Popular but not Artistic.

[ABERS]

Reading an article on L. S. Lowry over the weekend it was pointed out that he has immense popularity as an artist.

It goes on to say that Lowry is popular but not important. A statement by someone called Chris Stephens, head of display for Tate Britain explains that, 'To some extent Lowry is a victim of his fan base. The same qualities that make him popular are those that cause him to be less seriously celebrated by the artistic establishment'.

I seem to remember that a couple of years the same thing was said about the scottish painter Jack Vettriano, whose work can be seen on everything from tea towels to wall hangings. What seemed to hold him back in the eyes of the artistic establishment was that had the temerity to be self taught and perhaps copied others' works.

So moral of the story, 'Whatever you do, don't be popular if you want to be regarded as artistic by those that know'.