Beach Scene (Acrylic on Canvas Board)

The problem with Art since the advent of Social Media is that so much of it has become insanely "I-Focused." I don't know that I can explain it properly, and of course there will be a degree of generalization if I do (also, there's the very real possibility that I'm completely Full Of Shit.) But...okay, it's like this: once upon a time artists, either "just for fun"  amateur artist or "in training" / "aspiring-to-be-real-artists" artists would paint a Still Life, or a real landscape, or a self-portrait, or whatever. Those days are practically gone. Because as self-focused as most people are, no one wants to paint a potentially unflattering painting of themself. And Still Lifes have disappeared because almost nothing of any import, Millenial-wise, is "still" anymore. And real Landscape painting have disappeared because no one goes out into nature. Or if they do, they are taking selfies with it behind them, making videos and reels and posting them to (you guessed it) Social Media. Art, real Art, is disappearing in the same way that film photography, pay phones and the Sears Catalog have. It, painting-type Art, is 90% redundant in 2025. To even view most new Art, you have to do so on a screen. Digitally, not Analog...ally?

But I digress. The painting shown above is another example of made-up, "This Is What I I I I I Like" jive: here's a beach chair, here's a palm tree, here's a starfish. Honest to Gosh, I'm surprised there's not an Umbrella Drink and a pair of flip flops off to the side. Does it look like a beach. Barely. Does it matter, at all? Nope.

To the artist: my ongoing advice is for everyone (that'd be YOU in this case) to paint something real. In the world. Preferably while it is right there in front of you. Paint something organic. Nothing Pop/Sub/Counter Culture related, no cocktail glasses, no high-heeled shoes, nothing involving "Live Laugh Love" faux profundity, and nothing digital. If you have to take a picture to use as a reference while painting, NEVER POST THAT PHOTO ONLINE AND DESTROY THAT PHOTO WHEN YOU ARE DONE PAINTING.

If you do your next painting as I have suggested to you here, even if it is...I dunno...one half of one percent as good as the painting below (which I found recently on...sigh...Reddit) it will be better than your Beach Scene shown above. Trust Me.

You can do it. I have faith in you. Paint from the Gut.