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I’m sure most of us have had the experience of talking to someone who isn’t really listening

They may insist that they’re listening, even parroting back the last few words you said as proof. But you can tell they aren’t truly engaged. They haven’t taken in what you’re saying or grasped what you’re trying to communicate.

Something similar happens when we visit art museums and galleries but don’t really look at the art.

Many people stroll through exhibitions, giving each painting only a second or two of their attention. They may focus primarily on famous works or pieces with subject matter that feels immediately accessible. And many people say, “I don’t understand art,” especially when it comes to contemporary art.

But you don’t have to understand art in some specialized or academic way to experience it.

Viewing art can become incredibly rewarding once we train ourselves to slow down, really look at the work, and allow ourselves to see it.

One of the easiest ways I know to begin is by asking yourself a few simple questions. There are countless questions you could ask about a work of art, but here are three to get you started:

1. What size and shape did the artist choose?

Artists make deliberate decisions about the physical format of a work.

A small painting creates a very different experience from a monumental painting that requires you to physically move your body to take it in. A square canvas creates a different feeling from a long, narrow rectangle, an oval, or a traditional landscape format.

And did the artist even choose canvas? Perhaps they painted on wood, fabric, paper, or another material.

These choices can affect how we experience the work before we’ve even considered what is depicted.

Why do you think the artist chose this particular size, shape, and material? What might those choices be communicating? How do they make you feel?

2. What part of the artwork catches your eye first?

Artists think carefully about composition.

Just as musical composition involves arranging notes, rhythms, and sounds into a particular structure, visual composition involves arranging shapes, figures, colors, and objects within a space.

Artists can use these choices to guide our eyes through a painting—to draw our attention toward one area, then another, creating a particular visual experience.

So, when you first look at a work, notice where your eye goes.

What did you see first? Where does your eye travel next? Is there an area you keep returning to?

Why do you think the artist arranged the painting this way? What might they be inviting you to notice?

3. What colors has the artist chosen?

Color is used strategically in advertising, fashion, design—and fine art.

Different colors can evoke different moods and associations. Think about the difference between the feeling of a cool blue-green landscape and a painting dominated by fiery reds and oranges.

Color can also create tension. An artist might use an unexpected color for a particular object, limit themselves to a very narrow palette, or place two colors next to each other that seem to vibrate against one another.

As you look at a painting, ask yourself: Why these colors?

How does the color make you feel? Does it create a sense of calm, energy, melancholy, warmth, unease, or something else entirely?

Is there anything surprising about the artist’s use of color?

You may be surprised by how much you can discover simply by asking yourself these three questions.

Truly appreciating a work of art requires more than a second’s glance. It requires attention.

And the beautiful thing is that you don’t need a degree in art history to practice it.

The next time you visit a museum or gallery, choose one work and spend several minutes with it. Resist the urge to immediately decide whether you like it or understand it. Just look.

Notice the size. Notice the composition. Notice the color.

Then notice what happens when you give the work your full attention.

I invite you to practice with my current exhibition, Women’s Work, which is available to view online. My piece is The Shadow Self: After Schiele.

I’d love to know what you think—or answer any questions you have.

Have an artful day!