“The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.” —Pablo Picasso (1881–1973)

A message in black and gray.

What with our many skyscrapers in the Big Apple most visitors and some locals are in the habit of looking up. More than a stiff neck, there is the reward of soaring wonder when doing that. Looking down, on the sidewalk beneath your feet, can bring benefits too.

Over the past several months two messages, Protect Your Heart and Love Is…, have been stenciled on the concrete pavement throughout the city. With the ‘art’ in ‘heart’ highlighted the artist is presenting a clever double message, or even a triple message.

Love is the message and the answer.

“Love is never lost. If not reciprocated, it will flow back and soften and purify the heart.”
—Washington Irving (1783–1859)

Artists need to protect their creative selves. Each of us needs to protect the health of our hearts: eat properly and take regular exercise. The romantic in us needs to guard the heart—the love—inside, while keeping in mind that love was not put in our hearts to stay; love is not love until you give it away.

A colorful message.

“Every production of an artist should be the expression of an adventure of his soul.”
—W. Somerset Maugham (1874–1965)

The serendipitous nature of New York keeps alive the notion that all things are possible in this City of Dreams. A little more than a year ago we wrote about another piece of advice that was found while tripping the light fantastic on the sidewalks of New York.

Come discover what magic and art the streets of New York have in store for you on our guided walking tours.