Module 11 — Everyday Art

What makes good (or great) art? 

What qualities must it have? Does it need to be original (and what does that mean to you), skillful, personal, meaningful, powerful? Are there certain subjects or types of art that are more worthy of being deemed good art? Subjects or types of art that can’t be good art? 

Do you have one answer that you want to be true, and a different one that your inner critic uses to mock you or push you away from making certain kinds of art you want to make? 

Module 11 Thinking Prompt—How good is “good enough”?

What standards does your work need to meet for you to decide it’s good art? (or “real” art, or “serious” art)? Does all your art need to be “good” (by whatever standards you have chosen)? What makes your art worth your time, regardless of whether you deem it “good”? What makes your art worthy of other people’s attention? 

What makes your art meaningful? Must it be “good” to be meaningful? Must it be beautiful? What makes a work of art beautiful?

Does good art have to communicate with or move many people? Or is it still good art if it only means something to you, or to you and one other person? 

How important is it to you that (some of? all of?) your work have approval or validation from others (comments, awards, being selected for juried shows, being purchased)? 

How do you know when you are “good enough” to create your own art? Is it about some particular level of skill? Or does it have to do with being original, having an important or profound message, or some other qualities? How will you know when you have enough of whatever it takes? 

Who gets to call themselves a real (or serious) artist? Do they have to sell their work? Win awards? Make a living with their art? 

Is there work you want to make that you aren’t making now because you aren’t
“good enough” (or someone has told you you aren’t good enough) or the work wouldn’t be “good enough” or would not be understood? What do you need to do to reach the point of “good enough”?

Module 11 Activity Prompt—Everyday Art

Everyday Art, Exercise 1—

Find beauty in everyday items. Choose some ordinary items and see if you can create an artwork that showcases their beauty, or draws the viewer’s attention to beauty often taken for granted. 

Everyday Art, Exercise 2—

Experiment with artistic “in jokes” or private communications. Is there art you could (or do) make that only needs to make sense to you? Is there art you could (or do) make that is intended just for one other person, even if no one else would appreciate it? 

Module 11 Journaling Together Video


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