Modern art is often 'abstract', in that it is not a realistic depiction of a visible object. This differs from a still life study of fruit or flowers, for instance, or a landscape with clouds, mountains, animals, and people. Abstract artists may be able to draw extremely well but may choose to paint an impression or emotion rather than actual things.

For example, an artist could use hot reds and yellows to bring to life the feeling of lying on a beach with your eyes closed, seeing the blaze of light through your eyelids and feeling your blood coming to the boiling point. Of course, you might not discern that. You might think of a desert or of the energy of the sun which makes life on earth possible.

Local artists create art in all styles, colors, shapes, and sizes. This makes decorating easy. Your hall can hold a dramatic sculpture or a silk screen that evokes city streets or coastal cliffs. The wall behind the couch or over the fireplace is a perfect spot for a large oil painting that makes a defining statement. Wall hangings can bring texture as well as color. No room is complete without something that attracts the eye; you can use different examples of creative genius.

If you have a major work that you value highly, you can hang it and actually create the room around it. You will want to choose lighting that focuses attention on the picture without distracting from the comfort and functionality of the room. You will need to use colors that reflect the dominant ones in the picture or make a pleasing contrast, depending on how dramatic an effect you are aiming for.

Abstract is often taken to mean indecipherable, but it really means 'not like a photograph'. The artist may be trying to suggest something and do it so skillfully that his vision becomes yours. Sometimes it's more that the artist is aiming for an impact, and the viewer is left to find an interpretation. The vision can be vast - like an expression of creation or of an emotion common to all - or minute, like a study of one detail of a familiar object that few have ever focused on in this particular way. This kind of art can fit any period and any decor, although many feel it is only for modern settings.

That's another point. Pictorial art comes in many mediums, so you can choose an oil painting, a watercolor, or a pastel. Even a pen and ink drawing is an effective accent for a room. Prints of a famous or a favorite picture are inexpensive ways to bring color and beauty to any room in your house.

Of course, art can also be the dramatic shape of a sculpture, a fascinating piece of driftwood mounted just right, or a swirl of colorful glass. Los Angeles, CA has so many talented artists, both past and present, that it's easy to find something unique and perfect for your house, apartment, or garden. Finding a local artist is fun, and it makes for as much conversation as a print of an Old Master.

Don't settle for a humdrum home or apartment when you can have one that enchants your friends and reflects your personality to the world. Art is something that lets you make a place your own.