What do you see?

This past weekend I decided it was fitting to get outside and enjoy the weather; naturally I would need a good friend to accomplish this. After a few hectic texts I was on my way to enjoying the summer sky while walking the streets of the local downtown area. It just so happened that an Art Fair was going on. So as me and her walked the semi-crowded streets talking about sex and heartache, I also took in the works of art that surrounded me. There were stands of water colors, sculptures, abstracts, portraits, photographs, and a couple things that are yet to be categorized. While me and my companion agreed on the discussion topics, we found it hard to find a piece of art that we both liked. How could we be staring at the same thing and have two completely opposite opinions? Then I got to thinking; this goes beyond art, this is where life imitates art.
You know that couple you saw last week; the one holding hands and making you jealous? Well an hour later they broke up. That’s what I saw, that’s what I wanted to see. You might have seen them getting married and achieving white-picket-fence-happine

ss. We were looking at the same thing, but saw nothing the same. When you study a work done by Sydney Pollack do you see more then a bunch of drizzles and splatters; or do you see something created by a paint truck tipping over? Is it really a great masterpiece or just crap that is seen as a masterpiece? Is the Chicago skyline at night breathtaking or just a picture of two million strangers who would screw you out of a parking space? How can we as humans ever really be close to one another when none of us are seeing the same things?
Even something like the relationship between a father and a son; it could be seen as something drawn up by Da Vinci or something scribbled by El Diablo. Neither the son nor the father will ever be able to see the work through the others eyes, and words can not describe sensations; it will forever be interpreted differently. If one sees it has a masterpiece while the other wants improving, a crossroads of indifference is reached. Everyone knows not to add to a masterpiece but what happens when the opinion is mixed? None of us has the time or the energy to start a whole new picture; we barely have time to pick the next color. Are we fooling ourselves or just painting over the last mess with the new one?
Suppose we only get one canvas, and we have to fit everything on it; our focus can not be split everywhere, certain spots will be neglected at times. We can only paint so much at a time; if we try to do too much at once it will come out drippy and messy. There has to be a balance, a way to make solid confident strokes without leaving drips. Remember that as the artist we are responsible for the colors; learn which ones compliment each other, know which ones make black when mixed together, and know that a mess can be perceived as a beauty.