Appreciating Art

Remember back in high school you'd hear of a painting by a famous artist go for x amount of money(a lot) and your mind would calculate that it must be an important work of art. And higher prices meant more importance. In a way that's kinda sorta true. But imagine you have $20 million in a little "treat yourself to something nice" account or fund and imagine that you'll be buying some art with that money. If you did have that kind of money you'd probably live in a very nice home(mansion) and have important and influential friends. So yes, you could buy 1 very special painting or maybe several of whatever your little heart desires. But instead of buying that very expensive Elvis on velvet painting you've been craving you'd probably ask for advice and kinda hope that your painting is important or might even be an investment. And you'd certainly acknowledge your friends tastes. Are you catching my drift?





That's just 2 of countless sides to what we consider to be the art market and I for one am a sucker to read all about it hoping to further educate myself in the kinds of knowledge that are available. There is important art with good reasons why. There is also art that is a good investment. Imagine how ego-stroking it must be to own a new, important, contemporary art work that's a good investment and also in the art history books. The short of this is that money does make the market; but it doesn't necessarily mean that it's the best art.


I don't have millions nor do I currently have the kind of place where I could hang good paintings by other artists if I could afford them. But what's wonderful is to be able to appreciate art, or rather to let yourself appreciate art; to let something speak to you. Those are the wonderful kinds of moments in this life that we cherish. This is a favorite painting of mine that has to hang in a narrow hallway at the moment. A while back I took it to a friends gallery and it was such a treat to see it under spotlights from 20 or so feet away and be able to walk up to it and around it. In the proper setting it has a lot of depth and movement.
Titled; "A Rose Tulip/Conquest Of Titans" 1989