Can you categorise the kind of art you like?

I’m interested in how people describe or even categorise the kind of art they like. I’d really like to know if there are any useful (i.e. common) ways to do it. I’ve now collected data from about 100 consumers talking about the art they like and I’ve found they very rarely use artists’ names or refer to official art movements or styles, e.g. impressionism or cubism. Mostly, the language people use is informal and it’s about colour, shapes, style and emotive content.

So, as an introspective exercise, I tried to see if I could categorise the kind of art I like. Browsing through art sites on the web, I was surprised to find how easy it was! Looking at the selection I’d picked, I discovered (for the first time) that I actually like 4 different ‘categories’ of contemporary art. After that, it was easy to find more examples of any category.

I then tried to describe each category in linguistic terms – this proved a lot tougher to generate (and for others to understand!). Anyway, here are my 4 categories – so, if you want to buy me a picture, you know what to look for!
1. Brightly coloured, semi-abstract landscapes

2. Perceptually interesting abstracts with bold shapes and colours

3.Industrial, evocative, Lowry-like scenes

4. And, finally, sailing boats.....

I’ve now become aware that, if I’m walking along a street and pass an art gallery with an example of any one of these kinds in its window, I’ll stop and go in to look around. If not, I probably won’t.

And, more intriguingly, where did these tastes come from? – the sailing boats are obvious (given my life long interest) but what about the abstract shapes – why do they need to be bold?

Anyway, can I tempt anyone into posting 5-10 examples which exemplify their taste in art? Maybe it’s only me that finds the exercise easy?