I saved most of it, but I really should have published ALL of the hate mail I got at the beginning of the year. For the most part, it has abated, but every once in a while I will open an email, and get something like I got today, from a woman in Columbus, Nebraska:
"Your picture is alfull. Jolie is a slut and I hate how her own child is dressed and the other two kids are naked. You are a great painter—so paint something worth your tailent----not that piece of crap".
I have lots of time left to finish the current painting, but my brain has already kicked into overdrive, not allowing me to sleep, thinking about the next ten steps that need to be done on it. Even with a Tylenol PM, I was up past 3 last night.
"Your picture is alfull. Jolie is a slut and I hate how her own child is dressed and the other two kids are naked. You are a great painter—so paint something worth your tailent----not that piece of crap".
I have lots of time left to finish the current painting, but my brain has already kicked into overdrive, not allowing me to sleep, thinking about the next ten steps that need to be done on it. Even with a Tylenol PM, I was up past 3 last night.
posted by Kate at 5:58 PM
3 Comments:
Hi Kate,
After reading this post I had to let you know that I showed my 8 year old this blog (and then went to your site and showed him the Angelina Jolie picture) last night. He's a burgeoning artist and I thought he'd get a kick out of your painting in progress,especially how small your brushes are and how detailed the work is.
I became familiar with you because of the controversy over your Jolie piece, but I was hooked immediately by your voice and your art. Thank you for sharing your creative process with us here in Madison, WI.
The impersonality of the internet somehow makes people feel that they have the right to freely comment, criticize, direct or otherwise impose their opinions whenever something does not fit their beliefs or values. For example, the public commentary sections in otherwise respectable news sites are simply appalling.
My first reaction to your hate mail senders is to tell them to learn to paint their OWN pictures if they have something that THEY want to say. There is a segment of America that will gladly send soldiers off to "fight for democracy" but they won't stand by those truly honorable values when it comes to allowing free speech if it violates their own beliefs (or they think it violates their own beliefs because they cannot discern irony).
I am sure that I have told you this before - sometime, oh when you have free time and a margarita to help elicit a sense of humor, go to Amazon and read the reviews that the public leaves for the "Great" books...it will give you a humbling perspective on America's inability to understand irony or even layered prose.
One of my favorites (for John Steinbeck's "Grapes of Wrath"):
"I started this book but was so disgusted by the filthy language in the novel that I stopped reading it and returned it."
Hmmm. So the offensive language will keep you from learning about social compassion? Why am I not surprised...
Thanks, Lavalady, for checking in and sharing the blog.
Sarah, I know what you mean about the comments. I really can't even read those things, I find them so depressing... they make me feel like I have just watched Jerry Springer.
What an amazing observation about the Amazon comments. Will do.
metaphorically illiterate population > no art education > funding cut from schools > Republicans to blame?
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