Influences Map

This weeks assignment was to create a map of our artistic influences and post it on our blog.  I didn't like doing this because it is nobody else's business why I do what I do and I don't want to put it out there for others to judge. I didn't realize how strongly I felt about this until we were reviewing our assignment in class. I unintentionally picked the crappiest piece of paper I had, and though we were asked to use pencil I didn't care that it was hard to read.  And as I heard others tell what influenced them I realized some of those things could go on my map too, but I didn't think to add them while I was fighting with myself about what was "safe" to write down. I feel pretty strongly about telling others what influences me, because I don't want to be told what to think or do.  I don't mind listening to other perspectives and choosing what works for me, but I know that naming something is giving it power and I don't want to give others power over me.

I also realize the reason I really don't like to blog and don't want to have one is because I feel so strongly that I am not safe when I divulge my innermost thoughts. For the longest time no one has cared what the heck I think anyway.  Why should I waste my time writing down things no one reads or responds to? I'd rather be making art.  That is something people respond to. Only a few people have earned my trust and are truly interested in my words.

I have had a web site for several months that I post my art images to and my husband blogs on. We get about 16 hits a day on it and in as many months neither one of us has had so much as one response or email from the site.  (Yes, we tested it by emailing ourselves.)  I feel like blogging is a big waste of time. I don't follow any blogs except for this class, and it seems like no one interacts much here either.  Hmm. If you are out there reading this and want to prove to me that I am wrong and blogging is being read, I invite you to post a comment on this site.  :)

Here is the map.  It is the best image I could get with my 10 megapix camera, a flash, and sharpening the image in Photoshop. TTFN.