Naming Art

One of the online groups I follow is having a discussion on naming art. I have talked about this some before, but since it is on my mind this a.m., I'll post what I wrote in response to their question.

I show my art in a gallery so the pieces need titles. I usually incorporate some scraps from
poetry books into the backgrounds of my collages/paintings - and quite often they are the inspiration for the piece. So, I may use a few of those words in the title. I've noticed that the
more interesting the words in the title, the more interest the works get. Hmmmm.... So, I look for something provocative that will make the viewer ponder the work longer to find the answer to the question, "what does the title have to do with the piece?". It helps engage them. Because my collage builds on layers and layers, it takes a viewer awhile to really appreciate the nuances and bits that make up the whole. The title is another layer.

Nothing is more boring to me than titles like Green tree. Koi. Red circle. Man and woman. Seaside. Blue bottle. Okay, we get that without looking at the art. Nothing leads us into the work with a title like that. My titles may be a little obscure, but that adds to the mystery.