"Do you like these kind of quilts?" I heard a woman say to her friend - as they gazed at a wall where my art hung. "No" she replied. And the first woman says, "Me neither, another thing we have in common."
What they didn't know is that I was the artist, the woman who was just arranging things in the Gift Shop.
They continued on browsing, visiting, commenting, and just being two women out and about.
As they near the door where I was working, we struck up a conversation - just the usual customer chatter - and the more you visit, the more curious or questions you ask, in the back and forth.
The first woman finally asks me, what sorta art I do.
With a smile on my face and a direct look towards her I say, "The quilts on the wall over there."
She knows immediately - that I know what she and her friend think of my art. They had given me their honest appraisal.
Now, that she knows I am here in living color - the Artist to the Art - she tries to backpedal.
In the backpedalling, she offers up, she is a retired Art Teacher.
She offers up a few more things - but to me the most honest was her first response I over heard.
It is funny how we want to soften up our honesty.
Even in our liking or not liking of Art.
Art is so personal and feeing invoking - that if it doesn't move you - it doesn't move. No worries.
I am way way okay with folks not enjoying my art.
I enjoy my art.
I enjoy the process.
I enjoy folks who love it enough to spend their hard earned money on it.
I enjoy folks who want to bring it into their homes.
And, I so understand those who feel differently.
I love different art and art that moves something in me. I love when I feel joy and good energy when I see art that has somehow infused feelings inside of it.
I think that there are levels of feelings in art.
Safe ones and then those who push you to feel more.
Even if it invokes negative ones. Your art moved them.
The art teacher did offer up to me - she understood the hours of time and effort I had taken me to do what I do.
I didn't probe their feelings as to why my art didn't move them. I just allowed them, with respect and kindness, to feel what they felt.
I would prefer honesty.
Always.
She honestly felt something about my art.
I respect honest feelings.
Just as I am not for everyone, neither is my art.
I love a world of color and contrast and depth the shallows and I love differences.
I appreciate and love honesty above all.
I love who I am and the freedom it gives me - and everyone.
You be you; honestly.
