As an "older" emerging artist (45) who started late (38), and just this year am a full time artist, I am primarily self taught (no MFA) and live in the midwest, I am a bit put off by the cast this season mainly because I noted that many of them are very young, have MFAs and are from NYC. WTF indeed??? I know that there is a NYC narcissism that says there is no art outside of NYC, but I grew up in New Mexico and got a rich artistic background in Santa Fe, and I lived for six years in Asheville, NC, one of the most amazingly creative cultural meccas in the USA in my opinion. Okay, rant over.

I just hope Michele doesn't use her paper sculptures as her "fall back" position. While I admire the amount of time and work involved to make them, I don't really see her using them as stretching in any real way. Her piece felt very Miles-esque to me in terms of being calculated by her for "effect." Still, I did like the piece and also found the fragility of the paper as skeleton fascinating use of materials.

I wish Hugo could have stayed at least one more show so we could see if he was really a knock off artist or had something unique to share. Besides, I wouldn't have minded looking at him and just THINK of the sexual tensions. Poor Sucklord would have been having to do amazing art to turn those girls' heads if Hugo had survived! I did think that the removal of the back red piece where the shadows showed through on Hugo's piece made it much more interesting.

I think Sucklord and Tewz really struggle with mediums/materials and techniques and that is their biggest limitation.

I LOVED Sara's roasting person. Wow, would have liked to see it in more detail. It looked fascinating.

I just have to ask, "Bad Taste"...is that necessary? Each artist makes what they know how and can make. Obviously, millions of Americans have bad taste since people buy "kitsch" all the time to put in their homes. Is this more of that NYC narcissim? (I love NYC, just wouldn't live there unless I could be in the penthouse above the noise, the stink and the crime.) I think as artists we need to be careful of condemning (and yes, obviously my critiquing is a form of this and therefore potentially makes me a hypocrit) or devaluing artwork just because it doesn't appeal to us or "the art world" has decided it is not worthy. That does not serve art or artists.

"I can't believe no one picked as source material the bear playing a saxophone sculpture?! WTF. It's like a Jeff Koons waiting to happen."

Hello, exactly.

I agree with China when she said, "With Ugo I feel like I know what I am going to get." I actually liked the piece, but after Ugo was voted off I decided that his work is just too Keith Herring and there would be no surprises past what he had presented. I love, loved the work of Michelle and applaud her as the winner. I am excited about this season. The only thing I wish was that someone older was not included. There are many of us out here who could use the boost in our careers and might just bring some interesting viewpoints into the "picture".

I definitely would have picked Santa to work with.

"Pam Grier in Monopoly jail"?! I think the editors should have been REQUIRED BY LAW to include that line!

"Pam Grier in Monopoly jail"?! I think the producers should have been REQUIRED BY LAW to leave that line in!

You guys totally blew it sending Ugo home. He was the only normal
looking person in the group, and the hottest. Bayete should
have been the one to go. Even if you thought Ugo's
work was derivative, you should have given him some
points for technique. I thought it looked very well executed.
And how can you say all his work looks like Keith Haring when
there has only been one show? If he had been in 5 shows that
would have been a valid comment. Just seems like everyone
else is going to try and out-Miles Miles.

It seems that many of the contestants are connected to the judges/mentors in one way or another (i.e., Michelle working for your favorite artists and The Sucklord having sold his work to Simon). Isn't this against the rules in a "game show" where a cash prize is at stake? How can you remain unbiased if you personally know some of the artists? Makes me question the show's authenticity.