Breaking the Rules

A couple of sailboats, a couple of people, a couple of umbrellas, a couple of rowboats, and a couple of staffs. 
I've always heard that you should use objects in groups of odd numbers.  I deliberately decided to defy that "rule" in this painting.  Every once in a while an artist should think about the purpose of a rule, and then ask when it is appropriate to break it.  This just seemed like a good time.

Ignorance, however, is not a justification for rule-breaking.  The conventions, elements and principles serve a time-tested purpose and should be in the arsenal for creating and judging fine art.  But the groundbreakers in the arts have always been the ones who questioned the validity of rules that are seemingly written on stone tablets. 
So know and use the elements and principles, but if working outside the rules makes for more interesting art, then, by all means, become a rebel.