Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for May 26, 2023

Time to look for a new Muse, Nil. Bernice isn’t getting the job done! lol

Suzy’s Zoo looks like Carebear garbage from the 80’s. I seriously doubt it would be very popular.

Is that all we will see of the Mona Lisa painting? I call BS!! lol

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So how does Nil keep get these art showings/displays when they constanly bomb ??

WAH-WAH-WAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!

Ha!

Unsurprisingly, dark and brooding isn’t the largest group participation sport.

He could be thrilled. How would we tell? That’s the only expression he ever shows. I’ll go with thrilled.

Bernice was a boring muse

Why am I not surprised….

Why look at something where thought is required?

Poor Nil, well, your audience has just arrived!

Suzy Spafford does look thrilled.

WHERE is this arc going?

Nils, nails, nostrils

Nil i know you are a dark person but the care bear paintings what is Nil trying to convey.

aw, poor Nil – he is a misunderstood artist

Memory reflex. Wasn’t there a sad song, more than 40 years ago where the group seemed to repeat lyrics like Shades of Black, or everything was painted black? Don’t remember the name of the group, either, but as soon as I saw Nil’s Nook, the song just materialized in my brain

Dang! I was encouraged with the response Luann got with her funny story. But now look how easily they are entertained.

It appears that there is a “Mona Lisa” figure behind Nils, but the positioning of its face would not allow for any indication of its subject to be smirking at any other figure such as Michaelangelo’s “David”. Thus it must be a separate exploration by Nils of the “Mona Lisa” figure — not the one for which Bernice and Jack posed.

Mona Lisa is positioned at the edge of the frame so that Berenice and her little grin can be seen, but Jack’s, um, personal parts are hidden.

Maybe Nil should start hanging out with Walt.

Time for you to move on to a different art subjects. Nobody is interested in fingertips, nostrils, basically close-up of body parts. It is creepy. However, I AM curious which body part of Bernice did you draw? Will she recognize her own body part?

An art minimalist Nil is very successful with an empty collection of art.!The warm and fuzzy art will win the stars ✨️?

Nobody is even looking at Mona Lisa, aka Bernice!! I’m guessing the visitors gassed up on “T’s Teas” before gazing at those cutesy-putesy pictures, which, after all, ARE cheerful!!

That ‘Suzys Zoo’ stuff is cool. If youre about 3.

Or not.

Ah, the misunderstood artist. Who will be richer of all these kids, the Silicon Valley future couple of Gunnie & Bets, or Nil the inspired artist who sells art no one understand. Wanna see the drawing in question though.

What a bad luck! Piro is exhibiting next to someone who can do cute art loved by the people! Suzy looks really skilled, her Zoo seems to be inspired by hit products from the 70s and 80s and people love these cute little retro things. I wonder if she and Nil know each other and are loong time rivals or have just met. Maybe this event will lead Nil to totally reconsider his style and work. However, Nil’s disappointment aside, I hope this brings our three heroes in front of his painting.

Like I predicted, the response is…Nil.

Since Nil thrives on pain, he’ll probably use this experience to drive his art.

NIL and Piro are both going to need therapy!

Suzy’s Zoo is a Baby First cartoon.

Poor Nil.

Most people going to those kind of festivals don’t understand the abstract, or even care to hear the artist’s explanation of it. Nil’s appearance may also be a turn-off.

Location, location, location.

Well one eye is rolling.

Something tells me that nobody really cares for angsty dark stuff. They just want cutesy stuff.

“Susie” looks a lot like a Little Orphan Annie, except blonde.

Suzy’s Zoo is actually a real thing. The artist is Suzy Spafford: https://suzyszoo.com/

This is perhaps a form of salute to Suzy, but, since her thing is aimed at pre-schoolers, I am sensing that this could be part of a larger Brad & Toni baby arc. Who else are we about to see in the art tent?

In case there are any followers of Peanuts Begins here:

…But is it art?

People don’t like to be provoked

Waiting for someone in the crowd to say “Look! There’s another exhibit around that corner!!”

Ouch.

Typical of today’s people: entertainment, amusement, please. DO. NOT. ASK. ME. TO THINK.

Nil’s art might be provoking, Bernice, depending on how much of Jack’s “buffness” he depicted. And, if his next painting is about what the naked Thinker was contemplating…

Face it Nil you’re a “looser”!

Maybe it’s both good art AND popular.

Although some people think art can’t be genuinely good if large numbers of people spontaneously enjoy it.

Why do they all have to have such sad story lines? Except for Jack, everyone is such a downer lately.

I’ve always wondered how much money the Evans’ make when they showcase a business.

Poor Nil, looks like he’s seriously reconsidering his future as an artiste’! What he needs is an influential big name celebrity to praise his work.

It looks like Suzy’s Zoo is selling the “artwork”. I think I see a cash register. But Nil’s art does not seem to be for sale. They probably should have put them in 2 different tents.

Nihl’s is petulant……..

Reminds me of something I heard where a bottle of water at the grocery store is $1, at the movies it’s $3, at a theme park in the middle of summer it’s $5. The value changes with the environment, choose the environment where you’re worth the most.

High art is not for the masses.

This crowd ignoring Nils is a sign of greatness.

Ha! Our Beloved and Dearest Ann❤️Eiffel would never stoop so low as to have a public exhibit. Exotic Ann❤️Eiffel only does private showing of Ann❤️Eiffel’s goods. And The Count does mean “Goods”, if you know what The Count means and The Count thinks you do. Eat your ❤️s out… on so many levels. ’Til tomorrow, same time, same station… Count OUT

Well at least the other guys booth has original art

I would love to see more of Nil’s finished painting.

Shouldn’t Bern have said “provocative”?

Look at that: turns out that the Spring Fair isn’t really the target audience for close-up drawings of nostrils and fingertips done by a guy who makes Daria look enthusiastic. Who knew? (answer: anyone with a brain)

Suzy’s Zoo probably has better developed characters and more realistic relationship depictions than what Nil’s done.

They need to take a closer look. I don’t think Bernice would be thrilled.

Ars Gratia Artis.Art for the sake of Art. Most artists never make a dime from their art.

Aw, this reminds me of Pam Beesley’s art show. Poor Nil.

Oh I’ve been there lol. Even if you paint what interests you and/or you are hopeful to sell your work, when you don’t it’s only natural to be disappointed. Nil seems to be proud of his work and I feel he took Zebos class to begin with as an easy A since he tossed his portfolio more or less calling it meaningless. In my experience, people would be curious and stop by at least. Made more money sketching animals at the zoo and tourists buying them after they watched me sketch it though than selling small premade paintings at a craft fair. Lol

There is no accounting for taste, like with popular music

I’m wondering why Nil needed art models for those minimalist paintings.

I wish we could see Bern’s face when she realizes that retro children art is more popular than her muse painting.

Poor Nil. His art is no competition for the beloved Suzy’s Zoo. Suzy’s Zoo has been around for ages. Mostly greeting cards and rubber stamps, etc. It is a cute and happy style of art a complete departure from Nil’s work. While its creator will never be considered a great artiste, she has made a lot of money!

Many times audiences like the art that they can easily understand

But are some of the misunderstood artists some of the most creative.

Looking at Nil’s art and contrasting it with Suzy’s Zoo… Nil’s closeups of nostrils and body parts is SO niche that it’ll be hard to convince people the merits since the close-up body parts are mostly empty canvases look like unfinished warmup pieces. I think he should infuse more meaning into his art and put more of himself into the choices. And his piece where Mona Lisa ogling Michelangelo’s David’s junk, ironically, wouldn’t be out of place on a gag greeting card.

The ironic part is cause this strip implies that Nil’s stewing on the kitsch-loving “beefwits” who are more interested in the fuzzy happy ducklings of Suzy’s Zoo while ignoring his highbrow challenging art (even though his explanation of the body part art to Bernice earlier didn’t even convince someone like her that it was as deep as he was convinced it was). So what I’m saying is Nil might be stagnating and not realizing he has to meet the needs of those who are going to view his art.

I work as a graphic designer directly with customers, and I like to paint but more so through hobbies, so I’m less judgmental about what people like being kitsch or not because I have to do stuff that my customers ask for to earn money and a lot of the time the customer likes something that isn’t nuanced. With my non-work related stuff, especially paintings, I just do it mainly for myself as an outlet for my creativity. I’m just lucky that people seem to like it.

With Nil it’s hard to tell what he is.

Take heart, Nil! Van Gogh died PENNILESS, now he is one of THE most famous artists of all time! Your art WILL be appreciated . . . but maybe not in your lifetime.

Nil’s arts are like the first 10 min of “The Wizard of Oz,” whereas the next stall looks like Dorothy landed in Oz.

Why is Nil trying to cut his ear off?

Those “zoo” pics are EXACTLY the kind of thing people like. It’s “cute” and “wholesome” and all that jazz. Also, young people (yes, including college age) still buy a LOT of stuffed animals and I can see this kind of thing going over big with them.

As for Nil, he’s in the show because it’s a campus event and he’s a student. Probably all it takes to get a booth is to fill out a form and state what you’re planning to exhibit.

Re.: “Suzy’s Zoo looks like Carebear garbage from the 80’s. I seriously doubt it would be very popular.” Have you seen what passes for entertainment today? One thousand channels and a challenge to find anything that’s not mind-numbing.

And the light shall cast out the dark … Nil’s character seems pleasant and harmless enough, but at first impression his demeanor and personality aren’t exactly inviting.

tomorrow: a revelation????

All the hottest Suzys Zoo stuff available at Barn Marché

I’m not really sure why they’d just assume everyone is looking at Nils’ art, he’s not the only artist there.

I had completely forgotten about Suzy’s Zoo!

How about a real plot twist like, Suzy Zoo cutting her ear off.

Maybe Nil needs one good ear instead of one good eye.

Suzy sure knows how to compete with someone like Nil, huh?

Hoi polloi (a.k.a. anonymous silhouette-people) like Suzy’s Zoo of cute cartoon-like bear images, and nihilistic Nil’s dark art is not attracting any attention that we can see. I’m not sure even Bernie, Lulu, and Jack intend to visit Nil’s booth….

Suzy’s Zoo is worth 50 million dollars, if Wikipedia is correct.