“To each his own.”

“There’s no accounting for taste.”

“Whatever floats your boat.”

I’m a fan of The Arthouse in Baltimore not for the the art on the walls, but because the pizza bar & gallery is close to my house, has a good vibe, and the pizza is delicious. Invariably, though, whatever art happens to be on exhibit at the time becomes one of the primary topics of conversation.

Or, in a few cases, even a significant influencer of conversation. I no longer sit with a direct line of sight to the huge scary clown painting hanging to the left of the bar. It disturbs the vibration of that good vibe I mentioned. Conversation takes an antagonistic turn. Apparently, someone purchased the piece and never took it home. I wouldn’t have either. Some art is meant to hang on the museum/gallery wall forever. While I can appreciate a piece of art that I wouldn’t place over my couch, clowns aren’t my thing. Art appreciation only extends so far!

The other walls at the The Arthouse are filled with art on rotation. Each canvas for sale. You never know what you might encounter. Currently on display is a series of collage works involving paint, paper, and 3D objects encased in either a shadow box style frame or a heavy coat of varnish (you gotta stick everything together somehow!). While I’ve been known to swoon over a Rauschenberg combine, this particular collage style isn’t for me. That said, unlike the clown, I can appreciate the artist’s effort and creativity. I’d actually love to see how one of these pieces comes together. Is the process a frenetic Edward Scissorhand’s motion of madly grabbing from piles of ephemera and objects, hasty gluing, and freeform painting? Or is it a considered process of building on a theme with careful placement of each item, precision gluing, and deliberate paint strokes?

Go check out The Arthouse for yourself. Have a pizza. Try the sour pear negroni on the rocks. Enjoy the artwork. Maybe it will float your boat.