Freedom in Aesthetics

I have been thinking about our aesthetic experiences for quite a while. What we view as beautiful, pleasing, or simply aesthetically enjoyable makes up a huge part of our lives. No doubt, beauty (in a broad sense) is largely a cultural product, and, like everything else we learn in life, the concept of beauty is acquired. Consequently, the aesthetic experience is also cultivated. But what are the forces that cultivate this cognitive,emotional,visceral experience? To what extent are we free in the nest woven by ourselves?