When Swampscott artist Glenn Engman unveiled his AI-generated piece titled Wish You Were Here at the Marblehead Arts Association, he wasn’t sure how it would be received.
“Some people absolutely loved it. Others called it cheating,” he said. “I’ve even been told showing it again could get me banned from certain organizations.”
Despite the mixed reactions, Engman’s work, and the broader movement of AI-generated art, is finding an unlikely foothold in traditional art spaces like Marblehead Arts Association. Thanks to the Association’s decision to formally recognize digital art as its own genre, Engman and other digital creators are being invited into the gallery.
According to Executive Director at the Marblehead Arts Association Xhazzie Kindle, the push to embrace digital mediums came out of necessity.
“We realized we couldn’t lump AI art in with photography anymore,” Kindle explained. “The tools have changed so quickly — programs like Procreate, laser-cutting software, even AI text-to-image generators. We had to evolve or get left behind.”
The Association now accepts a wide range of digital art, including traditional digital painting, laser-cut prints, and AI-generated images. Artists like Engman, who has worked in photography and digital imaging since the 1990s, have found new inspiration in tools like Adobe Photoshop, Leonardo AI, and platforms that translate written prompts into fully formed images.
“You type out what you want to create and keep refining it until the software gives you something close to your vision,” Engman said. “It can take hours, or sometimes just one try.”
He typically prints and frames his work, an 11×14 image mounted on 16×20 stock, for around $150 per piece. He’s shown his AI art at the Marblehead Festival of Arts, Moon Arts, and now within the Marblehead Arts Association gallery itself.
But even as the gallery opens its doors to AI art, questions remain, especially around how to sell and categorize it. Unlike oil paintings or handcrafted sculptures, digital art presents unique challenges.
Still, demand is growing. The Association has hosted roundtables to explore how to support this rapidly expanding genre, including discussions of finding sponsors for tech-driven experiences like animated shorts or immersive exhibitions.
“If we don’t adapt, we’ll fall behind,” Kindle said.
One unexpected benefit of digital art is its accessibility. People with limited mobility or physical disabilities can now create professional-caliber artwork without ever lifting a paintbrush, Kindle said.
“With AI-generated art, someone who might not be able to use their hands for traditional media can still create something beautiful and expressive,” Kindle said.
However, they stress the importance of transparency.
“We label everything. If an artist used open-source imagery, AI prompts, or digital layering, we ask them to disclose it. It’s about being honest with the audience,” Kindle said.
This emphasis on “truth in advertising” also helps separate artistic techniques. For example, digital drawing done with a stylus is different from photo compositing, which differs again from text-based AI image generation. Without clear labeling, it’s difficult to fairly judge or even appreciate the work on its own terms.
Engman compares the current backlash against AI art to the skepticism he encountered in the early days of Photoshop.
“Back then, people thought editing photos was dishonest,” he recalled. “But once they learned how to use it themselves, they realized it was just another tool.”
He believes AI-generated art is here to stay and that the stigma will eventually fade.
“It’s not replacing creativity. It’s enhancing it,” he said. “And like any new medium, it takes time for people to get comfortable with it.”
The Marblehead Arts Association has already accepted work from multiple digital artists, including laser-cut pieces by Cathy Landergan and mixed-media digital prints by Dmytro Zoria.
Some use software like Procreate for hand-drawn digital painting, while others explore photomanipulation and AR experiences.
“We even had one artist working with holograms and scent integration,” Kindle said. “That’s where digital art is going — it’s becoming immersive, multisensory, and deeply personal.”
“Whether you use a paintbrush or a prompt, what matters is the artist’s vision and effort,” said Engman. “And now, finally, there’s a place for both.”
