I just loved the entire show! I looked forward to it each week and was inspired every time i watched. Thank you so much for bringing a show that has the ability to show others the process of these wonderful artists. I cant wait to be on your season 2. It would be such a mind blowing experience to be in the show and have to push yourself and your limits. BRAVO!!!

It was wonderful to see you 'alive' and 'in action' I've only had tearsheets from magazines. The baby fawns made the entire series. You were an excellent crit/judge. I've learned so much watching this show. Bravo!

Congrats to Abdi, I loved his work. His paintings from the earlier episodes were amazing. I'm so glad that he won and hopefully this exposure will help his career. I also enjoyed Miles work, he's clearly very talented.

I hope that Bravo will bring this series back next year, it was wonderful and exciting to see artists at work, without reverting to the cliche cheesy 'challenges' that other/previous Bravo competitions (ahem) have descended into.

A great show that I looked forward to all week. An oasis in the desert of popular TV. Please use whatever influence you have to bring it back for a second season.

Thank God for entertaining, intelligent, absorbing and provocative television! At last! The format of the competition finally applied to something that matters, that is moving and truly beautiful, rather than a teenage girl's body shape or the clothing that will be discarded next season! Thank you Bravo TV!!

Congrad Abdi. God has blessed you with talent. Use it and keep the attitude and spirit that you now have. Thank you Bravo for such a good reality show. Abdi, You will be blessed ovef and over for honoring your "MOTHER."

so far away...a big experience...

...fromColombia a bit more inside, frome my heart.

thank you so much to bravo tv for making this project for all those who always wannted to flied in the couch of their house.

all i can say is that my life have change in somehow. I don´t know why but this sence of freedom and happiness that you give me guys is just amasing.

i can´t wait the season 2 of this show.

I WANT TO BE THE NEXT GREAT ARTIST

I WANT TO BE THE NEXT GREAT ARTIST!

Congrats to Abdi. I was expecting the top 2 to be Abdi and Miles. I am surprised Peregrine was the runner-up. I love her message but her execution is a freaky hot mess. She has beautiful elements but so many and all mixed up like she's not sure what to do with them. They are all over the place. I felt like the kids in the portaits. I was fed too much junk. Do not understand the decision of the judges here. Miles' message was a little lacking but a couple of the judges had brains enough to figure it out. The delivery was exceptional and focused. He's genius. Maybe too genius for the judges. Well, some of us get you Miles.

Kudos Abdi! I had a feeling you would pull it off when I saw the charcoal baptismal piece.
I hope that a few of the kinks are worked out for next season but all in all, the show was great fun to watch!
I look forward to seeing the show at The Brooklyn Museum. The sculptures laying on the floor (if they are included) will work nicely with the Rodin Burghers of Calais pieces. Perhaps Abdi should start casting in bronze!
I hope to see him return next season as a guest judge!

I really loved watching you on wednesday your criticism and final choice was inspiring and truly unbelievable...plus your outfit was spectacular! I am so glad, and relieved that Abdi one you really showed your true talent which is that you know what good art is. I love the whole season and am excited to watch next years!

This show almost lost me during the middle of the season, but it redeemed itself at the end with the three finalists. All are thoughtful, talented, sincere artists with individual points of view.

I'm thrilled for Abdi, as he seems like a genuinely nice guy, which can sadly be rare in the art world. His young talent is just getting going and it will be interesting to see where he goes with it.

I really enjoyed Peregrine's show, as well - she surprised me at the end, as I had thought Nicole would've rounded out the final three. However, Peregrine recalled Kiki Smith on a lot of levels, an aesthetic that really resonates with me.

For a while, I thought the show was reinforcing the worst stereotypes about artists and Fine Art in general. But the final exhibitions were excellent ambassadors for what good art can do, and I'm grateful to see that on display for a mass audience.

Jeanne, I appreciated your honest, thoughtful critiques throughout the season.

My main criticism of the show was that Simon dePury did not seem like an adequate mentor for the artists. He often seemed at a loss for words, and his feedback tended to be awkward and/or superficial. I think the artists could benefit from a fellow artist as a mentor - somebody with plenty of teaching experience, and without commercial interests. Some of the guest judges from this season would be good candidates for that role. It's not as if there aren't plenty of art professors out there looking for help making ends meet!

Otherwise, I'd keep the challenges more conceptual- the ones that fell flat were the bookcover challenge (this was a graphic design assignment, not a fine art one) and the Audi challenge.

Thanks!

I was rooting for Abdi from the start. Miles, while talented, produced work that was too intellectual and sterile. Peregrine can't edit her work - it often looked messy - though I love her emotional connection to her ideas and her dedication.

Abdi is only 23 and does not have Miles' self-satisfied approach. I expect this young artist will grow and mature and explore, and wow us for many years to come.

Thank you for all your hard work.

I hope Bravo has the foresight to offer you your own show.

The same way Rachel Zoe gives Bravo’s viewers insight into the fashion industry and the glamour world of the celebrity red carpet; you can offer a glimpse into the art industry.

From art openings, to artist’s studio visits, to meetings with young collectors, you could be an ambassador to the visual arts. I envisioned a scene where you meet with a well known art collector (perhaps Agnes Gund-trustee at MOMA), discussing the current art market, as well as the joy of collecting art. Or you at Christie’s November contemporary art auction with paddle in hand.

This potential series should emphasize your passion for your profession, as well as, the commitment it takes to curate and organize an exhibit. You could even reminisce about your father’s gallery and compare the difference between art dealing then and now. Through your eyes, the viewing audience might even get to discover the next artist to hit the big time.

Art sometimes can confuse, mystify, entice, and enhance a person’s life, but with your skills as a gallerist you can decode some of the hidden languages that seem so foreign to the average person.

Mahalo and Aloha, L

PS:
Thank you to all the artists/contestants for their courage and creativity.

This show was fun. I see, now, from the small glimpse into the art world, the type of work is a lot more fun than normal paid work, although the human game continues.

When this show ended, I felt I had learned something.

I loved this series and hope it continues. Yes, the camaraderie among the contestants was a very interesting counterpoint to the "someone has to win and someone has to lose" aspect. Real human drama, not manufactured by a TV villain. One of my favorite parts was listening to you, the judges, try to determine what the various pieces were about. Found it quite heartening to know that there isn't a secret society of art lovers who automatically understand the meaning of a piece, lol. It really is in the eye of the beholder, isn't it?

Well done, Abdi. I have been rooting for you since the very beginning. I knew you had talent based on your early painting on the show. But it was your candles from Shock Week that convinced me that you had more to offer. In a way your work reminds me of Van Gogh: showing the vulnerability of humanity, and allowing the viewers to have an emotional reaction to your works of the human condition. You proved that arresting images and proficient execution never goes out of style unlike Miles who confirmed that 20th century conceptual art has become tiresome. Congratulations!

We all knew watching Abdi would win - that was a quite obvious set up from the beginning. I am still wondering why, but as I say 'art' is the most debated creative form.

Peregrine's work clearly was the winner.

Thanks Abdi for wowing us! You were truly a pleasure to watch! I look forward to seeing your work in Brooklyn.

T

Clearly the best artist was not picked as the winner. Too bad for Peregrine that she is a woman.

I always admired your "smart" observations of the contestant work and thank you for the fine job you all did, The finalists were wonderful one and all and Abdi, is a special, special, talent and a fine young man. Wonderful choice.

Dear Bravo,

Just want to say that my artistic kids and I look forward to season 2. Please keep Jeanne and dump the other two judges. From the get go, our household said with joy, "Abdi for the win!" while we watched the two male judges fawn over Miles' and Jackie's work. It sounded false, read as false and viewed as false. Jeanne, on the other hand, always sounds like she knows her art inside and out and that is very much appreciated by the viewers and readers of her blog. Undoubtedly by the contestants as well. Not a fan of the first episode...became a fan over the series. Jeanne's absence left a huge and very noticeable hole in the show and the show suffered as a result. Take note for season 2. Also take note as to how often the guest judges, actual artists, share no opinions with the panel of judges and are far more expressive and instructive in their comments. That should tell you something. It speaks volumes to me.

The best three artists won. It was worth having to watch some obnoxious snarkiness from the other contenders throughout the season, but, all around, Bravo picked out some pretty darn good artists (young, as always) to represent their take on and feelings about Art. Dave LaChappelle as a finalist judge? Whoa! Thanks for the entertainment ride.

The best three artists all won. Interesting and entertaining series. Thanks!

Jeanne,
I was surprised at how entertaining the show turned out to be.
Casting deserves a lot of credit. Apart from the artists' work I was impressed with their intelligence, sincerity, and commitment to their projects. It was a refreshing counter-balance to all the mean spirited-ness and cynicism normally encountered in the art world. Cudos to you and the other judges.

I'm very happy that Abdi won.I think there's something special about him,
I think he has a great charisma :)

I wish him all the best.

Jeanne:
Thanks for your presence during an amazing season. I totally enjoyed your your brash honesty, and the softness inside your comments. Not soft as in "mushy", but soft as in seeing the bigger picture of who the artists were and what they were working to become. Thanks to Bravo for the concept - I know that watching every week has awakened my inner sleeping artist, and for that I am grateful. And, congratulations to all of the artists who participated in this grand experiment. You each in your own way showed us the humanity that lies within art.

Loved this show and I'm so glad Abdi won. He seemed like the best artist by far and it looks like the comments here are mostly in agreement. I would not have put Peregrine in the finalists' group but during the final episode when they showed her studio? Wow! I realized she is much more talented than came through on the show. What made me really happy? That a person with skill and training won. Abdi could draw - and drawing is the foundation of art - whether you choosed to make Old Masters art or something contemporary and modern, skill counts. I felt that this show validated this fact and I wish more artists would embrace traditional skills. To have them sets you free to make whatever kind of art you want - you are not limited by what you cannot do.

Loved this show and I'm so glad Abdi won. He seemed like the best artist by far and it looks like the comments here are mostly in agreement. I would not have put Peregrine in the finalists' group until during the final episode when they showed her studio. Wow! I realized she is much more talented than came through on the show. What made me really happy? That a person with skill and training won. Abdi could draw - and drawing is the foundation of art - whether you choosed to make Old Masters art or something contemporary and modern, skill counts. I felt that this show validated that fact and I wish more artists would embrace traditional skills. To have them sets you free to make whatever kind of art you want - you are not limited by what you cannot do.

This was quite an experiment for Bravo and Work of Art producers to undertake. Not to mention the art world participants who took on roles as judges.

Many of us have argued over this show, mocked it, delighted in it, and learned from it. We've certainly been entertained by it, and presumably with more than a million viewers each week, Bravo will give it a second go.

Personally, I've found your commentary to be informative, accessible, and fair. What's next for you, in the wake of this experience? Would you and the other judges sign on for another go?

Congratulations Abdi! Well deserved.
Hopefully this show will be back, new and improved.

A nice finale, indeed. I wish it had been 2 hours instead of 1 with more time devoted to the installation of the shows, audience reactions while viewing, and the critiques at the end (we lacked much criticism, actually, which was both refreshing and wanting).

Miles certainly didn't rise to the occasion -- a surprise since he over-rose to every other occasion throughout the show.

Abdi's show was alluring. The body bag painting along with the sculptures were impressive, and the drawing with the luggage was remarkable. The rest seemed somewhat unimpressive.

Peregrine, not one of my favorites from the previous episodes, I feel excelled most. I can't really remark if it was "overdone" or not -- I wasn't there -- but what I saw on television (a medium with a kind of edit all its own) was fantastic! I adored her treatment of the wax sculptures. I adored her use of color and fun-ness. The fawn picture is fantastic (a little personally disappointed to learn she didn't snap it herself, but this is acceptable behavior in the art world).

From what I saw I give the win to Peregrine, if for no other basis than the fact that her work seemed more aesthetically pleasing to me overall and read as more forward thinking.

A great season I think.

What I loved most about this show was the overwhelming support the artists had for one another's work. So many competitive shows highlight those who "didn't come here to make friends". While I thought Peregrine should have won, I am happy for sweet Abdi and his mom. Thanks for bringing a show about artist process and critique to television.

Jeanne...you can come guest blog on mine!! :) ha ha Though language must be watched..since it is an elementary art blog!! :) HA!! I have loved reading your thoughts & behind the scenes info. I hope you are back with a new season of Work of Art...and i hope I'm on it!!!!!!!!
-Ted E http://artwithmre.blogspot.com

Congratulations Abdi!!

As an artist I anxiously watch every week and learn. I would love it if your website included some instructional tips by your artists.

Maritza

Congratulations Abdi!!

As an artist I anxiously watch every week and learn. I would love it if your website included some instructional tips by your artists.

Maritza

Congrats to you Abdi, I have been watching the show and following your journey. You are a true artist and also brought a tear to my eye when I saw your work. I could not sleep last night thinking about my own work and what I could do to push it to the limit.. well I thank you for the inspiration!!!

I am also glad Abdi won. I actually liked bits and pieces of everyone's work in this finale.

I thank you for your updates and "behind the scenes" descriptions.

Peregrine was robbed.
Okay I wasn't there for the full effect, but as far as the limited spectrum that Bravo gave us (the viewer), it seemed obvious that she was the only one with a true point of view that came across aestheticly.
Sorry, I'll jump down from my high horse now.

If we learned anything form Bravo's "Work Of Art", it is that art should not become a contest. Having 3 months to create work that might best represent their artistic abilities, the three finalists came up with some pretty run of the mill work. Miles forgot to use the skills that got him to the final and that was creating interesting art. His concept which "evolved" after the homeless man died is a perfect example of how ideas in art are usually fake. With or without that idea being the main focus, his pieces were boring and had no emotional impact which certainly should have been present if the idea was in fact followed through. Peregrine's work was a disaster and she is the prime example of an artist that has had her ego inflated to the point where she actually thinks she is being creative. Her return to the unicorn mess she created earlier in the series proves she has no ability to come up with interesting ideas. Pile a bunch of stuff together and it has to look like art right? Nonsense. Abdi's pieces were well executed and proves that when push comes to shove mediocre concept artists will always take a back seat to someone that has mastered the basic skills of drawing and painting. Please do not bring this show back. It is an insult to art and artists.

Yesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss! Bravo Abdi!
You deserved it all. You are not only a great artist but you are primeraly a unique human being. Wish you all the very best.

A state of grace... off-color riff's... kudos Jeanne, I enjoy your comments and your insight and glad you were a part of this show. Your remark that Abdi "achieved a state a grace" really puts it into perspective and as always you are direct, clear and persuasive. You description of Miles exhibit rings true to me "He kept himself at arms length" why some one like him would focus on homeless people smacks of exploitation as I can not see it in his background, seems disingenuous, although the idea of following a person from full image to nothingness, a single black hole spray, has its value the result did not live up to the promise, if it was a relative of his,on their death bed and we got that from the images yes but we did not. I am also disappointed in Pergerine her photo of the Fawns is exceptional but I give more credit to the taxidermist who chose to create that than to her for photographing it! I am glad that Abdi won as his work is a reflection of our time, Humanist! Again all the best to all the participants, you will be missed and to Bravo, SJP, for a novel TV show

Quote
"...Glad he took himself out of the studio in search of inspiration..." Miles needs to cut loose...in his own fashion...artistically. He needs to engage the world of other humans & of nature...in his own way. Once he moves past "Favored ARt School Student", it will happen.

ABDI knew---there are no safety nets in life...! And he regularly fed his soul. And cared for the others (at least in what we see)

Peregrine drew on better inspiration source... The Fawn Fetuses helped her contemplate truth & beauty on a higher level than her usual stated diet of "looking at porn" for inspiration.

Congratulations Abdi! See you all next year ;)

Wow....."He got lucky, and found a key - having photographed a homeless man, who died a few days later, yet without a public obituary.".....most unfortunate, tasteless use of the word "lucky" that I have ever seen.

A fair result. Peregrine had some stunning aspects to her show, but seemed to simply throw too much quantity at us, lowering the overall quality. I'm not sure how well Abdi's sculptures translated onto the screen, but they certainly made an impact on everyone in the room. Miles' show was disappointing, but that's the risk you take with conceptual art - sometimes it doesn't translate into the visual impact you need.

I have to give Miles credit for consistently being authentic throughout the season. He came up with a concept which inspired him, and then strove to use that to create something that expressed it. He didn't obsess over whether the judges or viewers might approve, he just got busy with creating. Spending half his alloted time reading Frankenstein before creating the cover showed a lot of his character. Overall I enjoyed his works the most, it's a shame he was underwhelming in the finale.

Congrats Abdi, you seem like a nice guy - hope this launches a fulfilling career.