feel the energy and the positive vibe,

but never really get it.

I call them Art Hitchhikers.

They go along for the ride.

They drink the champagne.

They look at the art and do not say much.

But they open themselves up to maybe absorbing something.

Hitchhikers have not invested in a car, or insurance, or maintenance.

They do not have the premise of splitting gas, or filling up your tank.

They just grab a ride from you as far as you are going in their direction.

That happens with the ART Hitchhiker too.

I welcome them.

I revel in the fact that they spend time with us ART types.

I am amazed that it even interests them.

Lets hope that they never think it is dangerous to be with us.