Whats it worth?

The value of the a painting is often miss leading. The viewer might put a price on what they see, "Would this look good in my living room and would it give me some respect as an art collector?" Is the actual price of a painting the definition of what it's worth? Sometimes I don't think people even take it that seriously. They purchase a Thomas Kinkaid because it's the trend, even though it's a print with some extra paint thrown on it to look like an original, it will probably be worthless in 10 years or less. Or maybe they invest in an abstract expressionist painting from Costco to add a splash of color to their room, not even aware of who the artist is. These type of paintings blend into the rooms' environment and have little to say, yet alone express or add to the movement. But maybe they are after the value, and want to invest in more than just a painting. They need to be willing to take a risk and invest in something that contributes to art.

Master painters are before their time. They produce work seeking something new and different then what the typical viewer wants. They sole search and experiment. They paint because painting to them is a never ending puzzle and they are trying to find the solution. They enjoy trying to solve the puzzle, not for money or fame, but because they are inspired. These contributions and trials are what makes a painting precious and valuable before the viewers anticipation of buying it. Originality and creativity is the source that makes this true.