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Cultivating a meaningful appreciation of art, like many things, takes time and effort. Traditional first steps include reading books about art history, like overviews of Western and Non-Western Art. But as an artist, my aesthetic sense evolved directly from making and looking at art. Seeing artwork in person is less common in our digital age, but I think it is crucial. Even better if you can go to a museum or gallery with a visual artist in tow, who can provide both historical and technical context for the work that you will see.

Hearing my painting professors talk about Rembrandt at the Washington, DC National Gallery was the best “art history lesson” that I have ever received. If you live in Boston or any other art-focused city, I recommend attending Open Studios events where artists open their studios to the public. If something catches your interest, ask yourself why. Talk to that artist. Ask about their inspirations and influences. This can help to expand your understanding of what “works” and what doesn’t work in a piece, where different interpretations of subject matter can emerge, how texture, color, shape and structure can come together.

Expose yourself to a variety of artwork too, from the Old Masters to contemporary artists working in new media. You may not like everything you see, but that’s an important part of developing a discerning eye. Instagram is not a replacement for seeing art in person, but it can be a useful tool for sifting through the huge range of artists today.

And consider taking an art class, ideally a drawing class to start. This could be a night course at a local college, or a one-day workshop at a nearby art center. Sometimes artists organize open figure drawing sessions where people can drop in to work from the figure. For beginners this can feel intimidating, but with a good teacher, this is an excellent way to begin to understand the fundamentals of great art.