HOW TO LOOK AT A PAINTING by Justin Paton

 Like all art forms our reaction to any of it is entirely subjective. You like it, you don't, you feel drawn to it but you can't explain why, it is mesmerising, it does nothing. In this gorgeous little treat of a book - A5 size, 125 pages, nicely printed, nice paper, and coloured glossy illustrations - one art writer/art curator has given us his views. Even he admits part way through that his favourite paintings at any one time may well be different from what they were a short time previously. And this may well be why looking at paintings, going to art galleries, standing around with people who give the illusion of being art experts is all such a negative experience - we are supposed to like or judge a work by what those around us think. 

This book is completely without judgement, snobbery, pretence, arty-ness. Gently he takes us through the process of looking at a painting, not just glancing at it, but really looking at it - the texture, the elements that first catch the attention, perhaps starting from the left hand side of the painting, and following across, the sense of mystery or discovery that may be in the picture. He has included paintings in the illustrations to help us with this process. He talks about museums and art galleries that we all feel obligated to visit when we go to famous galleries, whereas in fact we really don't know what we should be looking at, while we are surrounded by many others who probably feel the same way. He trails around the art dealerships in Auckland, although this may be a bit out of date seeing the book was published in 2005, but it helps if you are looking at getting into purchasing art for your home or office. He writes about a huge painting by NZ art icon Colin McCahon, analysing its message and how McCahon has portrayed that message. I have never really got Colin McCahon's art, but I did learn from this, and will  look at his works with a different eye, even if I still don't get it or like it! He lists his 10 favourite paintings and why they move him so much, and there is an extensive list of books about art at the end. Plus so much more. 

I learnt so much about art appreciation from this little book, and it helps enormously that the author is a writer - not just an enthusiast or expert asked to write about his subject. The man knows how to communicate with the non-arty among us, not treating us like philistines or cultural retards; the result being that after reading this, you actually feel equipped to be able to look at art with a different type of eye.