Art in California is really thriving right now, and it is no wonder why. The fact is that California artists have always been among the best in the country. California, in particular, the bay area, has always been at the forefront of art and culture, and so it is to this very day. If you are a fan of the arts, no matter what the art, you will be able to find it in the state of California. The problem with finding CA artists is that there is just so much to look through.

There are probably tens or even hundreds of thousands of California artists, and they are scattered all over one of the largest states in the whole entire country. Although it might be nice to get into a local art scene, to really be able to dive into the work of California art is a much more difficult thing for anyone to be able to do. The fact is that California artists range all the way up and down, and their work runs the gambit from sculpture to collage, from painting to graffiti. Read more »

Every spring, art shows seem to pop up everywhere around my house. Many small towns close off some streets or set up parks for the day to hold the art shows. People come from miles away to wander around and admire the artwork. Large amounts of money exchange hands when art is purchased and artists compare their works to others. Growing up, my father insisted that I have some culture in my life.

I didn’t like being dragged to art shows back then, but now, I love them. My father would take me to the art shows and carry me around telling me about the paintings and creations. I always wished that I was at home watching cartoons.

I’m now one of those people who will drive for miles and miles to find art shows. I don’t always go to purchase artwork since more often than not, I cannot afford anything. However, having culture in my life is something that I credit my father for and I very much continue that to this day. As much as I love theater and opera, that isn’t something that is local and affordable.

Art shows are most often free and not only enjoyable, but educational. I love to take my children to art shows and let them see the artists that paint in front of an audience and some of the artists that create pottery while people watch and admire. My children are learning to appreciate art shows because I do insist that they accompany me. I always reward them with something special afterwards, perhaps lunch or dinner at their favorite themed restaurant.

They have taken to art shows fairly well and absolutely love when my father joins us. He takes the time to explain how important art shows are to my children, just as he did to me when I was younger. I walk behind them, smiling inwardly.

I have acquired a few exquisite pieces of artwork through my travels to various art shows over the years. There is a beautiful painting hanging in my foyer that I fell in love with the moment that I saw it. My husband thought that it was entirely too much money but I just had to have it. To me, art is not an expense, it is an investment. He doesn’t like when I go to art shows because he fears that I will come home having emptied out our bank accounts.

He has come to know, however, that I will not leave art shows with anything in my possession unless it is absolutely beautiful. Lucky for him, spring only comes once a year. And so do the art shows around my house.

If you are looking for a constructive activity that can be enjoyed by the entire family, why not try an art lesson? An art lesson is a wonderful way to bring the family together and spend a few hours learning, creating and having fun. An art lesson also affords one the opportunity to explore the world of art in a hands-on manner. An art lesson usually lasts from one to three hours, and can be incorporated easily into even the busiest of schedules.

They can be taken privately, as a group, and even via the Internet. You can sign up for an art lesson at your local arts and crafts store, the local museum and at many community centers. You also may have the opportunity to take an art lesson at any larger library, and there is usually a very minimal fee for these art lessons because they are normally funded by a regional art endowment.  Read more »

The term “starving artist” conjures images of a bearded man in a paint-covered smock living in a studio apartment that he can barely afford. This creative individual would rather buy artist supplies rather than food. Many artsy people find this character to be endearing especially considering the sacrifices that he is willing to make for his craft.

Some creative people love to engage in artistic endeavors but we also like to be safe. We also like to be well-fed, too. Creative people like us prefer to buy artist supplies at discount prices to forgo the suffering associated with being an artistic person. Others prefer to find alternatives to artist supplies that they can use to create masterpieces in spite of their financial deficits.

When I speak of artist supplies I am not referring to computer programs. Even though today’s artist typically spends more hours on the computer than he does at the easel the image of the bearded man in the paint-covered smock beckons me back to earlier days in which art was a hands-on creative process. Read more »