Art — A Long-Term Relationship

I’ve been on a journey lately of understanding art more richly and learning how to collect art. As an interior designer, I often look for art pieces for my clients, and I’d like to think I do a pretty good job for the projects I’ve been given. But when it comes to my own home, I feel utterly stuck. Every now and then I’ll find something I like and put it on the wall. Six months later, I want to change it out and have to start all over again. I become overwhelmed by the number of options and can’t decide what will pass the “six-month wall test.” I also don’t have any pieces that have been a true investment—nothing that makes my wallet hurt a little, nothing I couldn’t buy without sleeping on it first. So here I am, with some of my thoughts, learnings, and observations of art and how to find it.

Some quotes from Oscar Wilde that capture the purpose of art:

“Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known.”

“What art seeks to disturb is monotony of type, slavery of custom, tyranny of habit, and the reduction of man to the level of a machine.”

Leo Tolstoy’s thoughts on art from What Is Art?:

“Art begins when a man, with the purpose of communicating to other people a feeling he once experienced, calls it up again within himself and expresses it by certain external signs.”

And, “If only the spectators or auditors are infected by the feelings which the author has felt, it is art.”

What distinguishes good art from mere paint on a canvas (or any other medium)?

Here are some criteria I’ve gathered and expanded on, drawing from sources like Tolstoy, Wilde, Aristotle, Plato, Kant, and various schools of thought:

Expressiveness — Art should create an emotional impact on the viewer, evoking a feeling. Tolstoy describes this as the “infection” of feeling—when the artist’s inner experience is successfully communicated to the viewer.

Originality — Oscar Wilde emphasizes breaking away from tradition and embracing individuality.

All art is imitated in some form, though. An artist might use the same paint color as another artist or piece. They might create a similar shape or form. What makes it original is when it says something different than what’s been said before. This is different than when you’re looking for art pieces that are an “original” piece of art. You can usually find the artist’s signature and date and sometimes an edition or print number on the back of the piece to see if it’s original or not.

Craftsmanship & Skill — This sets the baseline for “well-made” art.

It can be disheartening to see poorly made works sold for thousands. Abstract art, in particular, often attracts these types of pieces. When a work shows clear evidence of time, patience, and mastery, you can see it in the details—the harmony of its components and the intentionality behind it. However, technical skill alone isn’t enough. A perfectly executed piece can still feel hollow if it lacks emotional or intellectual depth.

Communicating Meaning or Insight — Art can engage with themes of culture, humanity, and society. When it sparks conversation, it’s doing its job. Sometimes, art is purely aesthetic, and that’s okay. But when a piece tries to communicate a deeper concept yet is so abstract that it loses its audience, its message can get lost.

Beauty — Immanuel Kant said, “The beautiful is what pleases universally without a concept.” When color, form, rhythm, balance, and harmony work together, they create a sensory experience that makes us call something beautiful.

Sincerity — I love this one because it feels personal to me, as it should, and a little bit uncomfortable, as it should. Art should not be a formula or something from which to merely make money. That means it requires something from the artist. It requires honesty, belief in their work, and authenticity to themselves. I would say sincerity and authenticity are also components of what make a piece original. It keeps us from getting shallow work that is just “made for show.”

Problem we might face in finding good art: how do you verify if a piece is sincere or if the artist believes in their work? Oftentimes, you can talk to the artist and get a good sense of their values and sincerity. And most of the time, the art will speak for itself. Is it trying to be like another work of art or follow a trend? Or does it feel sincere?

Impact — A piece with lasting relevance that resonates across different time periods has true impact. Some art fades because it was trendy or tied too closely to its era. Other works—like classical masterpieces or Picasso’s Cubist paintings—continue to captivate new audiences decade after decade. That staying power signals legacy.

I know a lot of this sounds abstract, but art is exactly that. It is complex because every work of art created by a human being carries at least some part of the complexity of that human being. Just as no thumbprint is the same, each piece of art will be different.

It takes time and patience to identify these things and discover what you might find to be “good art.” Ultimately, it comes down to how a piece speaks to you:

• How does it make you feel?

• What does it make you think about?

• Do you appreciate the craftsmanship and form?

I’m still on that journey and hope to fail over and over again so I can become even more challenged in my understanding and relationship with art.

If you’re reading this, thank you for coming along with me. I’ll be back soon with updates on my own art collection!