How to Talk to an Artist

by Gigi Conot

Why are artists often hesitant about displaying their work to the public?
Why are visitors often hesitant to approach an artist?

Most artists are very interested in their visitors' responses, and are happy to listen and answer thoughtful questions, but some artists have difficulty explaining their own work, or feel vulnerable to criticism. And sometimes visitors are tactless because of a lack of experience in looking at art or talking about it. If a visitor seems patronizing, asks personal questions, or criticizes the work, communication between the artist and viewer can shut down. I hope the following suggestions will offer some perpective.
What you
shouldn't say		 What the Artist is tempted to reply Why this can
offend an artist		 What you should say
Wow. That painting is really good

or. . . cool /interesting /different

You don’t know anything about art and you don’t know what you mean by “good." Be more thoughtful. “Good” doesn’t describe what the art does for the viewer and is very subjective. 'Different' or 'interesting' seem like a coy way of saying 'I don't get it.' Instead, tell the artist what moves you, reminds you, interests you. . . Wow. The lines in that painting are really provocative. It makes me think of …
What is it?

Why should I tell you? Every work of art does not have to literally represent something. Sometimes the artist is trying to convey a sense of mystery, or show something indescribable. If you don't have experience with art critique or art terms, try to describe what you see or feel, and then ask questions about what the artist intended to convey. That’s inspiring. I wonder does it represent a figure in the dark, or a shadow, or am I totally off the mark?
I have a friend who runs a crafts gallery. I’ll tell her about you.

That’s great. I’ll tell my Great Grandmother about her.

Artists do all kinds of art work, from installation and politically provocative art to video and performance to modern abstraction paintings, etc. There is no single kind of art and galleries usually focus on different types of work. Find out what the artists does, and who the gallery represents, before you attempt to help. What kind of art do you do? Would it fit under the genre of crafts, or do you do something totally different?
You should use brighter colors.

You should lose weight

or. . .

You should dye your hair purple.

 Yours is a subjective opinion. Part of the beauty of art is being able to say something just as the creator wants to say it. Your work seems dark and intense. I would like to know more about your ideas and creative process.

or. . . Nothing.
What you
shouldn't say		 What the Artist is tempted to reply Why this can
offend an artist		 What you should say
How can you charge that much for this piece? I could buy a car for that amount.

I have a car in the back that I haven’t been able to fix because I spend 3 times as much money on my art as you would on a car. The cost of a piece may be based on a number of factors: the artists' reputation (and market worth of their work) the success of the piece, the difficulty of production and presentation, the years of training behind the creation of the piece, as well as time and materials costs. Artists spend an incredible amount of time and money on art. The costs may be invisible to you, but the artist may devote an entire life to their profession without the promise of a return. That’s really nice. I would buy it if I had the money.
I have a friend who wants a portrait of his cat. Can you do it?

Sure. While I’m doing that, since you’re an engineer, can you fix my car? Not all artists do all kinds of art. Don't assume that every artist will do cat portraits. Pay attention to the style and subject of the artist's work, and commission them to do something similar. Unless you see animal or other portraits among their work, the artist will probably not be interested, and the question will seem odd. Do you do animal portraits?
I would like a drawing for my boyfriend’s birthday. Can you give me a discount? Sure. I hear you manage a department store. Can you give me a discount? If the artist thought the work was worth less, the price would already be lower. If the work is worth the price, why would the artist lower it? I’d like to give my boyfriend a piece of art for his birthday. Do you have anything in this price range?

or. . . I like this piece, but don't have the budget for it right now. Can you offer an installment plan?
We need a painting to match our couch. Can you do it? After I’m done painting the house next door. Pay attention to the style and subject of the artist's work, and commission them to do something similar. Do you know any interior decorators?
You should paint happier pictures.

You should get rid of your husband.

or. . .

You should take a valium.

 Yours is a subjective opinion. Part of the beauty of art is being able to say something just as the creator wants to say it. Your work seems dark and intense. I would like to know more about your ideas and creative process.

or. . . Nothing.
What you
shouldn't say		 What the Artist is tempted to reply Why this can
offend an artist		 What you should say
You shouldn’t be wasting your time as a secretary. You could make a lot more money in advertising.

You shouldn’t be wasting your time painting. You could make a lot more money in advertising.

Thanks. Yes, I would like to work lots of overtime, create images of products, work on other people’s ideas, and forget about my own artwork. While artists often work in jobs that mean nothing to them in order to keep an adequate cash flow going to pursue their artwork, making more money is not necessarily the most important goal. On their own time, artists get tremendous satisfaction in pursuing their own art. Working in advertising, illustration and marketing demand different skills from fine art, none of which include self-expression, and are not necessarily a good match for the artist's goals. Are you interested in pursuing a career where you can use your creative skills or does your day job give you time to pursue your art?
You should have your own studio. (Bigger studio.) (Own gallery.)  You should buy at least 10 pieces of my art every year. If the artist had the money, they would almost certainly have their own studio. Money is usually a painful subject for the artist. Rent is high, supplies, framing, promotions, etc. are very expensive. This is a nice studio.

How long did it take you to do that?

My whole life

or. . .

Why does it matter how long it took?

 Contrary to what many people believe, artists are not born artists. Most spend countless hours training, perfecting their craft, researching, schooling, etc. Many artists labor for hours to get the perfect piece, others sketch thousands of drawings for one idea, and some may create an expressive image very quickly. The price of a work of art is generally not calculated by the hour. The question sounds as ludicrous as if you asked your doctor, “How long did it take you to come up with this diagnosis?” That’s a really intricate piece. It must have taken a lot of work /thought/ discipline.
I have a cousin who’s an illustrator. You should talk to him. So? If you’re talking to a fine artist, it’s like telling a cat you know a dog. There is some overlap in training and experience, but these two professions have less to do with each other than you might think, particularly in their approach to self-expression. Do also you do any illustration?
How much rent do you pay for your studio?

How much do you pay for insurance? The artist would like to assume that you are looking at their work, not their real estate. If you are looking for a loft, talk to a realtor. This is a nice studio.

posted 11/09/2000

Gigi Conot  email

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