Spouse of artist has quest. for other artists...?

[Roe]

Hello,
I hope Im not butting in to much but I have a question that only another artist could answer. Sorry so long but I could use some advice.
My husband draws pencil art and he often asks or wants support of sorts by way of my opinion.
I think he has expressed to me as an artist he likes to see others reactions to his art.
Before I knew this I was very opinionated as to how I thought his drawing should or could look to my eye.
This was probibly a mistake wasnt it? As it generally sent him into a quiet self torture that sometimes ended in destroyed art.
I didnt think Id said much...something like..."the face doesnt quite look right to me or...".
In retrospect I think he just wanted to see how the pic made me feel and react right?
Ive learned art is an individual expression of ones soul or feeling at the time. So that said how can I possibly give advice if its not my art from my soul? Dont get me wrong I love many and most of his work! Ive framed and hung much of it on my walls.
I do photography as a hobby but I guess I just dont think of it as a possible career so I dont care what anyone thinks so I cant really relate to this.
I dont share my photos with anyone anyway.
I have trouble understanding to a degree his mood swings and his art and its relation to eachother. It seems if Im very supportive its always when he wants to give up. And the opposite.
I saw a show recently that set forth the point that art is someones way of saying "here I am".
How do you feel about this?
THANKS ALL! Any input will be appreciated!
Roe

[Rod]

Hi,
Perhaps you could persuade him to submit some of his work to the critique discussion forum for others to comment on. He is looking towards you for encouragement rather than criticism , let other artists from wetcanvas do the criticism intead,
Rod

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Watercolours from New Zealand

[amanda]

Hi - I can understand how your husband feels. I too am always asking for my husband's opinion on art and wanting to know what he thinks. He is pretty good in that he doesn't give his opinion but always says he likes what I do. I usually need more than that, I need artistic critical advice which only comes from someone who does art for themselves. You seem to do and understand art very well, as you are a photographer. My brother is a photographer too and he always said much the same as what you said - commented on the correctness of the picture rather than what it makes him feel. I prefer a bit of both advice really, I like it when my husband admires my work because he likes it but I also need the artistic comments to help me improve my work. I suppose your hubby needs a mix of both too.

[kaz]

I would guess he`s asking is this drawing good enough for the one he loves and if it`s good enough for her then it`s good enough for the world.

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[cagathoc]

I think when our spouse doesn't understand our work we sometimes feel like they don't understand us and then we feel hurt. Our spouse and our art are two of the most important aspects of our lives; we want to connect them.

That said, it's a lot of pressure on a nonartist spouse to critique artwork! They simply don't know how (most of the time)and it ends up making the artist more upset than not (unless they always say that's nice dear - which is annoying too!).

Rod's suggestion was great! It helps so much when you have other artists to chat with and critique work. Sometimes it's hard to find a group in your area or you're too shy - whatever. This forum at wet canvas is the friendliest and most lively art forum I've been able to find on the net!

Send hubby to us!!! He'll cheer up in no time...


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Cindy Agathocleous

"What if imagination and art are not, as many of us might think, the frosting on life, but the fountainhead of human experience?" - Rollo May from The Courage to Create

[Trish]

I sympathise very much with your spouse. I often find myself wondering why I asked my husband for an opinion on my art because he just doesn't have an artists eye. He will alway find a line that should be straight and I am wasting my time trying to explain to him that art is not about straight lines but about expressing a mood or a feeling about a place or a time. Only when I joined a group of other artists could I put his comments in perspective.

[kayemme]

i, personally thrive on my husband's "un-art educated eye".

most of my buyers (one day) will not be artists. therefore, if something looks funny, then it reads wrong; the best critique is from someone who knows NOTHING about art.

With that said, be gentle if he's sensitive; ask him what kind of critique he wants: does he want to know how it makes you FEEL? does he want to know if it "looks right"? does he want to know if you like the color scheme?

it's a very broad and general thing to say, "it doesn't look right".. WHAT doesn't look right?

be very specific, and find out exactly what he wants from you, then give it to him. if he can't take it, then he shouldn't ask.

do you offer unsolicited critique?
if so, be VERY careful. the work may not be finished and it's not fair for you to say much about it.

i do agree that for formal critiques, it needs to be from other artists. an untrained eye can give honest reactions, but only other artists can help solve the problem (well, on occasion someone else can help, but it's been rare in my experience).

best of luck to ya!



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km

[Roe]

Thank you so much for all of your good and insightful advice!
I really appreciate it! Each one of you had a comment that jumped out at me. I should probibly print this out so I can remind myself from time to time of your advice.
Amanda; thanks for your kind comments about your brothers outlook on photography being similiar to mine. You sort of unknowingly endorsed the artist thinking in me!
Trish, cagathoc and Rod: I agree this forum and others would be a good place for him. He does stop in sometimes on one of the forums and he seems to be stopping more often. I may encourage him to go ahead and get in a group or class or something.
Kaz and Kayemme: He has actually said what you just said about most others that see his work are not artists. And yes I suppose at first my comments were unsolicited! Whoops!!
And kaz...what a sweet point of view. But it does put on the pressure!
THANKS AGAIN TO ALL!!! Ill stop back here again!
: ) roe