What is ART worth?

What is ART worth?

What is anything worth for that matter? From an economic perspective, it is a question of supply and demand. Any object is worth what someone will pay for it. So, what are you willing to pay for a piece of art?

Think about da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa,” local artists’ pieces, and even your OWN art work. How do assign value to these? What are they worth?

From an artist’s perspective, a painting may be as valuable as his ear (Van Gogh) or even as much as life itself. An artist never feels like he is finished with a piece of art. As Leonardo da Vinci said, "art is never completed, only abandoned."

In a sense, a painter leaves a part of himself in every piece. A vision. A creation. An interpretation. Every line is valuable. Every color represents a temperature that sparks the fire. Every mark means something. Even the marks that do not make the canvas but that were brought to the front of mind occasionally; the ones that were thought to be paired with another; THE mark that made the entire piece; or even those that were stifled or instantly regretted and covered, all of these create the piece. As such, a painting is a rare glimpse into an artist’s mind. Without this expression of thought, life might be unimaginable.

Some artists use the most traditional of tools, while others find art even in their instruments. We know of local artists that turn garbage into art. Thomas Crouch found construction blue prints in the trash, turned them into the canvas, and created fascinating images of crows. 

"Congregation" by Thomas Crouch (http://thomascrouchart.com)

Others create art on tin. Some take minutes to create. Some take days or even years. How much of the artist are you getting in each piece? What parts do you enjoy? Respect? Admire? Envy? Crave to experience?

Art can "move" one person and be considered good art. A toddler’s art is priceless to his mother. It can move lots of people and be considered great. The meaning and value, however, will be different for every viewer. The next time you consider the value of art, remember that you are getting a glimpse at the artist himself, and think about the meaning you draw from it. If a piece moves you, it has value.

Express your inner artist! Find your perspective and be confident in what you enjoy about art. Pick up a brush and proceed with reckless abandon. The experience is invaluable.

Paint your day!