so, i got an abstract painting of mine, entitled "Zen Window," into a juried show! at the reception, i spot an older woman intently examining my work and bio, and whispering to her husband. wow! a possible sale?
so i sidle up behind them and mumble, "love it or hate it?"
'I don't understand it," she says, angrily, in a German accent.
"well, it's an abstract," i say, taken aback, "it's emotion, a feeling."
another woman walks by and says, "you painted this? it's beautiful!"
at this, critic woman actually rolls her eyes and makes a prune mouth! obviously she has never been near ZEN in her long life. yet me, silly me, still trying to be kind, explain that many artists move beyond the figural into abstract.
"I know," she spits out, "I'm an artist, I paint abstracts, and I never get into these shows." ah ha, so that's it. and, people pleaser that i am, ask gently if she ever comes to the museum gatherings where people share their work. "I did once. I didn't get anything out of it." oh well, nice to meet you, Ingrid," I say, and beat a hasty yet long past due retreat...
now why, flighty person that i am, could i have not been drawn, like a moth to a flame, to the woman who loved my work, rather than a moth drawn to...well...poo? another artistic mystery!
(and now, oops, i uploaded the wrong painting. and i don't know how to undo it. but at least it isn't abstract!)
