What Viewers Teach Me About My Own Art – Audience Interpretations
My Paintings Are Their Own Thing
I paint intuitively. I’m always ready to hear feedback, but some reactions throw me off. Mostly when people try to get too personal, like “I think you’re trying to say this”… no. I’m not using my paintings to speak. They’re their own entity with their own voice. I am them but they’re not me. Nothing you read from a painting has to do with me directly . Everything it is has to do with is you. You get what I’m saying? its all about your perception and the lens you view the world with. Whilst this isn’t the usual approach you’ll hear from most artists , this is mine.
Absurd Reactions Are Hilarious
I’ve heard some wild sh*t. Some are straight-up absurd. But then there are the ones that totally get it, they start off by telling me what my work makes them feel. , or at least see something I didn’t even notice , and that’s dope too. I don’t take any of this personally because everyone’s reaction says way more about them than me. That’s why I love when viewers come with an open mind. Because me? I’m open-minded about literally everything , for the most part. The world is your oyster whatever whatever blah blah…
Surprising Hits
The piece that shocked me most is Perception. I painted it on a hunch after losing an older version in transit. Picked up a brush after two years, late nights, cups of counsel everywhere, and it came out way better than I expected. To me, it was just another painting. To viewers? OMG, YOURE AMAZING. That contrast is wild. Sometimes I think “this is nothing” and they’re like “you’re the GOAT” That’s the weird fun of it.
Don’t get me wrong tho, I know my work is cool af, I know I’m good, I just be on some chill sh*t lmao.
Opinions Don’t Shake Me
Interpretations have mainly made me laugh. Frustrate me? Never. You literally cannot rage-bait me with opinions, especially if you’re not an artist. Critiques from other artists? especially in college? Hell yeah, my ego popped up. In my head i’m like “Please stfu and come paint it then” likeeeee?. I can get real grim about this sh*t because there’s always opinions out there on what I should do , or should’ve done. Newsflash: I didn’t ask for your input. It’s just mandatory for this class, but realistically I wouldn’t have. This is how I go about my work , I don’t ask for opinions. The most I’ll ask about is colors.
That doesn’t mean I’m not open to criticism. I am. But in the creative field it’s tricky because everyone approaches their craft differently. That’s what makes each of us unique,
it’s the structure of our own process that defines our work.
Patterns I Notice
I notice patterns in my own work, even the ones I do not plan. I always sneak in easter eggs, hidden hands that slip into the background or tuck themselves between colors. Sometimes viewers catch them, sometimes they do not. But when I point it out, they are stunned.
Patterns show up in the way people react too. Most viewers are stunned, caught in awe. Not to brag, but when your work becomes the star at exhibitions, you start to see why. Comments that stick with me are people saying how different my work is, how they have never seen anything like it, how it holds its own in big galleries. That sh*t means a lot.
Sometimes viewers even see more than I do. Their interpretations can be wild, and I respect it. But by the time a painting is done, I am already moving on to the next one. Their insights might inspire me in quiet, barely noticeable ways, but they never change my vision.
The patterns, the hands, the hidden details, they are mine first.
Open Interpretation Wins
Literal or abstract? Open. Every perspective counts. I balance staying true to my vision by letting other perspectives pass through, basking in them for the moment, then moving on.
MY ADVICE TO YOU
Step outside your assumptions. Tap into the unknown. Forget what the painting “should” mean. The more open you are, the more you’ll see.
Your interpretation isn’t my story, it’s your reflection. But damn, the more you see, the more magic happens.
