For art, critics, buyers, psychologists, sociologists, and philosophers?

Question

i tried posting this differently under different wording but was unable to aquire an apprpriate audience.

modern artistic expression in our culture is too often taken very lightly due to commercialism and the world around us, forcing serious artists to succumb to such expectations in order to get by.

this is part of a sociology project for my school. since my major is graphic design, i am having to discover how current artists are interpreted by society and anylyze the work of one of my peers linked here

http://rainingcrow.deviantart.com/prints

within this gallery is the balance between art that is personal to the artist, and art which is simply made to sell.can an artist who caters to both be taken serously?

could you explain your interpretations and make reference to which peices say what to you?

of particular interest to my paper are the pictures "athena and sapho" and "self perception

ps. all these works are for sale on her site

Answer 1

Not going to get lengthy here, but here's SOME feedback:

First on Athena, I like it a lot.  I don't know the background, but know who Athena is.  I like the blanket part, the unification, the truth of it as a comfort.  I like the breast, as it pulls in the mothering element (true comfort), and again reveals a new angle of this bond.  And I like the moon rays a lot, as though the moon is warming them...

On the one b/w of the woman's face.  I like the eyes a lot, very alive, and unique.  I like the lips, the say something, I just don't know what but they are interesting.  However, the nose seems all wrong to me and distracts from the portrait as it doesn't fit.