I'm always surprised by peoples reactions when they see my artwork for the first time or for those who haven't seen it in long time also. Sadly, I work a mundane torturious day job that sucks my creative life from the very bone and it is here that I usually find interests in what I "do" with myself and such. I know exactly where this sleigh ride goes and so the other day I was picking up an order from my printer and decided to show some people from work what it is I make. The response was predictable and disturbing. Although everyone "likes" per se what they see, the first direction everyone takes is... "you know what you should do..." and then wave after wave of suggestions come forth. I've been told I should focus on bath soaps arranged nicely in a towel for hanging in someones bathroom. Then there's puppies with peoples children for a portrait of course... and so on and so on. While I give these subjects merit I just don't give them my interest. For me the images that I work with come from within. They're an expression of the artist. They are of my personal likes, beliefs, understandings, realizations, interpretations, pleasures, and so much much more. If I was going to draw sad kittens crying in the rain that's probably what I would be making. Doesn't that make sense... My co-workers don't get that. Scary, I know.
Now granted not everyone says such things to me and I'm thankful. I just get whacked out by the suggestions of subject matter and those are the comments that tend to stick with me the longest. Critique me by all means. Oh, sweet mother of God judge me. Shred the work to pieces like an early morning teacher with a bad hangover. Make me recoil into the fetal position in fear like lice in a burnin' wig. But Jesus almighty... kittens..... bath soaps....
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