SKILLS Judging artistic skill is achieved by referencing art that you have viewed before. An art gallery or museum setting is a great place to begin this process. As you view a painting, you will be able to compare the work with others and de- termine for yourself which artists have stronger skill sets. Once you find an artist’s work that you feel is superior, study all the artwork on display by that artist. You might find that some are more impressive than others, or are rendered with better color and composition. Over a short amount of time, you will have chosen the one or two that are the best out of the entire group.


ARTIST’S GOOD INTENTIONS Artists often paint to convey a deeper meaning than what is immediately apparent. After you look at an artist’s work with fresh eyes, ask to view the artist’s statement or biog- raphy to learn more about the context and background from which it was created. This will give you greater in- sight into a particular artist’s work; thus enhancing your overall ability to appreciate their art.


SUBJECT MATTERS What an artist paints, is equally as important as how he or she paints, because the subject matter itself will evoke emotions good, bad or indifferent from the viewer. Sub- ject matter, in and of itself is the purpose for creating art. Once you find a subject matter that you enjoy in a work of art, see which category it fits into and seek out others in that category. Representational, Narrative, Statement, and Metaphoric and Spiritual Art are just a few examples of categories to look for.


repreSenTaTional arT Created for visual appeal and pure enjoyment with no deeper intent than what is presented.


narraTive arT Art that tells a story. It could be historical or allegorical. It might cause you to understand, empathize or feel what’s being depicted.


STaTemenT arT Where the artist is clearly speaking through the work, ac- tively promoting a cause or perhaps bringing attention to an issue that’s important to him or her.


meTaphoric and SpiriTual arT This is art that contains more than one meaning, and pos- sibly several meanings. It uses symbolic imagery or deals with more intangible issues.


Finding meaning or emotion in art opens up a whole


new realm of enjoyment and will deepen your apprecia- tion of artists who incorporate it into their work. Finally, beauty is, and always will be, in the “eye of


the beholder.” Your decision about art you like or do not like is instinctive and natural. In fact, you probably won’t even have to make that decision, you’ll simply be capti- vated by a work of art, or you won’t. Don’t try to over-an- alyze your response to art. Remember that the “art experi- ence” is an intimate matter and will not create the same experience for everyone. At the end of the day, it is your authentic and original experience that matters most of all. Don’t let anyone tell you any different. Enjoy the process!


Art Terms


For more Art Terms visit our website at www.ecgallery.com


abSTracT expreSSioniSm: Art that rejects true visual repre- sentation. It has few recognizable images but emphasizes line, color, shape, texture and value—putting the expres- sion of the feelings or emotions of the artist above all else.


chiaroScuro: An Italian term which literally means “light- dark”. In paintings the description refers to clear tonal contrasts which are often used to suggest the volume and modeling of the subjects depicted.


high-Key: A painting where most or all of the image is light or pale in value.


EXCLUSIVE COLLECTIONS GALLERIES


JuxTapoSiTion: The act of placing or positioning items in the image area side by side or next to one another to illustrate some comparison.


painTerly: A painting technique characterized by open- ness of form, in which shapes are defined by loose brush- work in light and dark color areas rather than by outline or contour.


plein air: French for “open air”, it refers to landscapes painted out of doors with the intention of catching the impression of the open air.


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