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My reference to "Salesmen" recently was not intended to be restrictive. I used the term intending to point out that the entire body of the art world, in it's broadest sense, has not forced fed nor has that community affected in any material way the popularity and eventual purchase of any school of painting. Who reads what critics have to say? I never run across anyone, artist or pedestrian, who has formed an opinion or preference for one type of art over another based on the offerings of a critic, dealer, gallery, etc. I don't think my world is so limited that I would have missed any ongoing efforts to dismiss realism and/or any other of graphic arts, illustration, and commercial endeavors.
I agree that art does not escape the need for time and growth but the question of what will advance that historical "maturity" and what form will it take are the difficult questions. And, in the meantime, I don't understand the need to fault the rest of the world for not falling over themselves to pay homage to realism. And why is it necessary to characterize those artists doing work other than realism as less than sincere and not skilled?
Where the kind of painting that we love to do will go and how it "matures" is anyone's guess but I think we must get over the idea, real or perceived, that some kind of barriers, ceilings, or stone walls must be overcome to do our best and to be appreciated in any significant way. Never has more information, professional groups, Societys, videos, seminars,workshops, forums, Internet accessibility, etc., been available and there remains little excuse for anyone to not be his/her very best.
The other kind of maturity that has to take place is to gain the understanding that as hard as we work and with the noblest intentions, only a very few will ever be remarkable enough to be remembered. As difficult as that might be to deal with, finding specious reasons outside our own ability will not provide much comfort. There is no conspiracy.
I have made my living in the applied and fine arts and have never experienced anything other than high regard for my profession and have been able to enjoy what I do with nothing more to overcome than my own ability and my focus continues toward improvement.
As Tom has noted maturity is not fixed.
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