Email from Great Scott!
I had a question a while back: Who determines what is great art?
The short answer is, you do, but it won’t feel like that.
The art world is filled with opinions on the matter. Historians, critics, collectors, curators, media. Most of which don’t create art, but have deep pockets and loud voices. These opinions are fickle at best. What was mocked yesterday, might be great today (think of Vincent van Gogh or Claude Monet).
It’s important to come up with your own definition of great art. Otherwise, you are at the mercy of everyone else’s opinions. And that is a stressful way to live.
To me, great art should be beautiful and inspiring and hard to replicate. It should be honest and true and personal.
But that’s just my opinion and it’s not fixed. It is also subjective by nature. What is beautiful to me might be ugly to you. That’s what makes art interesting. There is no perfect painting or drawing.
If you have not already, I urge you to come up with your own definition of great art. You don’t need to share it. Rather, use it as a private compass to guide your art life.
If you ever want to learn more, start with my fundamentals course here.
Happy painting!
Dan Scott
Some of his paintings of New Zealand
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