What Makes A Painting Great?

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 If you work nights long enough, eventually you will hear every question.  Tonight the list got a bit longer.

The last reservation showed up and got the regulation rundown of the answers he would want for the night.  To fill the last possible moment of contact, my question came out "Any other questions?"  Basically an open invitation to interaction.

"What makes a painting great?" was the question I heard.

OK, I can deal with that one with what could be a glib answer but I tend to be a bit direct at the same time. "How it hits you."

That got a reaction.  A quizzical look is still a reaction.

I continued: "If you're looking at paintings for a reaction, that belongs to you.  You'll know what paintings you're looking at and may know the style or technique but only you can judge whether a particular painting hits you.  If one hits you as a great painting then it's a great painting to you and no one can change that reaction."

A bit deeper than the guest suggested but my ego was soothed by his response: "Good answer.  Are you a painter?"

"No.  Just a guy with too much time on his hands."


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