I always wanted to be an artist. My grandfather was an amazing painter, and my dad, too, has in incredible gift with design and lettering that is hard to top. Even as a kid, my brother was able to imagine and draw intricate creatures and the coolest replicas of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  Somehow the visual art gene skipped me, even as much as I tried to create and paint and draw, it just wasn’t something I was ever really good at.

Even so, I love art. I could spend hours walking through art museums, studying the technique and coming up with inspiration ideas behind some of the world’s most famous pieces.

On my recent trip to Spain and the Catalonia area, I was able to visit Salvador Dali’s last permanent home, and a unique look inside his creative mind. Visiting an artist’s home is like a behind the scenes movie tour, except real life, and an experience that allows you to peak inside the mind of the artist.

The house, located in Cadaques, had a previous life as several fisherman’s homes, and Dali along with his wife, Gala, reconstructed the spaces to fit into their world. Everyday household items like watering cans or his dressing room each have their signature spin. One recurring theme throughout the house was animals. Stuffed, hung, used as a greeting in an entrance way or on top of furniture, Dali had a huge fascination with animals.

Here are a few images from my tour that capture the animals used around the house. I’m betting taxidermy was really popular during this period!

(From this window I could acutally see the gorgeous, luxury villa where we were staying in Cadaques. How cool is that?!)

So, What do you think about all these animals? Are you an artist? Do you search out museums to visit when you travel?

These photos are submitted to Budget Traveler’s Sandbox, Thursday Travel Photo. Make sure to check out the other bloggers’ photos too!