If you’ve ever shown your art at a gallery, an open studio, or even to friends, you’ve probably noticed a pattern in the questions people ask.

Sure, sometimes someone might wonder what kind of paint you used, or whether you stretched your own canvas. But more often than not, the questions that linger, the ones people ask with real curiosity, sound more like this:

• What inspired you to paint this?
• What does it mean to you?
• How did you feel when you created it?

These are questions about your heart, not your technique. And they point to something essential about how people connect with art: they’re not just looking at brushstrokes, they’re looking for what people want to know about your art — your story.

Why People Don’t Care About the Technical Stuff

This isn’t to say that technical details don’t matter. If you’re talking to another painter, the conversation might veer into gesso brands or varnish. But for most people, technical language is a barrier rather than a bridge.

Most viewers don’t have a working knowledge of color theory or glazing. If you dive into technical jargon, their eyes may glaze over. What people really want to know about your art is the emotion behind it — the doorway into your world.

Think of it like food. When someone enjoys a meal, they might briefly wonder what spices you used. But what they’ll remember is how it made them feel: comforted, surprised, delighted, nourished. Art works the same way.

The Power of “Why” in Your Art

When you talk about why you paint rather than how you paint, you invite people to connect on a human level. And that’s where art has the most transformative power.

Sharing the story behind a painting — the grief that fueled it, the memory that sparked it, or the joy you felt creating it — gives your audience something to hold onto.

Even if they don’t “understand” the work academically, they can connect emotionally. That emotional connection is what makes your art memorable and collectable.

Stories That Stick

Think back to the last time someone told you about their art in a way that moved you. It probably wasn’t a lecture on composition. Maybe it was a story about how a sunset reminded them of childhood, or how painting became a marker of healing.

These stories are sticky. They’re easy to retell: “This artist painted this piece after losing a loved one, and you can feel that sense of loss and love.”

That retelling is powerful. It’s how your art begins to travel further than you can carry it alone.

Vulnerability Is a Strength

Sharing what people want to know about your art requires vulnerability. It means letting people see the emotions behind the canvas.

That can feel risky. But vulnerability is where connection lives. People resonate with authenticity, not perfection. When you open up — even just a little — you give viewers permission to bring their own emotions to your work.

Practice Helps You Find Your Voice

Finding the right words to express your “why” takes practice. At first, you might stumble or repeat yourself. But over time, you’ll notice which stories light people up and which details feel most aligned with your art.

It’s not about rehearsing a perfect speech. It’s about growing comfortable with letting your audience into the human side of your process.

Why Sharing Matters for Artists

At the end of the day, art is about connection. If it stays locked inside you, it can’t work its magic.

By sharing what people want to know about your art — your inspiration, emotions, and stories — you open the door for others to feel seen and inspired.

Collectors, curators, and casual viewers alike are drawn not only to the beauty of your work but to the resonance of your story. That’s what makes them want to hang your painting in their living room, not just admire it in a gallery.

Practical Ways to Share Your Story

1. Practice Storytelling in Person
   Next time you’re at a show, notice which stories spark genuine engagement. Pay attention to the questions people ask, and let them guide you toward what resonates.
2. Use Social Media for Connection, Not Just Promotion
   Share behind-the-scenes glimpses, not just finished works. Talk about the emotions or memories that fueled a piece.
3. Create Themed Series
   When you build a body of work around a central question or experience, it becomes easier to articulate the story and invite people into it.

What People Really Want

So, what do people really want to know about your art? Not the pigment brand, not the canvas size, not even the number of hours it took. They want to know you. They want to feel the pulse behind the piece.

When you share the heart behind your work, you give your audience a gift: the chance to connect with something deeper than aesthetics. You remind them that art isn’t just an object — it’s a conversation, an invitation, a bridge between souls.

Join the Define Your Style Challenge

If you’re ready to take the next step in clarifying your artistic voice, I invite you to join the Define Your Style Challenge. In this challenge, you’ll identify your artistic strengths so you can uncover what makes your work unique and build a cohesive style that collectors instantly recognize. 

You’ll also learn how to transform scattered ideas into a focused artistic direction, moving away from random, disconnected paintings toward clarity and confidence. 

Most importantly, you’ll receive a practical roadmap for developing a signature series that galleries look for, turning one-off works into collections that tell your story. 

By the end, you’ll not only know your “why” — you’ll have the tools to express it through a style that’s unmistakably yours, helping your audience connect more deeply and making your art stand out with confidence.

The more you practice sharing your “why,” the more natural it will feel. And as you do, you’ll find that your art doesn’t just speak through color and form — it also speaks through your voice, carrying your heart into the world where it belongs.

ABOUT ANDREA CERMANSKI

I am an artist out of Santa Fe, New Mexico who has been painting for almost 30 years. I love to teach first-timers as well as experienced painters who need a creative reboot. My work has been displayed in several galleries around the country, and I have a Bachelor’s in Art History, a Master’s in Art Education, and had my work in a show juried by Judy Chicago. The idea of getting more people painting makes me light up as I want to inspire more people to express their creative selves and tap into a place of joy and calm.

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