Scoping an Audience - Crafting Pleasure

Relating to the Audience : Pleasure - I plan on having my students paint a landscape that represents their idea of pleasure. I believe that every artist wants their work to convey meaning and feeling to their audience in some regard. Whether that feeling be positive or negative. I think pleasure is a good place to start. By learning what gives a viewer a sense of pleasure you also learn what makes them uncomfortable through the converse. If there is an artist that can cause any emotional reaction to you as a viewer then you have an opportunity to learn from them. That is why I choose to study Thomas Kinkaide. I believe that he has polarized the art community and the general public more than any other artist today. One group tends to love his work the other loathe it. This is not a scientific fact but a general observation. I find it interesting that he can draw-out both reactions simultaneously. I want my students to learn why. As a secondary interdisciplinary connection the students can also learn how far an artist can take commercialization of their work. I am sure that my choice will not be a popular one but I believe that we need to have an open mind if we expect an open mind from others. Critical thinking and understanding are far more important for students then having exposure solely to artists whose work may be in fashion now simply because they are not main-stream but who's to say that won't change tomorrow.