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Sit and stay awhile; immerse yourself in art. Observe contemporary art from a new perspective — learn to linger, practice a process called slow looking and discover more about the art and about yourself.

How long can you look at one artwork? For us to really know and appreciate art, we need to spend time with it. Yet, most of us only spend on average eight seconds looking at works on display. The selections in "Linger" are presented for you to enjoy through slow looking. This process is not about others telling you about the art; rather, slow looking is about exploring and discovering on your own. So, stay a while and immerse yourself in art.

To get started, you may want to choose an art piece with figures and action, such as "Treasure Coach from Deadwood" by Charles Hargens. Once you feel comfortable slow looking, you might try something more abstract, such as pieces on display by Signe Stuart, Dennis Guastella or James Eisentrager.

Try to challenge yourself to spend five to 10 minutes with each piece. You might even set a quiet timer on your phone. Allow yourself to discover the details, examine the lines, imagine the feel of the surface, look for brushstrokes and ask yourself questions about the art. What do you think is going on? What would you like to ask the artist? What interests you about the work? What do you feel when you examine the work?

Remember, it's not rude to stare at a work of art. You are encouraged to try this method on any artwork on display in the museum. Please use the comment books to share what you discover when you linger.