Learning about "Art" can sound like a dry topic you might be required to take in school so you can learn to be a "well-rounded person". In college, we were required to take either Art Appreciation or Music Appreciation. I opted for art and soon realized that I had fallen into something that had been just below the surface of my consciousness forever. Thus began my love of art; all mediums, all styles.

Art is a living topic and each project begins to take on a life all it's own as it progresses. It is an expression of you; it is something you can teach your children so they can express themselves. Never mind that the crayon drawing doesn't really look like a dog, it is what your child sees when they think of a dog right now. It will change and evolve as they do. Appreciate the many ages and stages as they occur.

The world of art is a very exciting place. It can be a key to lower stress and especially can help one see the world around us in a whole new light. My students have remarked that they begin to notice clouds, birds, the sky ... everything in their environment in new ways. When things begin to get hard to handle, escaping into an art project can help me to relax and take the problems in the real world into stride.

So many artistic mediums are very inexpensive to do that little investment can get you started into "doing your thing". I even saw a woman on TV who uses her dryer lint to create her art projects. And she sells them! So a large investment is not an excuse to put off this fantastic outlet.

I firmly believe that basics are the best place to start, no matter what medium you chose to use. So I would like to begin my association with BellaOnline by starting at the beginning: The Basics.

First, you don't necessarily have to be a pencil-drawing person in order to learn to express yourself. There are many places to look for ideas to get started. Personally, I began as a Tole & Decorative Painter. Although this type of "copy work" is often scoffed at by those who consider themselves "real artists", it was the right springboard for me.

If you have some drawing ability, adding color may be a daunting factor that keeps you from going anywhere else. In the next few weeks, I would like to begin by discussing basic drawing principles, composition, perspective, color schemes, color mixing and effective uses of color. We will also cover different mediums such as oils, acrylics, and watercolors along with different places to use each along the way.

If anyone has questions or suggestions, please feel free to drop me an email and let me know. We will try to get to them asap. My hope is that there are experienced artists as well as hobbyists and beginners who will join us and add ideas and information to these articles. Everyone's opinion is important, especially in art. The ways and mediums in which you can work are literally unlimited (remember the dryer lint!).

A great place ask questions and discuss various mediums and approaches to the vast world of art is through our forum. Links are listed at the top of this page.

So join in ... and remember my motto is: "The only dumb question is the one you don't ask!" Let's talk soon.