Vote For ME!

Last weekend I went to a gallery at the Presidio to see the watercolor paintings on display. I can't recommend it but something interesting did happen there.

I say I can't recommend it because I found most of the work not to my taste. It seemed mostly very tight, detailed work, and for watercolor, I like a little left to the imagination. Some were even photorealistic, for crying out loud. I suppose this was to the tastes of the organizers of the show. Maybe if you're a watercolor painter you get tired of boats in a harbor, or snow capped mountains.

What was the most interesting was that we were handed ballots. Rate your three favorite paintings. I knew as soon as I was handed my golf pencil, my experience was being manipulated, but that seemed interesting to me at the time.

I probably wouldn't have looked at all the paintings as closely as I did if I didn't have to vote. Certainly I wouldn't have gone back two and three times to make my final judgement, which I did. I probably wouldn't have walked away with three paintings coloring my experience so vividly either.

On the other hand I find it rather presumptuous and intrusive for my attention to be harnessed to such a critical viewing. True, the voting was optional (although it wasn't presented that way; what were they going to do, shoot me if I didn't turn in a ballot?). Most of the paintings I didn't think were very interesting or done in a particularly fresh way. I wouldn't be thrilled to have any of them in my house, even my Top Three.

And there it is; "MY" Top Three. The judgement is mine, and I feel a stronger connection to these Top Three than I otherwise would if I didn't have to vote. They are the albatross around my neck. I do "own" them now, even if it's just in some psychic manner.

By the way, the picture above is from the show, but not one of my Top Three. Indeed, I think it looks much better small than it did up close and personal.