Three 303 Magazine staff writers (Elliot Riis, Eva Saviano and Beryl Shereshewsky) caught up with three Denver local artists–Evan Mann, Michael Ensminger, and Jason Thielke–in I Just Know What I Like. We asked them all seven questions and this is the third. Check back every day to see all 7. Of course, like any creativity endeavor, art is (on some level) an act of ego. We had to ask our featured artists what they think of the subject.
Today’s question: As an artist, how important do you think approval is?
EVAN MANN: Approval only matters if it is from someone you honor. It is encouraging to be acknowledged, and it acts as fuel for the engine of creative direction.
MICHAEL ENSMINGER: “Approval” is a very loaded term and sounds a lot like “permission.” Appreciation or connection might be a better term. It is important that at least a fair percentage of my audience is moved in one way or another; otherwise, I’m not doing a very good job of it.
JASON THIELKE: I like the praise–it helps motivate me, it’s a reward for the work I do, but I do not do my work for the praise. If you get into this needing to be reviewed, needing to be talked about, you will fall short, fast. I’d rather put energy into my work than putting it into finding people to review me and talk about me.
Tomorrow’s question: How important do you think it is to be a classically trained artist versus being able to produce conceptual art?
– Laura Standley, Editor in chief