Once you have gotten an overall look at the painting, he
said “Don’t worry about figuring out what the artist was trying to say. Think
more about what the art says to you.”
Eisele believes that art should appeal to your senses and
grab your eye in some way: “That doesn’t mean it has to be beautiful, but it
must grab your eye. A work might grab your eye through its subject matter, an
interesting color, its combination of objects, its realistic appearance, or
other factors. But a large part of the appeal of art is emotional. Some artists
go out of their way to inspire strong reactions, ranging from awe and lust to
anger and disgust.”
As you study a painting, think about:
- If your feelings are positive, why are they positive?
- What is it about the painting that makes you happy or upsets you?
As you study more paintings over time, you will begin to
recognize the different ways that artists use elements such as balance,
composition, and light to move the viewer. You may also see how symbols are
used to communicate ideas. The more paintings you study, the more you will be
able to discern which ones seem better than others.
“There are no hard and fast rules about what makes a piece
of art great, mediocre, or bad,” said Eisele. “At lot of great art was once
considered immature and forgettable.”
He advised seminar attendees to “Buy art because you like
it, understand it, and it will enhance your life in some way.”
The Eisele Gallery of Fine Art specializes in original paintings by noted 18th, 19th and 20th century American and European artists as well as contemporary works by local and regional living artists.
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