What's a painting worth?

Well, that depends. What are the benefits of art? To cover a crack in the wall? To impress your clients? Is art an object of commerce or contemplation?

The art materials themselves aren't worth much, but don't forget the frame, the artistís overhead and gallery commission. Does that signature say Picasso, or Joe Schmoe? Even a bad Picasso is worth a hundred times more than a good Schmoe, right? How do we explain that a painting by Vincent Van Gogh, who never made a dime while he was alive, is bought a hundred years after his death for sixty million dollars by a huge Japanese corporation and locked away in a climate-controlled vault?

The answers to those questions bring many factors beyond artistic merit into play. As an object for sale, the value of a painting is determined by supply and demand. Sometimes the artwork itself is less important than its "box office appeal." A bad painting by a famous actor can cost more than a good painting by an experienced artist. Even where we see the painting affects our idea of its worth. Was it in an upscale gallery or a garage sale?

Good reviews, a strong resume, and trendiness can inflate prices. So can past sales to credible buyers, once people like the Pope or the Medicis, now Donald Trump and Citibank. Scarcity raises prices if the demand is high (they're not making any more Rembrandts.) 

Now the tricky part. How good is that painting? How can you tell? Have you ever seen high-priced art that seemed ridiculous, and thought, "My dog could have done that!" Whose opinion counts? Yours? The dealer? The critic? The art crowd?

The aesthetic value of an artwork is different from its commodity value because art communicates on levels from the superficial to the profound. Aesthetic value is realized by spending your time, not your money. Beauty, such as harmony of form and color, rhythm and proportion, has traditionally been considered the highest value in art. But in modern art these qualities are sometimes emphasized through their absence or denial. Though the form of beauty changes over time, ultimately it's in the eye of the beholder.

The job of the artist is to awaken that eye.Vision is our greatest sensory source of information, and creating art sharpens our visual acuity and fosters the discipline necessary to evoke feelings and ideas, and appreciate the sights of everyday life. For the working artist, there's passion in the pleasure of creating, the satisfaction of expressing a vision and perhaps a therapeutic value, resolving inner conflicts. The finished artwork is also a source of income to the artist, as well as a means to influence others. But anyone can find value in making art. It's fun, magical, and stimulatingó a vehicle for self-discovery and experimentation. 

Viewing and making art can reawaken wonder, engage the mind and heart, and convey a non-verbal understanding about order, relationships and life. Emotional power, insight, originality and craftsmanship are all aesthetic rewards that can be reaped by investing time, not money. A really good painting is alive. Through representing and juxtaposing its images in a sincere, fresh, and challenging way, it sparks that aliveness in the viewer. In contrast, bad art is ugly, false, poorly-done, manipulative, hackneyed, or pandering.

Art appreciation is a process of give and take. Its value is realized moment by moment  as one looks at an artwork. As a viewer, you bring to it the experience and perspective of your whole life. What does the work say to you? Do you care? Perhaps you seek inspiration, healing, a sensory, emotional, intellectual stimulus that enhances your life now and stays with you afterward. An artwork like that is one you'll never tire of. 

People usually buy paintings because they love them. True art collectors are a special breed, patrons upon whom artists rely. Their collections express their aesthetic values and communicate who they are. They appreciate owning a beautiful artwork,  being able to enjoy it every day, and helping to nourish our culture.

Art can  be chic or conventional, magnificent, weird or symbolic, a prophecy that even the artist can't explain. But by expressing personal truth, the artist's imagery enriches our common reality.

So, what's that painting worth? It's up to you.

Dan Cooper is a landscape painter and creator of "E-Painting of the Week," a free email service. His work may be seen online at www.dancooperart.com He lives in Northern California.