Why are paintings so valuable?

Why are paintings so valuable?

1.       They are highly sought after

2.       Rare, uncommon

3.       Connects with the emotions

4.       Depends on who painted it

5.       Balance

We may look at a cubism piece by Picasso and wonder how it is worth hundreds of millions. How could a painting that looks like a child could have painted it, be so valuable?

Or Van Gogh’s paintings were originally regarded as nothing, but one day I suppose somebody discovered how truly beautiful they were, and once his paintings were discovered they became highly sought after. After all people want what others want as well.

Some people develop personal attachments to these paintings. Just something about it resonates deeply within them, evokes an emotion that they have been struggling to place with words.

Some paintings are only famous because of its creator, a piece by Picasso or Gogh is automatically going to worth in the millions no matter how insignificant it may appear to be.

Nowadays people will find that in modern art there are seemingly crazy or simple paintings (the kind that look like the artist was angry with the canvas or got lazy and just painted a circle on it) that are actually worth millions. How can that be? For those paintings, however, the artists probably spent a significant amount on time on work that seems to be effortless. Even in the mash of colors, there is some sort of balance. The effortless look actually requires a lot of talent and skill.

Now how does this connect with life? Well if we saw ourselves/our lives as paintings, would we be a piece lying around in a dusty attic or a top-selling Picasso? As a child of God, you already know that just by your creator you are made for fame. No matter how insignificant you may feel, it doesn’t matter. Because Picasso’s worst painting is still a Picasso painting. And even if you feel as though you are God’s worst creation, after all you are still God’s creation.

However, the other four require more thought. For example: highly sought after. What if nobody discovered Van Gogh’s paintings. Would they still be valuable? What if they were sitting around in some garbage dump, waiting to be discovered.

You are a painting. Waiting to be discovered and admired by the world. But first you have to be bold and confident and put yourself out there. Not afraid of being rejected but trusting that you are God’s creation, you are more than a Van Gogh. Once that confidence is in you, you will naturally radiant His presence and be a light for His kingdom.

Rare, uncommon: Do you look/act like everyone else in this world? Or is there something about you that just stands out. For example the most expensive paintings are so valuable because they belong in a genre/category of their own. There’s something so revolutionary, fresh, and new about them. Are you a fresh of breath air in this moldy society where everybody tries to be what the world tells them they should be? If you linger in the presence of God, you will find yourself living, acting differently from the world. Remembering that you have been set apart. And people will notice that rare quality about you.

Connects with the emotions: Often times we believe that we are the only ones going through a certain problem or situation, but truth is we are not alone. There are those struggling with the same hurts, grateful for the same joys in life. Are you someone that is relatable, does your life story have experience, and do you have compassion for others? We have other people in our lives to basically share life. To encourage and help each other. Trust and connect. Come together as a whole.

Balance: Without balance, everything is out of order. Artists often spend a lot of time perfecting the balance in their paintings. They have to add just enough or take away just enough in order for the painting to come together as a whole. This is what I sometimes like to call in my life, organized chaos. In our busy schedules and lives, if something is out of balance it can throw off the whole week. That is why we need to trust God that He has everything in order. That He has given us everything we need in our lives, nothing more and nothing less. That sometimes though it feels like you have unfinished business or you are taking on too much, God has everything under control. It just takes patience to finish the work.

This could also apply to our physical appearances. We often tend to criticize ourselves without realizing that God has made us perfectly balanced. We are the only beings that He has made after His own image. Therefore, though we complain about our looks, there is beauty to it. Look at some of the most famous portraits, the faces are not perfectly symmetrical, but there is a perfect balance to them. And beauty even out of characteristics that seem unordinary.

Overall it is important to remember that a painting is created to glorify the painter.

But the painting itself has influence in that it is able to glorify the painter through the admiration of others.  Resulting, in the painter becoming even more proud of his painting.

Father,

I hope to be a painting that will make you really proud.