On Reviewing Art

I just wrote my first real art review per se (beyond school and this blog), on "Cultivated Works: Victoria McAlister & Jen McKnight" at Three Sinks Gallery in Webster Groves, for the Art Saint Louis blog.
http://artstlouis.blogspot.com/

I have a new-found appreciation for the review process. It was challenging to articulate what I was visually absorbing since I am not used to doing so (especially not now after getting out of school). I am accustomed to writing about my own art, but I found it much more difficult to do so about another artist's work because I am not privvy to every step of the process, every development of the concept, every idea that was thrown away, every influence, what was eaten for breakfast, and all of that internal understanding...

Nonetheless, writing a review was a wonderful learning experience in really seeing art because it forced me to further develop my responses and then convey them. I typically go to art shows to show my support, see what other artists are doing, take in art and ideas, network and as a leisure activity. As a result my reactions are often based on emotional sensitivities and responses, as so many people's immediate reactions are. (When pressed I can typically offer up more of a response than the clicheed "I just like it" or "it just doesn't do anything for me" because I can voice why or why not I am drawn to something, but I am rarely pressed in this regard.)

With so much to see and so little free time to do so, I don't often afford myself time to really absorb other artists' works, something I find even more challenging in the reception setting with its inherent distractions and social interactions. So it was nice to spend the time necessary to do just that. I think I may try to make a habit of writing about others' work, to further hone my skills as a viewer and to give myself permission to take the time for further study.