After a disastrous attempt at building a barbecue pit in the backyard, Homer tries to return to conglomeration of cement and brick to the hardware store. They refuse to accept it. On the way back home, the wagon Homer is hauling it in breaks free and smashes into another car’s hood. The owner of the car, Astrid Weller, tracks Homer down and offers to put his impromptu barbecue sculpture in an art show in her gallery.

Mr. Burns buys Homer’s "sculpture," and Homer is officially declared an artist. Having always dreamed of being an artist herself, Marge is uncomfortable with Homer’s new art-world notoriety. Homer has another show, and this time, the public does not respond to his failed home improvement projects. To give him inspiration, Marge takes Homer to the Springsonian Museum. Homer is particularly impressed with a Joseph Turner painting of the canals of Venice.

Encouraged by Lisa to try something big, Homer blocks up all of the sewers in town, puts snorkels on all of the animals, and floods the streets of Springfield. Remarkably, the town loves Homer’s new "work," but he decides that Marge is the artist in the family.