What I Wish I Had Been Taught About Art Series

Art Doesn’t Need to Be Fancy or High-Brow

The key is creating something that speaks to you

Photo by the author of her latest fuse bead creations.

When we learn about art, we’re shown the masters as examples, art pieces that are often featured in museums: detailed paintings, life-like sculptures, gorgeous photographs. Our own art is judged by how “good”, “life-like” or even “pretty” it is in comparison to these masters.

And yet, art spans much more than this. There are so many styles that aren’t “life-like”: abstract, modern, impressionism. There are so many pieces that aren’t meant to be “pretty”, that cut to the core of difficult topics or situations. There are art pieces that aren’t meant to be detailed or that are meant to be extremely cute.

YOU get to decide what your art is, and what your goals for your art are.

It may be painting in any variety of levels and styles, even paint-by-numbers and guided experiences like Bob Ross sessions or “paint and sip” events.

Photo by the author of her recently completed paint-by number.

It may be using colored pencils and markers to flesh out a scene.

Photo by the author of some of her “inner child” artwork featuring guided graphic novel cats and a background for a Pikachu sticker.

It may utilize unusual media such as bubbles or petrified wood.

Photo by the author of her first bubble art creation.

Photo by the author of her petrified wood artwork-in-progress.

It may seem even childish. That’s the joy of art. It lets us connect with the feelings, the joy of being a child again. It helps us block out the world around us to create something WE want.

Even forms of craft are art. It doesn’t have to include the expected media like paints, colored pencils, etc.