Both stories I posted today, "Gleam" and "Art Show," have to do with painted art and artists. Artworks play an important part in the plot, and at least to a small degree, I like to think, comment on the characterizations and relationships. Quite a few of my stories involve painting, maybe because I like that kind of art, and maybe because I wish I had the skill to do first rate drawing and painting.
For the past few years I have been illustrating some of my stories. I use a computer art application from DAZ Studio. It is free, but to do very much, additional content must be acquired, either from the DAZ Studio store or from other suppliers, of which there are several. I also make use of Photoshop Elements and SnapArt4 to add finishing touches to my illustrations.