Don't take me to the museum

Folks often assume that because I am artist, I must love going to museums and galleries to see other art. The truth is – not so much.

There are multiple reasons for that. For one, I’m a serious introvert and I don’t like the crowds at museums or the lone stranger sitting at the desk in a gallery. Those things make me want to turn around and go home. But more significant than that – I actually don’t like a lot of art. I find that when I go to a place with lots of art, I’m lucky if I find one or two pieces that really speak to me. When you spend a couple of hours on your feet around lots of people – those one or two pieces of inspiration don’t usually validate the effort.

Every year I make the effort to visit one of the massive art fairs that come to San Francisco. I go with an artist friend, walk from booth to booth, and end up more inspired by the time spent with my friend than by most of what I see at the fair.

I’m particular and quirky about my art. I CAN be delightfully surprised, but it’s rare.

So let’s go for a walk in the wods instead :)

Art and Design

I’m an artist and a designer. A question I hear a lot is, “What’s the difference?” There are probably as many answers to that question as people who do art and design. My answer is this: Design is for other people; Art is for myself.

That probably needs some expansion. In the practice of design, we have a saying that has become a truism: “You are not the user.” As the designer, your opinion about whether something works doesn’t matter – if it doesn’t satisfy the user’s needs, it isn’t right.

With art, on the other hand, it should all be about you. What is deep inside of you? How do you see the world? What are you trying to express? What are you compelled to make? If a work doesn’t satisfy the artist, it isn’t done.

There is overlap, of course. Many artists create works because they sell well, even though they may not love them. Is that art or design? And it’s of course possible to design something for yourself – your perfect wedding dress, or desk, or garden. Is that design or art?

For me, there is a visceral difference between the experiences of creating for others vs. creating for myself. The former feels like design. The latter feels like art.

What do you think?