(This is the first in a series of articles delving into the realm of the critique, a vital element in the development of an artist and an art community.)

As students, artists receive a constant barrage of constructive criticism from their peers which helps to shape and develop their artwork as they go along. Years of slaving away at such efforts culminate in the presentation of the thesis exhibition.

But after school is over – then what?

Thrown into the real world where the general populous often exhibits a much less critical attitude towards the arts, many students and graduates find themselves floundering to gain a foothold in the art community. I spoke with three of my friends from college about three years after we all graduated – two of them admitted to having done none of their own artwork since school and probably never will. The third, has finally settled down enough in her life to where she can begin taking photographs again.

So how does one continue to develop work in the real world as a professional artist, without becoming stagnant in composition and concept?

Artist co-ops are ideal in that you have numerous artist studios in one area and opinions and perspectives are easily found. But what if you’re someone like me, who calls my kitchen and living room a studio? How do you escape this isolation and get some real feedback? There are alternatives.

Mark Sengbusch, founder of the former 101Up Gallery and currently a first year Cranbrook student, led a group critique at the Detroit Artist Market on Wednesday, August 12th. When I heard of this I jumped at the rare opportunity to show some of my newer underdeveloped work. After all, this is the critical stage where I can gauge what direction I want to take the piece by the reactions of others. A few other artists, including illustrator Christopher Crowder, and art enthusiasts gathered at Detroit Artist Market on August 12th. Sengbusch passed out papers with loose guidelines and notation spaces, of which we all took great advantage.

As each piece was displayed we discussed the materials used, composition, and concept, and asked such questions as, “Is the initial idea for this piece being clear to the viewer?” and if not, “How can the work be changed to convey your ideas with out losing what it already has?” We all did our best to keep comments short and to the point for the sake of time, yet even so, each artist received excellent feedback. It felt wonderful to me to be part of that kind of discussion and intellectual dynamic again after five years away from such discourse.

This month, September 20th from 6pm-8pm DAM offers their second such critique. These critiques are open to the public, and anyone interested in showing their work may sign up ahead of time with DAM. Others, interested in discussing new works, are also invited to take part in the discussion. I for one will definitely attend. In making this a regular monthly occurrence, an artist can get feedback, and then take those ideas into account and come back to the group again for further discussion. This allows viewers a very interesting glimpse into the creative process of a work of art. For a piece that takes several months to develop, with each critique attendees can witness the great changes and evolution of a work of fine art.

The Artists Market will be holding these critiques regularly the third Wednesday of the month, with the exception of November and December, due to the holiday season. The schedule will resume in January. I strongly suggest that artists take advantage of this opportunity, and so should art lovers and collectors come to lend their views as well.

Allison Pasarew is a working artist living in the Detroit area.

To be a part of this, please call DAM at 313.832.8540 to reserve your spot. Only ten artists will display their work.