1. Do I have an emotional reaction to the piece?
2. Does the piece bring me into it, or am I looking at it?
3. Does the color palette stimulate my senses?
4. Does the composition guide my eye through the piece?
5. Do I understand the piece? Is it conceptual and thought-provoking without being too complicated to understand?
6. Is there anything unique about in the creation process that sets the work apart?
7. Is the artist working in a cohesive style? (this indicates focus, repetition, and practice which leads to more refined work)
8. Is the artist building on a previous artist’s work or an artistic movement?
9. Is the piece well constructed? Is it made of materials that will age well? Or technology that may go out of date?
10. Do I continue to think about the work and its meaning even after I’ve stopped looking at it? Does the work have staying power?

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Stephen Tanenbaum on Twitter: www.twitter.com/sltbaum

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