Are there any artists that enjoy criticism and/or critiques? I found them to be the total bane of art school. Positive help was always welcomed, but just plain negativity was something I could do without.
I have had some real doozies in my 40+ year career as a professional artist. Here is one of my favorites: “You paint as though you haven’t had any formal training (I had). And your work looks like something that parents would say their 5 year old could paint. However, I’ll take these 5 for the gallery” (what??????). I am still with that gallery. And one of their top sellers of abstract art. Go figure.
Another uplifting experience: On showing a painting to a dealer, he liked it but said: “I can see the texture of the canvas through your glazes. It makes your painting look unfinished.” Well, guess what I just read in a book about modern art? Cezanne often left unpainted areas in his paintings and HE ended up in museums.
It helps to have a sense of humor in this field. . . . .
