Here’s a little secret for you: finding beauty is like finding a treasure.

It may be hidden in a small corner, in the form of a crystal or the detail of a wrinkle of an eye. It can even be the sensation of wind gently enveloping your hand when you put it out of the car window. Or even the song of a bird, and the smell of mom's cooking. The phenomenon of beauty can take many forms and manifestations. Photographer Pete Eckert who has been blind for many years describes beauty as being the human spirit! Beauty; if we see it, if we sense it, we must consider ourselves fortunate, at least for that moment. And fortunate are those who have exercised their perception in order to stay tuned to these hidden rare treasures.

In order to talk about beauty, why not begin with three things most of us find visually pleasing; the flower, the snowflake and the soap bubble. While they may be common references to "pretty" things, one may also find beautiful the way they are constructed...what forms them. And upon knowing some of these factors, we gather a greater understanding of the phenomenon we are witnessing. We may see the mathematical structure present in a flower, or the fact that the basic shapes of snowflakes are due to the way hydrogen arranges itself to oxygen! Even the delicate beauty of soap bubbles present the understanding of how surface tension works (and how soap can make it stretch more).

It is through these phenomena that we are taken to a moment of learning. We may get inspired by beautiful things, moments, actions or what have you. And these instances can be used for a deeper understanding of what lies in and around us.

Beauty is also a learning experience!

We have celebrated beauty since the beginning of time, be it in the arts, nature or even science. Certain visual patterns activate areas in our brains. They have complicated names like the ‘Fusiform Gyrus’, the ‘Lateral Occipital Complex’, and the ‘Ventral Striatum’ (just to name a few), that translate information into a sense of pleasure. Like if we were wired to notice beautiful things! And it makes us ask; was perceiving beauty something we developed as a species? Did the ability to notice beauty in things and ourselves help us survive and thrive? Has it played a role in our evolution? Do other species also understand the notion of beauty?

So this new exhibit poses a challenge for the viewer; where can we all find beauty? In how many different places? What quality of beauty is in each of these examples, and how do they translate into a form of pleasure for each and every one of us?

So pay attention, dear reader. For beauty can find us as well.