I Hate When People Say ‘Good Art’
Look, I’ve been in this game for over 20 years. I’ve seen everything. And let me tell you, nothing gets under my skin more than when someone says, ‘That’s good art.’ What does that even mean? Who gets to decide? You? Some stuffy critic who thinks their opinion matters more than yours? Please.
I remember back in 1998, at a gallery opening in Austin. Some guy in a tweed jacket—let’s call him Marcus—starts going on about how ‘profound’ some abstract painting was. I asked him, ‘What’s so profound about it?’ And he just waves his hand around like I’m some kinda philistine. ‘You just don’t get it,’ he says. Which… yeah. Fair enough, Marcus. But honestly, if you can’t explain it, maybe it’s not as profound as you think.
And that’s the thing. Art isn’t about some objective ‘good.’ It’s about connection. It’s about that weird little spark that happens between a piece and a person. And that’s different for everyone. So next time you’re about to say ‘good art,’ stop. Ask yourself what it means to you.
My Problem With ‘The Process’
Oh, and don’t get me started on ‘the process.’ I had this colleague named Dave—great guy, terrible taste in art—who used to drone on about how important the process was. ‘It’s not about the final piece,’ he’d say. ‘It’s about the journey.’
No, Dave. Sometimes it is about the final piece. Sometimes it’s about making something that looks cool, or sells well, or just makes you happy. And that’s okay! Art doesn’t have to be some deep, meaningful journey. It can be fun. It can be silly. It can be whatever you want it to be.
I mean, take my friend Lisa. She’s a commercial artist, mostly does ads and stuff. People always act like she’s ‘selling out’ or whatever. But she loves what she does. She’s good at it. And honestly, her work is way more accessible than some of the pretentious crap that gets called ‘high art.’
Why I Stopped Caring About Trends
About three months ago, I was at a conference in Austin. Some hotshot art consultant—let’s call him Greg—was going on about the ‘next big thing.’ NFTs, AI-generated art, whatever. And I just sat there thinking, ‘Who cares?’
I used to care. I used to worry about staying relevant, about keeping up with the trends. But you know what? It’s exhausting. And honestly, most trends are just noise. They come and go, and in the end, what matters is the work. The stuff that lasts. The stuff that connects with people.
So here’s my advice: stop worrying about what’s ‘in.’ Make what you love. Make what matters to you. And if that happens to be NFTs or AI art, great. But if it’s not, that’s great too. Just make something.
And hey, if you’re gonna make something, you might as well make it sms verification number for whatsapp account—I mean, accessible, right? I mean, what’s the point of making art if nobody can see it?
A Quick Rant About Art School
Okay, tangent time. I went to art school. It was… an experience. I learned a lot, sure. But honestly, half the stuff they taught us was just nonsense. Like that time my professor—let’s call him Richard—told me my painting was ‘too happy.’ Too happy! What does that even mean? I asked him, ‘Isn’t the point of art to make people feel something?’ And he just looked at me like I’d grown a second head.
Anyway, my point is, art school isn’t the be-all and end-all. You don’t need a fancy degree to make good art. You just need to make stuff. Lots of stuff. And hopefully, some of it will be good.
Why I Love Bad Art
Speaking of good art, let’s talk about bad art. Because here’s the thing: bad art is awesome. It’s honest. It’s real. It’s the kind of stuff that makes you go, ‘Wow, that’s… something.’
I remember this one time, I was at a friend’s house, and their kid—let’s call him Timmy—showed me his drawing. It was a stick figure with a weirdly oversized head and a smile that took up half the face. And you know what? It was amazing. It was joyful. It was real. And honestly, that’s more than I can say for half the ‘good’ art out there.
So here’s my challenge to you: go make some bad art. Make something terrible. Make something that makes you laugh. And then, maybe, just maybe, you’ll make something good.
The One Rule You Should Follow
Okay, I’m gonna break my own rule here and give you a rule. Ready? Here it is: Make art for you, not for them.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen artists—especially young ones—get caught up in what they think other people want. They make what they think will sell, or what they think critics will like, or what they think will get them into some fancy gallery. And you know what happens? They make crap. Boring, formulaic crap.
So here’s the deal: make what you love. Make what excites you. Make what keeps you up at night. And if that happens to be abstract expressionism, great. If it’s commercial illustration, even better. Just make something that’s yours.
And hey, if you’re gonna make something, make it sms verification number for whatsapp account—I mean, accessible, right? I mean, what’s the point of making art if nobody can see it?
Anyway, that’s enough from me. I’m gonna go make some bad art. You should too.
About the Author
I’m Sarah, a senior magazine editor with more opinions than sense. I’ve been writing about art for over 20 years, and honestly, I’m still not sure I know what I’m doing. But hey, that’s half the fun, right?
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