What kind of artist do you want to be?
This week I finished two TV series — The Bear and Stick. On the surface, both were enjoyable. Both were entertaining. But the feeling they left me with couldn’t have been more different. And it got me thinking about art — and what kind of artist I want to be.
Let’s start with Stick. It’s light, funny, and comforting. It's one of those shows where you know what’s going to happen before it does — in a good way. All the expected beats are there. The jokes land. The characters are likeable. It’s easy to watch and it made me smile - and Lord knows we need something to smile about. But once it ended, it was over. There was nothing to think about really and nothing to go back to rewatch.
Then there’s The Bear. Oh my. This is a show you cant forget. It surprises constantly — not just with plot twists, but with form and tone and depth. One season 2 episode, set around the holidays, was the most intense and challenging drama I think I've ever watched. The latest season finale consisted of a single scene, an incredibly emotional conversation in a cramped alleyway. Some episodes are almost unbearably quiet. Others are loud and chaotic. But always, it makes me reflect. On relationships. On grief. On family. On the mess of being human. I think it's safe to say The Bear has changed the way I see the world and my place in it.
I’ve rewatched some of it already, and I’ll watch it again. Because it gives something. Not just entertainment — something real. Something lasting.
I don't think this is just about comedy versus drama - I felt Ted Lasso and Shrinking were both deep and funny, and both also changed something about the way I see the world. So it's not genre - I think it's more about intent and point of view. It's about what each writer wants to explore (or not) in their work.
And this made me wonder — what kind of art am I making?
Are my paintings more like Stick or more like The Bear?
Now, before you think I’m making judgements — let me say there is absolutely room for both. We need comforting art, joyful art, decorative art. We need Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift just as much as we need Joy Division and The Smiths. We couldn't live in a world where everything was a soul-searching excavation. But it’s worth asking ourselves… which kind of art are we drawn to create?
What kind of experience do we want to leave behind for others?
Do you want to bring beauty or happiness? Or do you want to create art that stirs something deep inside other people? Both are valid. Both are needed. But they serve different purposes — and they come from different places inside us.
For me, I know I want to make Bear paintings. I want to surprise myself. I want to say something that matters to me. I want to create work that helps me — and maybe others — make sense of things. Not just pretty images, but pieces of myself.
I don't know if I can be successful. Not everyone is made for that kind of work, but I do want to keep reaching for something true.
What about you?
Here are a few questions to ponder this week:
What kind of experience do you want people to have with your art?
Do you want your work to comfort? Challenge? Surprise? Reflect?
Are you making art that you would return to again and again?
And if not — what would need to change?
Oh and if you haven't seen it yet, you can watch the Bear on Disney + or Hulu. Start from season one and you can go on an amazing journey that may just change your life.