4th Question asked by a Curious Follower

Above: as it was still drying,

BrokenHeartBrokenGirl

previously Broken Heart...

(a gift to Ryan of Dead Man's Bones...but not anymore,

maybe for next years DAMNED show)

-When people look at your art, what would you like them to think, feel, see?

• OK, I hope this makes sense. And if it doesn't, please feel free to ask WTH!?! But I think I can make it logical. Here goes...

• The only thing I would really REALLY like for anyone to DO when they see one of my art pieces is to have a reaction. No matter if it's bad/negative reaction. You know...even if they have a "UGH" reaction...cuz it still means I did "my job" as an artist in my opinion. If someone just looks at one of my pieces and has NO reaction whatsoever, then it's really a sucky feeling (I do this with art also...I just don't have a reaction to some things-my brain doesn't say COOL or UNCOOL, just says BLAH basically).

• Here's a couple examples I've had. Well, I did have an art show about 10 years ago. It was very small (very very local-in my old hometown) with a group of friends. And it was kinda my show and they were supporting artists in a way...I had almost half the wall, and they had the other half (the other 3 artists). At that time (very early on in making art) I had a lot of pieces. I was cranking 'em out like no tomorrow! BUT I was a newbie and I regret some of the things I did then...but again I was just starting to make stuff so I had no idea what I was doing most the time.


• OK, to the point. Sorry...memories. ;) So anyways there was a guy at the show. Maybe a friend of one of the other artists there. We were chatting at a couch by the other artists wall. There was also a couch by my wall. So I don't even know how this came up but he said "I'm afraid to sit down there." I don't think he knew I was the artist. So I was baffled and was curious about why he thought this.


• Well, back then I used a lot of BRIGHT colors...as well as often painting with many coats-which I still do. And I also painted these crazy BIG faces, very abstract (the show was called "Faces in Disguise"). So yeah, he had this kinda negative reaction to my work and I thought it was actually a funny compliment in a way. That my art had that type of reaction on someone. I will always remember that for some reason.

• OK, now fast forward to NOW (2009). At the DAMNED show. Well, I didn't hang out around either of my pieces much. It was kinda hard to and I was either chatting with artists or looking at the other art most the time. So at one point I'm near "Female Baggage." Enough to see anyone go by it and see a physical reaction, if any. So eventually a guy comes by it and his mouth was open a bit and then he started nodding his head up & down. I was like "Wow, he's liking it! Cool!!!"


• So that was the only time that night I went up to someone by one of my pieces & chatted about it. If he didn't have a reaction like that, I probably wouldn't have went up to him. And I'm not saying I NEED a physical reaction when someone sees my work but in this case, he did have one. Which was quite awesome!


• He was really cool and he did really like it, he said. I gave him my business card (which is basically my Etsy Shop & my email)...told him my art on there is a bit different (definitely not the same prices as my 2 pieces there, etc...). So that was really cool and one of my "artsy" moments so far. ;)

• SOOOO...I hope that makes some sense. I actually wrote down this answer before (and it was much shorter) so this is what happens when I don't have what I wrote down by me. :P I think artists and many non-artists would understand that basically all I'm saying is if you see a piece of art and nothing registers OR it's "OK" (terrible word for any art!), well, that's not much of reaction, right?


• For me, art should be either beautiful, inspiring, disturbing, shocking, or thought-provoking in some way. Art is meant to have a reaction. And if there were never any reactions, it'd be a sad art world, wouldn't it!?! {And I also think this applies to many aspects of life. From music to films, etc....} See the passion of the artist...or see the passion in the piece. That's what any type of art is about-PASSION! ^_^