drunken downfall of beloved artist thomas kinkade

[Demo_Chris]

144. Yeah, but really that's all nonsense...

Just as a musician is expected and required to play actual notes before being called by that title, or an author expected to generally follow the conventions of language before his or her work is caller literature, a visual artist is expected to demonstrate at least some mastery of the craft. Randomly slamming piano keys is neither music nor art no matter the grand thoughts of the 'artist.' Anyone who claims otherwise is selling you a load of BS and probably a painting. Art, if it does nothing else, must stand on it's own merit, and this remains true whether we are talking Waterhouse or Monet or even the recently departed Giger. No one needs to explain, or talk about the artist's grand vision or stairways to the subconscious mind. Their work, like all real art, needs nothing more.

As for what I know... the answer would be little except that I make my living selling my art (though I prefer not to use that particular word) and have done so for most of my adult life. That said, I am no amateur art historian, and have virtually no interest in modern art at all -- being primarily interested in craft rather than bullshit.

This woman's work might be historically interesting. That she was black is enough to ensure that much, but that's as far as it goes.