The Pretty, the Butch, and the Wild

So I had a showing for two of my pieces at Stevens Square Center for the Arts. It was a private, invite-only showing. I wasn’t there, but my art was. Apparently it went really well. I showed “My Little Bony” and a self-portrait, tentatively titled “Winter’s Visit”. It shows me and a demon of sorts facing each other in the snow. It got mixed reviews as some gals didn’t like that there was someone “pretty” in the painting. Some women don’t think I belong in my own art. I don’t take offense to this, nor do I cast any judgement, but I do want to make a note on how society skews our view of women. This is simply an observation on the nature of things. I personally like seeing beautiful women. I’m fine with it, but I also enjoy shark attacks and have a crush on The Wild Boyz. I have been told I have “unique” taste. It made me think of a woman I’ve been reading about from back in the day named Rosa Bonheur. Bonheur was an unmatched Realist painter in her day and ours. Her attention to detail was almost photographic. She was a rebel against society as she wore men’s clothing, studied anatomy in slaughter houses, and was openly gay. Her behavior was unheard of and viewed as ghastly during the 1800’s in France. She was looked at as not being attractive and womanly enough. She was butch, amazing at what she did, and a certified badass- my new inspiration. Now I’m not saying I’m on her level or devastatingly beautiful where it’s becoming a problem to go out in public, but her appearance and lifestyle caused problems for people. There’s always something that people have to have an issue with. Why is that? This is obviously a deeper issue that I won’t dive into too much, but food for thought. So basically, cheers to badasses who live authentic lives and don’t give a damn about what anyone has to say. Oh, and cheers to the Wild Boyz because they’re the real meaning to my life.