We've all seen the irritating motivational posters in businesses --- the ones that combine bland photographs with sayings like "Teamwork," "Success," and "Perseverance." Aida Zilbergleyt couldn't take it anymore.

"I was in a stressful environment at work and surrounded by these motivational posters that really aggravated me," she says. "I thought, What? I'm not persevering enough already?"

That's when Zilbergleyt decided to find a way to get more art into the business world. She had a business degree, but decided to go back to school for a degree in commercial art at Monroe Community College. In 2005, she opened RentanArt, which provides businesses and individuals with art from both local and non-local artists. It can be rented for an hour or for months. And through a subscription program, customers can exchange the art on their walls every few months for something new.

Renting art is common in Europe, says Zilbergleyt, who is originally from Lithuania. The practice makes art accessible to people from a variety of economic levels. And Rochester has a wealth of talented artists to draw on, she says. RentanArt offers works in a variety of media: paintings, photography, mixed media, sculpture. Instead of buying the works from the artists, Zilbergleyt makes the artists virtual partners in the business, compensating them as their work is rented, but allowing them to keep their own artwork.

Among the artists participating in the effort is local photographer and writer Bruno Chalifour, who says he wishes more people knew about the idea.

"Unfortunately, it's a foreign concept to people," Chalifour says. "They don't understand the positive effect this could have on the artists' community. Invest in this community instead of going to New York City and spending three times as much on something that just becomes another commodity."

Information on RentanArt is available at the RentanArt website  or by calling 242-8840.