You Can't Please Everyone

Last Tuesday I had the wonderful experience of my first show reception.  There was a great turn out and all of the work that went into it was worth it!  One of the best things was meeting new people and getting an unbiased opinion from people I did not know.  I am very aware that my work, while thought-provoking, is not something people may wish to hang in their foyer.  One of the best things that happened was that I was asked to take one of my paintings down.  To me, that means I have accomplished one of my goals.  I was able to put the painting up for the night, but then had to take it down.  Even though people were not comfortable with the image of a man in a ski mask, it sparked conversations and made them think!  Once I was able to explain my concept, the distaste they felt previously seemed to be replaced with questioning and insight.  

In contrast to the paintings that made people uncomfortable, I also showed a painting of my best friend.  This proved to be the favorite, hands down.  I do love that painting, but the response got me thinking.  My goal for my art is to make people think and confront their judgments and those they judge.  At times I know that the discomfort they make feel by looking at those characters may discourage them from paying attention, I thought that a room full of them would force them to confront those feelings.  In actuality, however, the people who came seemed to cling to the most pleasant painting there.  I got questions about the others, but there was a lingering audience in front of the only female nude in the bunch.  Even though I had a price list, I knew ahead of time that there was only one sellable painting being shown.

The question then is, who do you please?  Should an artist compromise his or her original intentions to sell art?  I know that I am far from being the first to debate this unoriginal question, but as a senior in college, I realize the dilemma.  There is a balance between doing the art that you love and letting it pile up in storage and doing what you are good at, and others love.  How do artists get to that point where they can do what they want and have others appreciate it.  Frida Kahlo is not famous for beautiful self-portraits, but people like Madonna have paid millions of dollars for her paintings.  So what do you do if you are not famous and museums do not want your paintings and people do not yet know your name.  It is a catch 22.  If you do not sell paintings, you cannot afford to paint as much because you must have a job.  However, you will not be known as the artist you want to be if you sell out.  

Although I do not  have a solution to this problem, I can only hope that in my own art I will have the will power to be the artist I want to be.