Can the inside of objects be as engaging as the outside of objects? Well, yes.

A photo of a small child drawing all over the inside of a cardboard box was shared with me a few days ago, along with a reminder that this was my preferred painting style in high school.

My immediate response was that it is necessary to draw within the box to understand the space, as it leads us to explore outside of it. Also, that nobody seems to draw on the inside of a three dimensional (3D) object. It was a surprisingly personal response.

The above response troubled me. I started looking at objects in everyday life. The ones we live in, the ones we visit, the ones we transport ourselves in. There are drawings, blank walls, feature walls, lights on ceilings, curtains, paintings, sculptures, dash-boards, posters, carpet, water, doorways and windows. There was personalisation on the inside of 3D objects everywhere.

Perhaps this personalisation is a haven, perhaps a longing for intimacy with one's creation, maybe familiarity or certainty. Whatever of these it is, adorning or drawing on the inside of three dimensional objects seems as natural as doing the same on the outside. It's a way-point to explore from and can be seen as a point in time that can be kept untouched, updated or discarded based on these explorations.

So here's the thing, the inside of three dimensional objects are deeply personal. A space for us that we may choose to share, or not. They are rich with the essence of us and present an opportunity to explore another world. So, if we are lucky enough to be invited to share in the deeply personal, let's be respectful, observe and be in conversation with the host.

After all, it's not the done thing to splatter full cans of paint around the inside of an art gallery, or is it?