“It isn’t common public knowledge the innovative Boeing ringlets were first inspired by a sculpture,” an engineer said over dinner last night.

The design has significant environmental appeal for fuel reduction. It can be applied to several platforms saving aviation companies millions.

I wonder if Boeing headquarters has since introduced a sculpture gallery?

We can encourage people to be innovative thinkers with learning & working environments reflecting this vision.

Interactive creative spaces merging art, science, nature, engineering, and technology are fertile ground for multi solution problem solving.

“To innovate, scientists and engineers find inspiration in the arts” by Reena Jana reads:In a workshop on creating compelling data visualizations, the New York Times‘ artist-in-residence, Jer Thorp, encouraged attendees to simply “hire an artist if you have a novel problem.” That’s because “Artists are trained to face novel problems,” Thorp said. And then he added, “Software engineers are not.” And to formalize the current wave of such cross-disciplinary innovation, the organizers of PopTech unveiled a new fellowship in partnership with the Rockefeller Foundation that would mix artists with businesspeople, scientists, and social innovators to “facilitate unconventional collaboration,”

Supporting the arts isn’t a one-sided or charitable act. Beyond esthetics, art can improve lives, spark innovation, speed healing, improve concentration, higher levels of social tolerance, induce calm and increase productivity.

Forbes reviews a compelling study on the impact of art in the workplace, stating, The notion that art in the workplace is merely decorative was dispelled in a survey of more than 800 employees working for 32 companies throughout the U.S. that have workplace art collections. The survey, a collaboration of the Business Committee for the Arts and the International Association for Professional Art Advisors drew responses from firms ranging from food distributors to law firms that house workplace collections. It found that art in the workplace helps businesses address key challenges such as reducing stress (78% agree), increasing creativity (64% agreed) and encouraging expression of opinions (77% agreed).

A physiotherapist after recently displaying original work said, “My focus is better, and the patients are relaxed. A calm patient means they more receptive to treatment, and quicker healing. It isn’t just beautiful, it makes good business & practice sense.”

A corporate exec shares thoughts of increased collaboration and company unity. “The work energizes us and gives our company a sense of pride when clients feel this way too.”

Jamie Livingstone of ArtIQ writes: Art impacts the bottom line, engages staff and represents company values.

Let’s deliver art support out of the gala shadows to public spaces, offices, tech centers, sanctuaries, schools, hospitals and homes.

Infusing art in our daily lives can inspire creative innovation, healthy social and productive work environments, concrete problem solving, and the wonder of possibility.

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For further reading, click highlighted links in post. Also, 10 useful ways art can change your life – click here.