I’ve been meaning to write this down but I keep forgetting to - like I can’t quite grasp the thought.

Why is some artwork better than others (I’m also thinking of my own work); I believe it has to do with the “confrontational” nature of art.  The more art is “surprising” the more powerful it is.

Example: a couple of weeks ago I painted a still life of a plant - and it was more powerful because I felt as if I “faced” the plant - connected.    I often think of Van Gogh’s drawings of “hands” - it’s as if he’s seeing a hand or his face, for the first time, and drawing it - it’s the power of discovery - the act of confronting - of seeing the world as if you’ve never set sight on it before.

I could not find a digital copy to the hand drawings I’m looking for - the portrait of Van Gogh does the same thing.

This is what I’m going after - the power to shock and arrest your attention by the sheer beauty, something your discovering as your coming in contact with the subject of your work.

I’d like to think that’s also true of Web Analytics - the power of assembling data - can somethings create “ah ha” type of insights - at least, that’s what I’m going after.

Because, at the heart of it all, art is, I believe, a quest for knowing - for learning about something, and for capturing the essence of it in some form.

BTW, it’s also helpful for me to imagine what it was like to paint, to create a work of art, when viewing it.  Sometimes, the innovation that art is, is not as apparent until you imagine yourself as the artist - then it all falls into place.