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I often hear this quote: give yourself permission to make bad art. But no one talks about what happens after you do.
Sounds easy and shameless enough. In reality (especially on a jubilant, optimistic day) the permission feels like punishment. Very dramatic, I know. After a not-so-successful day painting, a good night’s rest or some distance from the bad work (physically) reminds me: I am not broken.
Regardless, the presence of failure—visible, physical, and half-formed—can shift the energy of a day or even a week. Both as an artist and a person.
I often wonder: Do my favorite artists slip up and produce bad art? Would I think their bad art is actually amazing? What would they consider bad art? What about the person who says there is no such thing as bad art?
In a culture saturated with finished and polished images, the visibility of imperfection has nearly vanished. In both online and analog spaces, it can feel really perfect all the time. I don’t know quite how to say it... But somehow everything can be seemingly perfect. I know social media has much to do with the doctored look of life.
But before I go any further, here’s what “my bad work” means to me:
I learned in journalism that a story must fit certain criteria to be considered newsworthy. Is it timely, impactful, proximate, unusual (man bites dog, not dog bites man), human interest? The list goes on. The story just needs to be relevant in some category.
I think the same principle goes for my work. Sometimes, the “story” I’m painting just isn’t paintworthy. It isn’t hitting. The composition is off, it’s boring, unexciting—or last but not least, it’s ugly and dead-ending. I will call this "bad art" to be consise.
I rarely show my own bad work. (Maybe someone has seen my work and thought, wow, that is bad work.) Regardless, good or bad in the eye of the beholder, I’m here to give a centimeter of life to an unsung topic.
I’ve thought long and hard about what narrative I can pull from my own bad art—especially since most of my paintings start on weird, less-than-ideal beginnings. Only when a turning point happens later on do I begin to feel like I could be on the verge of creating good art. But sometimes, that turning point never comes, and I scrap the work. And other times, with enough belief, the bad work and I shake hands and work out a deal.
A Case Study: The Imagination of the Leaves
My ex-arch-nemesis and I battled it out the past few months. I’m talking about this painting right here:
The girl in the painting looks like a sweet, sensitive angel—not a nemesis. But don’t let her fool you. Alongside otherers that occur monthly, she was my most prime example of bad art the past few months.
I worked on her for three months. Adding, changing, stepping away to see if she had magically metamorphosed. Realizing she was only made worse, I shrugged and turned her to face the wall—away from me or anyone who came into the studio.
After day one of painting, I began to doubt the pose of the figure. I wasn’t sure if it was the horizon line being too high or the barn looking clunky. I didn't enjoy her face and the way her hair sat on her head.
The entire essence quickly became filled with hesitancy. I was reminded that I should really paint mini studies before jumping into a 2x4-foot canvas. I left the studio feeling defeated that I spent so much time on something so… elementary-looking? unoteable? boring?
So, naturally, I did a blue wash, thinking that would solve my issues! It didn’t.
I didn’t want to give up on her. I didn’t want to let the girl inside the painting down. Her big doe-like eyes reminded me of a little girl and she looked hopeful that I’d give her another shot at life.
Maybe I had taken away too much life with all the blue. So, I painted her pink, purple, and red (no photo for proof).
In delusion, a fluorescent yellow glaze suddenly formed. Something, anything, to help!
I started this painting on July 8th, working on it once every two weeks or so. I turned her away when my friend Taylor came over… would she look at it and think I am a stupid, bad artist? Looking back, it feels really unserious and silly that I took it to that level.
Sad SpongeBob for emphasis...
"The Imagination of the Leaves" was the last piece finished for my show in Charlotte, NC. I finally decided the work was done on Wednesday, September 17th—just three days before exhibition night.
I love this painting now. I love the leaves, how she’s huddled behind some sort of fog, how she embodies some sort of innocence. I like to think she might be out of focus as the lens hovers on the leaves in front, and she likes that. I love how sensitive she looks. I think I love the time and frustration it took to create the most.
Writing this now, I still don’t know if there’s a real crux or tidy narrative to this whole “bad art” thing.
I’m sitting here wondering why I took note of it all to begin with. I’m also questioning if this painting really was as ‘bad’ as I remember.
Maybe the gist is about sticking around long enough to be a witness to change.
And maybe that’s the real point of making art in the first place: not to prove that we can, but to stay long enough in the process—to bear witness to the making itself.
Frustration and triumphs in my artmaking are both critical to keep projecting forward.
Hey, maybe the girl behind the leaves didn’t give up on me :p ☮︎ ”Imagination of the Leaves” 24x48, acrylic on canvas, available for purchase here.
2026 calendars are now available!!!
My very first wall calendars are now available for pre-order! Each month is paired with one of my 2025 paintings and a handwritten note from me—like a little story to carry you through the year.
"Air Castle," my newest finished original sold in an hour. I thought "hmmm, I don't feel like waiting for DC to show this painting" so I listed it on my website and posted on Instagram. An hour later, a collector from Louisiana grabbed both the study and the larger painting.
the blue cat is so noble. I love.
GREETING CARDS GALORE!!!
As an avid letter lover, I've been wanting to create greeting cards for a long time. They are so smooth and saturated—really beautiful, quality cards (no bias).
I will be doing a "holiday" show of sorts, selling mini to medium-sized paintings. I am planning to have a little reception of sorts... more on that soon!
November 7 - 9: DC Super Art Fair
Held at Gallery Place @ 737 7th Street NW.
This is my first INDOOR fair! If you live in DC and want a VIP ticket, please let me know and I will send you free tickets to get in (I have 10 and want to give these away!!!)
For now, I'm most excited about Halloween. Jack is being Captain Hook and I'm going to be Tinkerbell :)
Ever since I went down to Florida and did the elevator commission, purple seems to have been very present on the paint pallate. I think a new chapter of color has entered the chat!
purple in the studio.
I hope you have a great rest of your week and a very Happy Halloween!
Cheers to good and bad art! And cheers to my cat Gumbo!
Some of my thoughts and newsletters are shared only with subscribers, making them extra special and exclusive. So be sure to subscribe so you can read all the letters :)
