You Can’t Judge Art… Oh Yeah? Watch Me

It’s often said that you can’t judge art.

The idea traces back to the Latin phrase “de gustibus non est disputandum” which means “in matters of taste, there can be no dispute.” In other words, what moves one person might do nothing for another. And at a certain level, that’s absolutely true.

Put two paintings side by side and ask a room full of people which one is better, and you’ll get a dozen different answers. One person connects deeply with the color, another with the subject, another with the feeling it evokes. The painting you love might be the one someone else walks past without a second glance.

In that sense, no, you can’t judge art.

But let’s shift the frame.

Put those same two paintings side by side again. This time, one has a $15 price tag. The other is listed at $45,000… or $3.2 million.

Now watch what happens.

Judgment begins immediately.

When Art Enters the Marketplace

Here’s the thing most people don’t say out loud:

Art for the sake of art is just art.

But art for the sake of sales, commercial viability, and building a career is business.

And business is judged constantly.

Sales numbers. Profit margins. Audience reach. Pricing strategy. Brand positioning. Perceived value. These things are not abstract. They are measured, compared, analyzed, and optimized.

Yes, there is artistry in business. But business itself does not hide behind subjectivity. It lives in results.

This is where the idea of the art-trepreneur comes in.

An art-trepreneur exists at the intersection of creative expression and economic reality. It is not enough to create something meaningful. It also has to connect, resonate, and ultimately convert in a marketplace.

And that changes everything.

The Hard Truth Most Artists Don’t Want to Hear

Not all art is meant to sell.

And more importantly, not all art deserves to sustain its creator financially.

If your soul is crying out to do an impressionistic piece on the door from an old Toyota, in crayon, featuring a heavy metal mermaid riding a motorcycle with a fat cigar hanging out of its mouth… then by all means, go create it.

Seriously. Do it.

If it’s eating you from the inside, you owe it to yourself to bring it into the world.

But don’t be surprised when no one wants to pay you a living wage for it.

That’s not cruelty. That’s reality.

Because the moment you ask the market to support your art, you are no longer operating in the realm of pure expression. You are now participating in an exchange of value. And value is judged.

Why True Art-Trepreneurs Are So Rare

It’s already difficult to become great at art.

It’s already difficult to build and run a successful business.

Now combine those two skill sets into one person.

That’s the art-trepreneur.

To succeed here, you need the freedom, vision, and creative drive of an untethered artist. At the same time, you need discipline, structure, and clarity around money, marketing, and strategy.

You need to be able to create something meaningful… and also package, position, and sell it effectively.

You need to understand both inspiration and execution.

That combination is rare.

Not because people don’t want it. Because it’s hard.

There may not be a more difficult path you could choose.

The Two Paths: Expression or Profession

Throughout history, many artists and writers worked regular jobs.

They paid their bills Monday through Friday.

Then they created on nights and weekends.

Some of them never received recognition during their lifetime. Some only became known after they were gone. But that didn’t stop them.

Because they weren’t creating for the market.

They were creating because they had to.

And there is something pure about that path.

So maybe that’s the real question:

Do you want to create art because it’s in you and it needs to come out?

Or do you want to build a life where your art pays your bills?

Both are valid. But they are not the same.

If you choose the first, then create freely. Make whatever you want. Experiment. Explore. Follow every strange idea that calls to you. Let your work be yours.

If you choose the second, then understand what you’re signing up for.

The Basketball Analogy

It’s the difference between playing basketball on the weekends and becoming a professional athlete.

Weekend basketball looks like this:

You meet up with friends. You shoot around. You get some exercise. You enjoy the game.

A professional career looks very different.

You’re sinking a thousand free throws every day. Running miles daily. Spending hours in the gym. Thinking about the game constantly. Structuring your life around performance, recovery, and improvement for years.

No one stumbles into that by accident.

It takes natural ability, yes. But also discipline, consistency, and an enormous investment of time.

Art is no different.

The Reality of Being an Art-Trepreneur

If you want to succeed as an art-trepreneur, you need to:

• Put in thousands of hours honing your craft

• Become excellent at what you create

• Develop real business skills

• Understand money and how it flows

• Learn how to market, position, and sell your work

• Accept that you will be judged

And most importantly, you need to let go of the idea that you’ll be “discovered” simply because your work deserves it.

The world does not operate on deserve.

It operates on visibility, value, and connection.

Final Thought

You can’t judge art in a vacuum.

But the moment art enters the marketplace, it is judged constantly.

So decide what game you’re playing.

If it’s art for the love of art, then create without compromise.

If it’s art as a career, then step fully into the role of the art-trepreneur and accept the challenge that comes with it.

Either way, own your choice.

Because once you do, everything becomes clearer.