Callous comment?

[stlukesguild]

I feel like I've heard the worst of the worst. I've never replied with fire, even though I've wanted to. I usually think of the greatest, most cleverly snide comebacks minutes after the person is gone. But would it have been better to make them feel bad (if it even would)? Probably not. In the very moment, I'm either disassociated from the shock or something, or I accept that's their opinion. It's art, and that's their right. Am I supposed to explain away every reason for why my work is the way it is?

Art is for everybody... but not every work of Art is for everybody. I remember completing a painting that I recognized was a big breakthrough for me... and one of the best I had done to that point. One of my studio partners absolutely dismissed it as horrible. I finally put him on the spot demanding to know what he thought was so bad. He stated that the colors were atrocious. The colors harmonized well enough as far as I could see so I kept pushing him. Finally, he admitted that he hated Orange... the dominant color of the painting. I pushed him for a reason why he hated Orange so much and he admitted that his mother had never allowed him to wear Orange... or even use ketchup or hot sauce... because she felt these clashed with his red hair.

That doesn't mean I don't get hurt.

Of course... negative criticism stings nearly everyone... especially when we put so much into a work of art.

During the Open Studios, I was quite devastated. Not my audience this last year. I hardly made a few hundred bucks. Even the year before, when I made more money than all the other artists, the people were brutal. "Where do you get off asking these prices for such easy paintings???" "Are you serious calling this art?" ...I got all kinds of horrendous comments. These are the mellow ones. I've had people spit on my art before some many years ago. The asking about the prices is a common comment. But am I supposed to shove my resume in their face? I have to stand there and take it.

Some years ago, one of my studio partners signed us up for a city-wide open studio tour. I wasn't really interested as I knew that my work was not likely to sell... or even be well-received in such a venue... but we were signed up nevertheless. We had one grandmother enter, and then gasp and cover her two grandkids eyes while exclaiming, "I never expected 'shock art!' You ought to be ashamed." I could do nothing but laugh at the time... but yeah, it stung a bit. I don't think many artists create with the intention of shocking or offending the audience.

Price is always an issue for those that know very little about art. They don't understand how the prices of works of Art are decided, how much time some works of art involve, how much money is put into works of art in terms of studio rent, utilities, materials, etc... and how many work are begun and scraped... or never sold.

 

[Artyczar]

I feel like I've heard the worst of the worst. I've never replied with fire, even though I've wanted to. I usually think of the greatest, most cleverly snide comebacks minutes after the person is gone. But would it have been better to make them feel bad (if it even would)? Probably not. In the very moment, I'm either disassociated from the shock or something, or I accept that's their opinion. It's art, and that's their right. Am I supposed to explain away every reason for why my work is the way it is?

Art is for everybody... but not every work of Art is for everybody. I remember completing a painting that I recognized was a big breakthrough for me... and one of the best I had done to that point. One of my studio partners absolutely dismissed it as horrible. I finally put him on the spot demanding to know what he thought was so bad. He stated that the colors were atrocious. The colors harmonized well enough as far as I could see so I kept pushing him. Finally, he admitted that he hated Orange... the dominant color of the painting. I pushed him for a reason why he hated Orange so much and he admitted that his mother had never allowed him to wear Orange... or even use ketchup or hot sauce... because she felt these clashed with his red hair.

I agree that art is for everyone, but not every artwork is. And not every venue is for all art either. The Open Studios the first year (despite the criticism) worked because it was MY studio and mine alone. I was listed in the catalog as such and people could choose to come based on the pictures they saw and the text, etc. The 2nd year, I was sharing with two other artists at a different artist's studio, and both of them made work that appealed to a wider audience. They also sold for way less. They sold a lot of stickers and pins and trinkets for 5 and 10 bucks, etc. Their originals were maxed at $350. I was doomed from the beginning. But I didn't have the same expectations either.

Years ago, when one of my paintings was spat on, it was a piece/commentary on Apartheid in the 1980s. I was selling at a flea market. Totally wrong venue. The guy was wearing a Confederate flag on his head. I didn't take it as an insult to my artwork. He just needed to publicly express his political views in the most disgusting way he knew how. I figured maybe he was mute and could only communicate through his saliva or something.

Sad, actually.

 

[stlukesguild]

I agree that art is for everyone, but not every artwork is. And not every venue is for all art either.

You are definitely right about venues. The first time I exhibited my work publically after art school I was living in Jersey City... just across from Manhattan. A friend of mine was one of the organizers of an art show and so I put in a couple of pieces. At the time I was influenced greatly by Lucian Freud and other "realists" and was making large oil paintings that were quite tonal.

Most of the art in this exhibition was rooted in Pop Art and graffiti and brilliantly colored. In spite of the scale of my paintings, they were almost non-existent in this venue. In light of this experience, I warned another studio partner some years later against exhibiting in what was known as The People's Art Show. This exhibition was crammed wall to wall with work mostly by amateurs. There were endless horrible political paintings, multiple attempts to shock (sexually explicit portraits of the mayor, etc...) and lots really bad art. My friend painted huge (think 8x14 feet) abstracts that became nothing more than wallpaper in a field of crap.

The Open Studios the first year (despite the criticism) worked because it was MY studio and mine alone. I was listed in the catalog as such and people could choose to come based on the pictures they saw and the text, etc. The 2nd year, I was sharing with two other artists at a different artist's studio, and both of them made work that appealed to a wider audience. They also sold for way less. They sold a lot of stickers and pins and trinkets for 5 and 10 bucks, etc. Their originals were maxed at $350. I was doomed from the beginning. But I didn't have the same expectations either.

They used to hold holiday art sales at my art school. The Glass and Ceramic majors would churn out dozens of lovely... if not all that original... decorative works that sold like hotcakes. Only a few painting majors ever sold anything... usually a lovely landscape or still life in watercolor that dried rapidly in time for the show. My studio partner years later made the mistake of paying to participate in a similar Holiday Art Walk. He was angry that he had sold nothing... but we had to explain to him that the audience was looking to buy pretty decorative works for Christmas and he was showing big "ugly" paintings and assemblage dealing with the Holocaust.

Years ago, when one of my paintings was spat on, it was a piece/commentary on Apartheid in the 1980s. I was selling at a flea market. Totally wrong venue. The guy was wearing a Confederate flag on his head. I didn't take it as an insult to my artwork. He just needed to publicly express his political views in the most disgusting way he knew how. I figured maybe he was mute and could only communicate through his saliva or something.

In that situation you should definitely take his action as a compliment. Gustave Courbet famously had this painting struck by the king of France with a riding crop:

Courbet had failed to paint the idealized nudes in the manner of the academics of the time. Word got around about what the king had done and everyone had to see Courbet's painting for themselves.

 

[JennieJo]

Saturday our plein air group was out painting at a state park. One of our painters was creating another of her marvelous renderings of an old gnarled tree. A middle aged or older woman was passing on the path and dropped an inappropriate comment.

"That's pretty good for a beginner", she said. According to our painter, she appeared to be serious as she walked on past.

Our painter was stunned, mystified, maybe a little hurt and confused by the comment. She recounted the incident to our group at lunch and we joked with her about it to ease the sting.

She is anything but a "beginner". She's quite an experienced and accomplished painter, which shows in her beautiful work, and that tree painting was no exception.

Usually passers by are kinder in their comments. Most say either automatically or meaningfully, "beautiful". Kids love anything they see you painting. We hadn't experienced the negative or back handed compliment before.

Was the lady callous? Was she ignorant? Was she somehow intending to be encouraging? Who knows.

Have you ever encountered this kind of rude or crude comments when painting in public?

Decidedly pointed, and callous. It is one one the dangers of painting and drawing in public. My go-to thoughts run along these lines: maybe she's just having a really bad day; if that's her normal thought patterns then I have some sympathy for her; to ... what the heck! As I resist saying "show us ya stuff love. Nah, I would never engage with someone who made such a comment.

 

[PaintBoss]

I had a visitor to our studio who had come to visit one of my studio partners. On the way out, he tells me, "If I owned one of your paintings, I'd never be able to stop masturbating"

Ok, it is crass, and too much information BUT, that is still technically a win. They definitely liked it. But it is gross, I wouldn’t be putting that in any promotional materials!

 

[PaintBoss]

I haven’t read through the entire thread. But for the original poster, Bartc, I will say this. Well it’s unfortunate when anybody gets a negative comment that is not meant as a helpful criticism presented in a polite way. For those that just want to drop a nasty comment there’s always been those types around. And the longer I live, and especially when I’ve worked with the public, and some family experience, i have seen some people who were born with a bad attitude and a nasty streak. Or many times it has to do with them not being well, they are no longer themselves and can be quite nasty. Would see this in the hospital when I spent so much time there. There are a lot of people walking around with the beginning stages of dementia which can mean inappropriate and unflattering comments up to 15 years before they present with what we think of as dementia symptoms. It can be a lot of different reasons -things that change the personality. But sometimes it’s just to be mean. That’s their joy. And sometimes the grandma or grandpa type aren’t so very sweet. It’s upsetting, but you can’t let them win by letting it get to you.

 

[Scene Chaser]

I have seen art that didn't didn't appeal to me, and in that case I don't comment. That passerby was just being a rude smart axx, pretending she actually knew something about art.
Stlukesguild, your nudes are wonderfully painted and fine works of art.
Bill