Just as I am finishing up a new set of work that I am very excited about, I’ve had to face a fact – not everybody likes my artwork. In fact, some people apparently find it offensive in one way or another.
I know this because every time I post a dead bird photo on Instagram, I lose followers. I also have had certain pieces rejected from galleries because they were potentially offensive, both because of dead birds and because they have Bible text in them. I’ve also had artworks in other galleries sell for those same exact reasons, so that says something, too. I really like connecting with people that way. In fact, if you can appreciate my dead birds and scripture together, I bet we’ll get along pretty well in general.
That’s not to say that we can’t get along if you don’t appreciate my unique perspective and vision. I find it stimulating to be challenged by different points of view and I’m really not out to upset anybody – not too much anyway. I guess that’s just the price of being an artist and putting my work out there in the public square, sometimes people aren’t going to like it, sometimes people will truly be offended.
And I’ve thought about it a bit and I deiced that if I’m not offending somebody with my artwork, maybe I’m doing something wrong…