criticism « Art Biz Blog

Is Your Art Good or Garbage?

If you want to reach a higher level in your art career, there must be someone around who can tell you what’s good and what’s garbage. Or does there? In 2005 NPR aired a 4-part series on flops. In part 3, they discussed the aftermath of failure – specifically, what happens when a movie flops. [...]

Minimal and Maximum Art Explanations

Deep Thought Thursday: The more minimal art, the more maximum the explanation. – Hilton Kramer [...]

Is great art obvious?

Does it hit you over the head? Do you have to spend time with it to understand its greatness? While we’re at it . . . What is great art? [...]

Proactive Self-Promotion: Tweak an Art Critic

Without identifying the parties involved, I’ll pass on some “gossip” relayed to me by a reliable source about one artist’s self-promotion feats. It involves 1 artist, 1 arts reviewer, and a gaggle of the artist’s supporters. [...]

The Oreo approach to criticism

Kathleen Nathan, Silver Dress. Photograph. ©The Artist

As you know, the Oreo® is a cookie with two chocolate wafers on the outside and light, creamy filling on the inside. When you’re critiquing someone’s art or marketing materials, think of the chocolate wafers (the parts that hold the whole together) as praise. The fluffy stuff in the center is where you can offer room for improvement. [...]