Anyone can make art. As someone who appreciates art, you probably already have an eye for what constitutes good art. The rest is just learning some basic rules and techniques. Then practice, practice, practice.

However, it's also perfectly fine to just be a lover of art. I'm no musician, but I certainly love music.

Happily, I lived in Cleveland for a while, years ago, and spent many hours at the Cleveland Museum of Art, where an original panel of the Monet Water Lilies hangs. There are couches and benches set just the right distance from the very large panel (the size of a wall), so you can look closely. I spent hours in front of that painting alone. Personally - I cannot even draw stick figures - which is why I stick with music. But to paraphrase many in this thread - I know what I like, and have visceral responses to so many pieces of art, without knowing why. Enjoyment is the only thing that matters - "why" does not.

good for you sir - sometimes you just gotta let go of some old ideas. have a good emotional clearout take all that baggage to the tip and have a go.

Don't be too hard on yourself, most of those artist probably had no clue how to boil water for a cup of tea.

Everyone has artistic talent. How you make a sandwich is a creative process and so too is arranging flowers or shrubs in a garden - and indeed, choosing your words when you write something.

Monet, Monet, MONEY! Masterpieces from the Rockerfeller collection sell for a record £475million including a £59m Matisse and an £84m Picasso....................................................
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Hi Clark....I fully understand your feelings. I am also astounded that some of them can produce such magnificent work. What sickens me is that such rediculous values can be reached at auction for pictures which could have been easily produced by some aspiring amateur; but because it has been done by some renowned artist, it can fetch such mindless values at auction. Take a look at these 5 pictures, and the astronomical prices some idiots are prepared to pay for them. Any aspiring artist could have painted them, and probably much better at that. There is so much bullshit associated with art, and we are led to believe that only the favoured few have the ability to recognize it.

Monet, Monet, MONEY! Masterpieces from the Rockerfeller collection sell for a record £475million including a £59m Matisse and an £84m Picasso....................................................
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Hi Clark....I fully understand your feelings. I am also astounded that some of them can produce such magnificent work. What sickens me is that such rediculous values can be reached at auction for pictures which could have been easily produced by some aspiring amateur; but because it has been done by some renowned artist, it can fetch such mindless values at auction. Take a look at these 5 pictures, and the astronomical prices some idiots are prepared to pay for them. Any aspiring artist could have painted them, and probably much better at that. There is so much bullshit associated with art, and we are led to believe that only the favoured few have the ability to recognize it.

Oh, and also, I have a physical reaction inside my body when I watch those videos of a speeded up painter who is making seemingly random marks on the canvas and then suddenly WHAM! It's something and it's good. That drives me nuts. I love it, but I also can't stand it. That's also how I feel when I see good magic tricks. The I WANT TO DO THAT TOO. Why am I not happy being an observer? But seriously, physical feelings.

OMG MY SOUL MATE. Okay, probably not, since I don't believe in that, but I'm the exact freaking same. Exactly. Well, but then recently I discovered this fabulous thing called abstract art. Like, simple techniques to make cool looking paintings. So I'm filling up my walls with my paintings. However, they are definitely amateur non-artist non-talented person paintings. But, they have the colors I love and I am happy.

All THAT being said, I totally relate, too, to wondering how they do it. Not technique, but the insides, teh emotion, the feelings. Yes, absolutely.

I was married to an artist and art teacher. Terry is a happy, upbeat person.

For art shows, I rewrote his Artist's Statement. Terry wanted to go on-and-on about his artistic process. "Bor-ING!" to quote our daughter. It took an hour of patient questions to boil down two vague, squishy pages into:

"As a visual artist and art teacher, the process of creating my own paintings and sculpture helps me teach art. My students feel safe about taking creative risks. I understand what the struggle is like, and how it takes courage. You have to use your frustrations as a positive, creative drive.

"In creating portraits, I begin with a realistic image of my subject and explore the symbolism, ambiguity and mystery behind the images."

I have no idea what he means by "ambiguity" and "mystery."

Terry's work is in public art collections of Troisk, Russia and Misawa, Japan, as well as private collections throughout the Pacific Northwest.

I personally believe great things can come out of sever pain. I habe ptsd and aome other issues. Medication completely removed my artistic ability. After years of trying to recover from it. I am finally painting again. You may not be able to paint but I'm sure you have a lot of things your good at others aren't.

I think it ok to be the "I know what I like" kind of guy, the same could be said for wine or antiques or fashion for that matter. Too much snobery can be counter productive.

We must be trained to appreciate art. Otherwise what is left in society?

Some people believe that art and comedy come from pain. I don't know if that is true, but I wrote my best poetry when I was a teenager (with typical teenager angst). I am happy now. I appreciate art and music, but I don't create it anymore. I don't know...maybe there is a connection?

YES! I've seen paintings so beautiful they brought tears to my eyes! Impressionists, mostly...they seem to catch my emotions more easily. Did you like the Malibu location better than the STONE TEMPLE on the hill?

The creativity of the artist is that talent to raise an emotional response within us through our experience with their art. It is something special which only a true artist can do. As spectators we are privileged to share the artist's work inspired by their muse and experienced by ourselves.

Not I..I just stare at paintings, especially those by Monet, Rembrandt, and Van Gogh, until I feel like I'm one with their minds-sort of like in "Being John Malkovich," with a feeling of such euphoria, I cry from the awesomeness of it all.

I sometimes stay in the big galleries until they close, and I'm chased out by a guard.

I am right there with you, man. I can do a little bit with woodworking, but that's about it. I've been to both the museums you cited, love them, especially the Malibu Getty; an absolutely amazing place.

Did you visit the Norton Simon also? They've got some of the old Dutch Masters there--Rembrandt, et al.

I've not the remotest clue what it takes to be a talent of that magnitude; an appreciative audience, I suppose.