How to View a painting

When a piece of art catches your eye, for whatever reason take note.  Spend at least five minutes looking at the work.  It might seem needless to say, but the average time anything holds our attention nowadays is 5-8 seconds!  (The average attention span of a goldfish is 9 seconds.)  As you look at the painting be open to any reaction you might have.  Scan the entire piece.  Notice the colors that are next to each other.  See how the artist chose to represent or describe the subject matter. How would it feel to be able to look at this everyday? Does it offer a mood that pleases you? It does not have to go with drapes, sofa, walls or carpet, really. If your heart rises to it, it will be complementary to your things. Step back from it. Step up close to it. Experience it by giving yourself time to take it in.  Walk away from it, then return and see if anything different appears.  It's a lot like sipping wine…enjoy it slowly and you'll develop your personal taste and style.