Nina has has put up some very nice pictures in her blog at:
http://wordpress.com/read/post/id/60526028/1119/
She asks : “If these were properly framed and presented in an upscale gallery with elegant white walls, would they pass for “real” cutting-edge art?”
We do not possess an upscale gallery but as it happens we do have this example to help you to judge how far white walls and a frame make a difference:
Our son painted it nearly 40 years ago; we have quite a few of the children’s and grandchildren’s pictures on display round the house and for some reason we framed a couple of them.
Was the framing an ironic comment on the quality of contemporary art? No, though I suspect this picture will be treasured rather longer than a few pickled cows I could mention.
To be honest the reason for framing it I cannot now remember. Maybe a general pride in what small children can achieve? A wish to demonstrate that what mattered was what they personally could do, not how it compared with what others did? Whatever the reason, all their pictures still give as a great deal of pleasure 
Reflections 
I also believe art is very universal, and even though I have nothing against academicism in art, I do believe French artists such as Henri Rousseau left an important legacy in the world of modern art. In fact, if I’m not mistaken, the “naïf” or also “folkloric” art may be art its purest form. Many of the famous “naïf” artists could not even survive “academicism”, because it destroyed their imagination and spontaneity. If I’m not mistaken this is precisely why many of them have a much harder time selling their art, because they didn’t go to art school. And children’s art is precisely just that: “naïf”.
I agree with you about art being universal; maybe that is why we find it can be found in all sorts of settings. Perhaps too it is because the tools and materials needed to make art are also today very widely available, at least for people with some spare money and time. So I am optimistic that new types of art will continue to emerge in (for instance) still and video photography, popular music and in writing. All these arts seem to me to be developing at present mostly outside any academic setting or, indeed, outside any formal tradition. That has both advantages and disadvantages!
For obvious reasons, I LOVE this post. But your son’s childhood painting really is wonderful, especially as enhanced by the perfect frame for it. It would give pleasure to any viewer, Mr. T., even if not a proud parent. 🙂
That is very kind Nina. On his behalf, thank you 🙂
I really like this picture — the colour combination of the painting is great and the frame really brings it out.