A Love of Fine Art that Lasts a Lifetime….

There are some things in life that we know we should appreciate. But maybe we cannot go from the "should" to actually of enjoying such things, even though we know that mature and sophisticated adults enjoy such things. Opera and ballet are similar artistic genres that many of us know we should appreciate. But it is difficult to develop a love of such things, from a cold start.

A love of fine art can be a wonderful addition to anyone’s life. You don’t have to be an artist yourself to understand and enjoy really great art. The good news is that any of us can grow in our love of good art. And anyone can find a place to start inside themselves that can be nurtured until you find your enjoyment of great art growing and becoming stronger and deeper. Here are some tips to start that journey.

• Start with what you know. Whether you know it or not, there probably is some kind of art you already like. It might be a print you have at home or it might be a piece you saw in a restaurant. It doesn’t have to be a Picasso or a Rembrandt to be good art. Even if it is just a painting of a tranquil lake and looking at it makes you feel peaceful, you have the foundation of a love of fine art.
• Learn just a little history and biography. Now identify that one work of art and see how much you can learn about it. Just find out the artist, the year it was painted and where the tranquil lake is. Maybe you can find an interview with the artist talking about what he liked about the piece you like. A little bit of learning will deepen how much you like that artwork. Your love of art is growing.
• Nurture the love of that piece, then that artist, then that genre. Now that you know you like what that one artist does, find out if there are more paintings he or she has done. Find an online gallery and spend some time with those art works. Now your interest is growing. You can also find out who else paints like the artist you like. Expand your interest to that community of artists. All of a sudden, you don’t just like one painting, you like a whole genre of artwork.
• Visit art galleries, just a little bit. With what you know of the art works and artists you like, go to art galleries and see if you can find other art works like the one you like. But keep an open mind and look at least one section of the museum that you would never have gone to before. Deliberately expose yourself to more art with each visit.
• Grab a hold of one new piece you like each time. With each visit to a museum or art show, find one new artwork and new artist that you find interesting and like. Study that artwork and ask yourself questions about why you like it. There are no wrong answers.
• Repeat. By continuing this growth process, before you know it, you will be passionate about lots of kinds of art. Don’t look now, you are an art lover. The important thing to remember is there is no wrong way to go about starting your journey into a greater appreciation of fine art. Unlike opera or ballet, you don’t have to go sit in a fancy hall at big prices to try to get an appreciation for the finer things in life. By just starting with what you like now, you can branch out step by step and before long you will be a fine art enthusiast, in spite of yourself.