# Artist Frustrations - or - So I'm not a genius. Fuck you. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 27, 2003, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artist-frustrations-or-so-im-not-a-genius-fuck-you/177773 "2003-05-27T14:46:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artist-frustrations-or-so-im-not-a-genius-fuck-you/177773/1 "2003-05-27T14:46:10Z")
Why is it that visual artists have to be the latest, greatest chapter in art history in order to be legitimate? What’s so fucking wrong with just working to develop one’s ability in whatever direction it goes? I dropped out of art school b/c I was tired of all the pressure to come up with some new gimmick. People should know this is why there’s so much shitty/weird art out there. It’s all this innovation crap that doesn’t mean a thing except to impress some idiot critic. Okay, some of it’s good, but most of it… And it bugs the shit out of me when I’m someplace quiet, like in a park, and I’ve gone out of my way to get off to the side, as far from the trail as I can get w/out trampling on some poor endangered plant, and people shout at me as they’re walking up “Can I come see what you’re doing? I don’t want to interrupt.” You’ve already fucking interrupted and broken my concentration, you probably won’t like what you’re looking at b/c it’s not finished (I’m not even sure I like it), and when you look at it w/out saying anything complimentary it’s just going to remind me that a lot of my drawings fail. Oh, but I’m not allowed to tell you to leave me alone b/c then I’m alienating you on behalf of all artists. ---
**Author:** ![butter\_pie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aca169/32.png) [@butter\_pie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butter_pie)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artist-frustrations-or-so-im-not-a-genius-fuck-you/177773/2 "2003-05-27T15:47:02Z")
I love it when people come to see what I’m doing. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artist-frustrations-or-so-im-not-a-genius-fuck-you/177773/3 "2003-05-27T15:49:42Z")
Me too. 🙂 And I peek at what other people draw as well. ---
**Author:** ![refusal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ac91a4/32.png) [@refusal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/refusal)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artist-frustrations-or-so-im-not-a-genius-fuck-you/177773/4 "2003-05-27T15:54:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by fessie \* > **And it bugs the shit out of me when I’m someplace quiet, like in a park, and I’ve gone out of my way to get off to the side, as far from the trail as I can get w/out trampling on some poor endangered plant, and people shout at me as they’re walking up "Can I come see what you’re doing? I don’t want to interrupt."** Why do you think so many artists never wash? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artist-frustrations-or-so-im-not-a-genius-fuck-you/177773/5 "2003-05-27T15:59:37Z")
This is why I took up photography. People can’t demand to see the negatives (unless they want to go develop them themself) and they seem to be intimidated by the aloof guy with the giant medium format camera. Works for me. ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artist-frustrations-or-so-im-not-a-genius-fuck-you/177773/6 "2003-05-27T16:21:46Z")
**fessie** , as a not-genius musician, I totally sympathize with your frustration at not having invented a whole new style for the future art historians. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been told about my playing, “Great. They did it that way in the 1940s. Now how about something original?” :rolleyes: As it happens, I’m quite happy imitating the style of 60 years ago. I’ll never be an original, so I play what I love and don’t worry about it any more. If EVERYBODY were an innovator, we’d have nothing but chaos. ---
**Author:** ![Lodrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@Lodrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lodrain)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artist-frustrations-or-so-im-not-a-genius-fuck-you/177773/7 "2003-05-27T17:06:38Z")
Some of the best music around tends to emulate older styles. Take Nick Cave, for example. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artist-frustrations-or-so-im-not-a-genius-fuck-you/177773/8 "2003-05-27T17:24:13Z")
A classic’s got a timelessness all it’s own. 😉 Do what feels right to you. Strive to learn and grow, and you’ll at the least be happy and balanced. Who knows, one day your way of expression may come into style for a bit. Or maybe people will start to see your works and appreciate them for their own weight. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mercury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e95f7d/32.png) [@Mercury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mercury)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artist-frustrations-or-so-im-not-a-genius-fuck-you/177773/9 "2003-05-27T18:17:38Z")
It’s bad in math, too. I’m sorry, I didn’t realise that I’m retarded just because I haven’t come up with my own fucking proof of something no-one else ever did. I want to be a teacher, not a Nobel Prize Winner. I’m a fucking junior in college. Get over yourselves. -M ---
**Author:** ![KarmaComa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e36b37/32.png) [@KarmaComa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarmaComa)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artist-frustrations-or-so-im-not-a-genius-fuck-you/177773/10 "2003-05-27T18:50:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jinwicked \* > \*\*I love it when people come to see what I’m doing. 😃 \*\* I love it what people do to see when I’m coming. Sorry. Couldn’t resist. Just popped into my head. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artist-frustrations-or-so-im-not-a-genius-fuck-you/177773/11 "2003-05-27T20:21:47Z")
> [@](#): > > This is why I took up photography. People can’t demand to see the negatives (unless they want to go develop them themself) and they seem to be intimidated by the aloof guy with the giant medium format camera. Works for me. Having done both, I can attest that nobody ever mugs to get in a painting, or screams IF YOU DRAW ME I’LL FUCKING BREAK YOUR PENCILS. So there’s good sides and bad sides. ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artist-frustrations-or-so-im-not-a-genius-fuck-you/177773/12 "2003-05-27T22:38:31Z")
Your web page made me smile, **Gaudere** , I like what you said about the value of being able to draw (as opposed to using software for every piece of content). Wish I could’ve seen more of the images, all I got was a little thumbnail, even when I clicked on them. FTR I’m not a total grump w/observers, sometimes they make wonderfully perceptive remarks. It’s when I’ve gone to the trouble to seek a quiet place away from people that I resent being interrupted. Really it’s easier to just set up right on the sidewalk so they can satisfy their curiosity w/out talking to me. I can’t imagine why they’re so interested, but invariably they are. **Mercury** , how fascinating that mathematicians go through the same thing. I never would have guessed.