Talking to my niece made me see my own art differently

She's 12 and said my landscapes were 'pretty but lonely' because I never add people. Honestly, I'd never even noticed that habit before. Has anyone else had a blind spot like that pointed out?

3 comments

3 Comments

mitchell.thomas14d agoMost Upvoted

Honestly that kid is just plain wrong. Landscapes are SUPPOSED to be empty, that's the whole point. It's about the land itself, not filling it with random people. Adding figures would just turn it into a scene, and ruin the peace and quiet you're trying to show. That "lonely" feeling is what makes the art good, it makes you stop and think. She's twelve, she doesn't get that quiet can be a powerful thing, not a bad one. You should trust your own eye, not change a real style because of one comment.

julias4414d ago

My friend's gallery show sold out after a kid said his big empty field felt "sad.

johnson.eva14d ago

Ugh, totally missing the point. A twelve year old can have a good eye, you know? Maybe the empty space just feels lazy to her, not peaceful.