The Overly Long, Disjointed About Page
First, some basics…
Privacy
I’m using umami for analytics. I’m only interested in aggregate data, and we don’t use cookies to store any information. My payment provider requires both a name and email, but I won’t share the information with anyone else and won’t use it to market to you directly.
If people are interested in a newsletter, I’ll make it opt-in and easy to unsubscribe.
Comments, Suggestions, and Complaints?
Support Meh!
I’d be extremely grateful if you’re willing to support me via the button at the top of this page or
the link at the bottom. This is first and foremost a labor of love, so any contribution is appreciated.
If I can turn this into some extra lunch money or a lifestyle business, so much the better.
My plan for now is to keep the site donation based. If enough people browse the site and the donation levels don’t match, I’ll consider a subscription model, probably via additional content, or some other perk. In any case, the subscription should be reasonably priced (no more than $10 per year) and won’t be a recurring charge. Currently, the suggested subscription is $3 per year, and I see no reason to increase it.
The site is not non-profit (for now), so donations are not tax-deductible.
About Meh
I started Coastal Chicago LLC in 2024, predominantly as a technology and management consulting business. Obviously, things have morphed a bit since then.
Here’s the about page from my blog giving you the basics about me.
I mentioned it a bit in passing on the home page, but I started this site to make art less intimidating. I recall asking a friend to explain why a piece of art was considered great (I don’t recall which one), and his response was “it would take me too long to do so.” I found the answer unsatisfying, but was scared away from doing anything other than looking at a piece and saying “oooh, I like that” for the next decade or so.
We were both 18 at the time, so what seems like a dismissive, elitist response was likely just an 18 year old holding onto what ever edge could bat away the insecurities most 18 year olds have of their place in the world, so don’t judge him too harshly.
Eventually, when the pandemic gave us copious amounts of free time to pursue other interests instead of interacting with the outside world, I stumbled across smarthistory and a passion sprung anew.
My Method
I’m not a trained art historian (though if things with the site go well, I’ll consider upping my game), but I do put in a few hours of research for each piece. I try to use facts confirmed from multiple sources so that I have greater confidence in my accuracy and so that I’m not plagiarising someone else’s work.
My intention is to provide just enough information to whet your appetite, without overwhelming you. With luck, I’ll interest you enough that you’ll want to do your own independent study. I completely acknowledge that each of these pieces contains multitudes that take years to fully understand and appreciate.
However, the whole goal of this site is to show that even a minute or two with a piece can unlock a greater understanding and appreciation of art and its place in history.
Please feel free to contact me at info@coastalchicago.com if I’ve gotten something wrong or missed crucial context.
The Collected Works
The original list is sourced from the American AP Art History course. I’ll also add pieces that intrigue me (the The Mona Lisa, for one, is not on the list) or that others recommend.
While the site is starting off Euro-centric, it’s my intention to include pieces from around the world and from diverse groups. I’m simply more familiar with stereotypical European and American art, so it was a good place to start for a proof of concept.
How Often Are There Updates?
My goal is to add at least two updates a week. Research for each individual piece takes me about 2-4 hours. Writing the copy, though it’s sparse, requires and additional 1-2 hours to ensure I’m being as clear as I possibly can be and employing my unique style properly.
The AP site lists 250 pieces in its List of Required Works, so there will be content updates for the foreseeable future. I’m sure there will be other pieces that pique my interest as well.
The Use of AI For the Site
I use AI for some code generation tasks and may use it for reporting or similar tasks in the future.
I will never use AI for content creation. If this site has value, it’s because you’re interested in the art and the style my voice has in helping generate that interest.
Even as I write this about page, I’m getting such “helpful” completion suggestions from the LLM as
If you’re interested in my voice, I’m interested in your voice.
and immediately followed up by
If you’re interested in art, I’m interested in your art.
Hopefully, you’ll find that I can do better.