When it's so-o-o bad that it's, well, good

Jamie Lee Matthias might not be the next David Hockney - or even your local art teacher - but his 'so-bad-it's-hilarious' paintings have taken that first bastion of 'anything goes', Britain, by storm. An accountant by profession, Matthias stumbled into fame - and the painting frame - last May after gifting his fiancee a wedding portrait that resembled an abstract comedy sketch more than a tender keepsake. Encouraged by the laughs, he shared it online, and before he could try again, the internet made him a sensation. His 'absolutely horrendous' masterpieces have since landed him 73 commissions.

'I try to create an alternate universe where proportions have no meaning,' said Matthias, not trying to sound like Kandinsky. And it's clearly working. His rise echoes viral phenomena like Dhinchak Pooja's cringeworthy social media 'hit' number 'Selfie maine leli aaj', or Jasmeen Kaur's infectious 'Looking like a wow' statement. The common thread? You don't have to be good to be popular. In fact, the opposite helps in the world of the hive mind. Purists may cringe. But Matthias has no illusions. As Jamie said, 'This is my standard. There's no risk of it getting better.' Actually, that's the secret: the joy of, um, imperfection. These quirky gems create an alternate universe where life with all its warts feels fine. It's not highbrow, it's high laughs.