Thoughts on Artificial Intelligence and Art Thinking

Artificial intelligence is tricky territory when it comes to art and creativity and I've found myself in a specific thoughtspace about it recently. These may seem like random thoughts, but just roll with me here - read and sew em' together. 

When generative AI was initially implemented into Photoshop, my first basic attempt was removing visual attention - specifically a light post. It was in the corner of a photo but one of those details that carried more than it should have (if you know, you know). I zoomed in on what the generative AI replaced the light post with and something clicked. The AI's accuracy was not yet there and had filled in context that made sense if you weren't paying attention to but definitely wasn't figurative. It wasn't buildings or streets, just texture.  

Since, I've been experimenting with that concept in analog art practices and I've been struck with what's probably the most basic understanding of how to art - paint the thing as you would, not as it is. 

Right before this era, I was in a deep dive on the local legend Les Kouba. For those in MN, the moose license plate is his artwork. His work is often labeled as cabin art and "cabin art" is such an interesting genre to me. It's colloquial and probably regional dependent in terms of subject matter. Wildlife art for specific spaces.

I've been chewing on this one for a while - what would Midwest contemporary look like? And not contemporary like pop art - art inspired by wildlife that's been created through the digestive system of someone who's studied the American art movements from Polluck and Rothko to Kouba to Basquiat, Haring, Warhol, etc. up through Obey, Kaws... What does wildlife art in 2025 feel like?

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