DAYTON, Ohio — Artists showed off their wares during the Saturday kickoff of Dayton’s Art In The City Festival.
The month-long festival offers artists a chance to show off their craft to residents and to foster a community among themselves.
“I’ve made a ton of friends just by participating in this event and meeting people,” said cartoonist Marco Vera. “Not everybody buys something, but you make a true connection.”
That physical connection was on the minds of many artists selling their wares on Saturday.
AI-generated art continues to proliferate through online spaces, sometimes crossing over into the real world as well. Recently, a poster with AI-assisted elements won a $1,000 prize at the Ohio State Fair. Michelle Torres said that, in her opinion, images generated by AI are not art.
“It takes out the humanity and the same feelings that bring people together,” Torres said.
She’s had her own issues with AI. Torres said that because she shares her art online, some people see it and mistake it for AI, when in reality she makes everything by hand. She said she often gets questions about the validity of her own work.
“It’s kind of funny, but, of course, it does make you worry if one day AI is going to take over art,” Torres said.
Torres isn’t alone with her AI frustrations. Marco Vera was selling his own work at the event as a cartoonist, but he also takes commissions. He says that when he states his asking price, people often go to the machine-made options.
“It kind of does hurt that hope a little bit, especially when you’re trying to create something,” Vera said. “Having that taken away from you kind of stings.”
Artist Talia Ferro Sebastian, however, told us he’s embracing AI in his work. Using it to help with elements like his piece’s color and for business interactions behind the scenes. He believes that if artists don’t incorporate it now, they’ll be left behind.
“If you don’t incorporate it and use it,” Sebastian said. ”Then in the next 10-15 years you’re gonna look up and go, ‘Why didn’t I learn this?’”
Vera doesn’t think AI will come to the point of replacing artists, even if it causes some difficulties at the moment.
“People always come back to what’s real,” Sebastian concluded.
Tyler Oldano
Source link