I never knew the Sheriff from Dukes of Hazzard was so talented!
(Cat ducks as he leaves the room coat in hand 
)
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I recommend spending some time with large-scale Rothkos in a gallery, and keeping an open mind. It begins with the eyes, sure, but it becomes a profoundly moving experience.
If that doesn’t work for you, then so be it. Art’s funny like that.
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What does that even mean?
Your avatar has changed back?
Weird to see 2 different ones a few posts apart - happened until I left the page and came back later when the old one had updated.
Make of it what you want, you normally do
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I actually prefer this one to HH’s recent avatar. I am almost nostalgic about it, especially as I am listening to HH’s SL2s currently (well they are mine now, but you know what I mean).
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Having spit roast myself on the pool terrace this afternoon, I decided to cool down in the pool. This is as far in as I got. Feeling very pleased with my bravery!! 
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It’s all in the eyes of the beholder isn’t it.
One of my unticked goals is to learn more about artwork across the centuries such that I might be able to detect a particular artist’s style beyond a few very famous ones, but as with anything we only have finite time to split between infinite possible pursuits.
Those paintings may not look much superficially but I’d imagine they’d be fantastic to view and judge up close rather than on a web page. If nothing else I’ve learned of a renowend artist I was hitherto unaware of.
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I imagine viewing them in that illustrious and world famous gallery would add a certain something to the viewing but if they were in a local gallery I’d most likely not even notice them. I have at least learnt a bit more about him and his works.
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Yes, and that’s the nice thing - you don’t have to like it.
So many parallels with music - there are genres I feel I should explore more than I do and try to learn to enjoy, but if they don’t tick the boxes for me personally after a few plays they’ve had their chance.
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The Tate had (and maybe still has) a Rothko room, situated next to a Turner room, at Rothko’s request. If you sit in there for a while, the art will almost certainly affect you. Rothko, more than most, needs a carefully curated space. His paintings tend to be big and emotional.
If you get a chance, I recommend it. Also, seeing them up close, you will detect the care and deliberation of the artist.
I’ll shut up now ; )
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Depends what you mean by “artistic” or indeed, what you consider the word “art” to mean.
I suspect perhaps you’re a Stuckist?
I listened to a long debate on this on R4 recently and in the end the definition of ‘art’ that they decided on was ‘anything that isn’t useful’
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It’s in Paris currently! (And maybe on tour thereafter.)
Yes, these giant and melancholic pieces were a commission for the Four Seasons restaurant in Mies van der Rohe’s Seagram building in New York (still the city’s ‘best’ skyscraper).
Rothko felt that the design of the restaurant was not at all what was first envisaged when he accepted the commission, so he withdrew and offered the suite of paintings as a gift, to be sited in a room also of his specification, to the Tate in London because he really wanted his work to be near some of that of Turner who he admired enormously.
Frankly I think they’d make a fairly dismal backdrop against which to eat, so I think we should all be grateful.
As a group, in their own room (subdued lighting, warm gray walls), they hold an emotional pull which has to be experienced to be believed.
Despite how Rothko’s work looks superficially, and in photographs, they were worked over myriad times, (as Matisse had - another major influence), and the many layers and reworkings become subtly apparent the more you lose yourself in them.
Great art engages and stimulates emotion. That’s the difference, and why no-one could ‘knock one up in five minutes’. They took him months. And he knew what he was doing.
Sadly his mental health deteriorated, and he took his own life (without leaving a note) in 1970. Perhaps the signs were there.
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I shall try to be open eyed in future. Thanks for your guidance and kindness
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Also don’t forget we all have different life experiences and education - mine hasn’t exposed me to a huge amount or art or literature which is a shame, whereas others may have studied these areas to a high level/learned to critique them, but equally they wouldn’t have the experience you have in your field. 
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You’re totally correct of course and that’s not something I’ve considered before. I shall endeavour to visit more galleries and educate myself. Thanks
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I should too, it’s great seeing art in the flesh so to speak and appreciating the work that went into it.
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You are still entitled to your opinion though despite the “Emperors New Clothes” comments. 
It looks like paint samples from B&Q was my first thought. 
I prefer Bernard McMullen.
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On the subject of art and beauty is in the eyes of the beholder:
My wife’s birthday present to me was a sip and paint workshop.
Now, I have done quite some sipping over the years, not to mention glugging, but I haven’t put brush to canvas in nigh on fifty years, so I was peeing my proverbials prior to the workshop, which was today.
Long story short, here is the result. Love it or hate it, the wine was good anyway 
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