I am fascinated by a phenomenon I have observed within my career…I have been thinking a lot with my hand being all messed up… (torn ligaments, its a mess... and making me crazy)
Any ways…
I am not sure what to call the concept… or how to describe it properly, but I have observed it consistently in my life, and it seems to be a universal pattern with most things.
It is the Expansion Implosion effect. (I know I am not a physicist, so this is an entirely a observational theory, I don’t have a ton of science behind ideas around this social concept)
Directly with my art it seems that the more styles and versions of styles I make available or have access (like my style page), the more I tend to lose my ability to be myself and am required to be someone else for my clients and their needs. I become what someone needs instead of who I am… its fucked.
Like particles, when there is not enough room in a space, and the cell structure break down create a vacuum effect.
It's like a star, when it's going "supernova" and it is giving out all this energy, eventually leading to physical collapse.
It sounds strange to explain it that way, but basically what I am saying is there is a bit of this effect going on with my art… because in all actually, I don’t have the ability to please every client that crosses my path…
(you don’t say?! *shock, amazement, sarcasm*)
It’s mostly fascinating to me because there is a psychotic Keener in me that is just dying to be the “bestest” (and yes I was that nightmare kid you met at school always early and ready to go… sucked at actual school, my grades were balls, and hot garbage…but god dammit I was in it to win it, even if I failed horribly).
Anyways...I have been made aware of the dangers of this kind of behavior. I have observed a lot of the negative effects of this trait in myself. Especially with regards to how people can sometimes treat me in a tattoo setting (co-workers and clients alike).
While it is not entirely a flaw… it can become more dangerous than we realize... it really can cause a person to lose themselves, and slowly recreate themselves, until they have turned themselves and their whole way of being into some ridiculous mish mash crazy-thing that seems idealistic… but it is in fact straight-up not working… kind of like Frankenstein’s Monster.
This transformation is so slow that you don’t see it coming. It’s like you indoctrinate yourself, but you don’t even know you are doing it… its fucking weird…
The point is, I must become me again for the sake of my sanity and my art… This change is necessary, so that I don’t run the risk of imploding/disappearing altogether.
This is why, my style is shifting a bit more, to reflect more of myself in my art.
Many people may have noticed, and some people may not enjoy this shift, but this is an important shift in the name of creativity. But for the art’s sake, it’s happening dudes. (dudettes and otherwise. You know what you are. I’m talking to everyone.)
And yes, this is DEFINITELY one of those “sorry… not sorry” scenarios.
I hate seeing people getting mad, or acting out, as a result.
Sorry you can’t handle change, and I’m sorry you don’t like this one.
I’m sorry that you can’t have everyone bend their rules to accommodate your needs better.
Yes I am guilty of being the facilitator of that nonsense in the past.
But… just because something sucks sometimes, does not in fact mean it is bad.
(every person forced to quit eating that tasty cheese burger, who had to lower their cholesterol intake so they don’t die earlier than they would like to.) ♡ change is good.
I must stand my ground in this one… I want to level up, and Become a wicked Ink Wizard.
There are many clients or customers out there, that will likely not understand... They will likely be mad about the change.
Their perspective is that, “I am the customer and you do what I want”
While this may be the case for some, I want to encourage people to be more like ART COLLECTORS.
I want the love of the art to shine through a lot more, because the art is one of the most important things in the world to me. I will be doing art when I am old and grey and can barely use my hands anymore.
It will be forever and always, the thing I expand and grow and change.
Any ways, I wanted to vocalize these perspectives, because I feel like these ones are incredibly important.
I will likely expand on these ideas much further, but I think this one is important to just get it out there.