Please Don’t Try To “Fix” Someone’s Art

Three reasons why this can be devastating and what to try instead

While it may seem like an obvious answer, wait before fixing someone’s art! Image created by the author in Canva.

Art is a beautiful, but funny thing. While there are rules in art, part of the fun and genius of art is in breaking them. And yet, despite how subjective it is, art often needs to be judged.

This may be “official” judging such as when you submit a piece to be featured in a show or an art magazine, or less informal judging such as in a class.

And as devastating as it is, your art may not line up with the judges’ expectations. It’s a reality all artists must face and learn to live with: picking ourselves up and trying again.

But there is a far more devastating option that some choose to utilize instead of simply rejecting a submitted piece: trying to “fix” it.

There are likely good intentions behind this action including:

1. You genuinely want to help the artist put up a better representation of their art
2. You are worried or even certain the piece was damaged after you acquired it through an accident and want to fix it, ideally without the artist knowing about the mistake
3. You want your show to look the best it can or the piece causes issues with displaying it based on your venue space and options