Art presents itself in many shapes and forms today. To me it is always interesting and gratifying to appreciate other peoples art. You dont necessarily have to like it personally to accept the hard work that has gone into it and the thought behind it.

As a contemporary artist myself I find it gives you freedom to express your inner emotions. If I had a bad day it probably reflects in my paintings appearing more dramatic. On the other hand I also find it calming to paint seasoned skies.

Art is a hugely individual subject. A piece of art that is highly acclaimed by one individual may certainly be loathed by another. But to my satisfaction these days there is such an enormous selection of art available that there truly has to be something for everyone. Take the Graffiti scene as an example. One person calls it vandalism and to another it is simply fantastic

Just look at pavement artists sketching out their pictures in chalk. This surely is a talent, but one that many passers by can enjoy but yields the artist very little money. Many of us have been to Paris and the Montmartre district where the artists set their easels on the pavements doing quick caricatures much to everyone’s amazement and amusement.

Other forms of art that are popular are sand sculptures which feature greatly here in the Canary Islands, and I am sure in other parts of the world as well. They take all kinds of forms, from biblical scenes to dragons that even have fire breathing out of their nostrils. And what about the old art of mosaics? Many of us see them every day or even have them in our gardens in form of plant pots, walls etc.

Posters – somebody has to design them so they are thought provoking and catch the eye. This is a great challenge for children too, who are encouraged to do posters for any number of things from road safety to recycling the environment. I love to see what sense can be made of driftwood collected along the beach. I think a special type of person is needed to do this with a very good imagination and creativity.

On this theme also delightful paper weights can be made from nice pebbles once they are cleaned, painted and varnished. It is also fun searching for the pebbles in different shapes and feeling how smooth they are when you run your fingers over them.

Designing and making your own cards not only brings pleasure to many, but also brings individuality to the recipient. Papermache is another form of art I have never tried, but I really like the results that people manage to achieve. Decoupage in this day and age seems to be very popular, along with scrapbooking, felting, patch working and needlepoint.

With so many different forms of art surrounding us there surely has to be something for anyone. And if you really want to get involved and learn more then there are a great many workshops that are being run in art stores or at schools. The satisfaction and enormous joy that art can bring to people is something that can never be measured, at least not in monetary terms – thank God for that.

Popularity: 1% [?]