Mapping Project - Critiqued and Done

As an artist, having ones artwork critiqued can either be a very nonchalant event or it can be a very scary event.  For me, it has never been scary or nonchalant; I'd say I'm somewhere in the middle.  It's never too scary for me because I have confidence in what I do and why I do it.  I know that even if someone doesn't like my art work, that's okay.  Their opinion matters but it doesn't have to make or break me.  I expect constructive criticism so even if someone does take it a little far so that maybe they are a little mean, I don't hold it against them.  If others love my art work, of course it makes me feel good inside and more confident but even then, I don't take it too seriously.  I know every centimeter of my work so I know all the flaws and of course, I am reminded of them when I revisit my work.  Either way, positive or negative reaction from my viewers, I'm usually ok.  For this particular Mapping Project, the critique was about 95% positive and 5% negative.

The 95% positive comes from an overwhelming consensus from the class about what my drawing was trying to say.  They nailed it and then some.  While I was listening to them discuss my drawing I was still realizing more symbolism within my drawing that I didn't even try to do yet it supported the meaning.  That's one very beautiful thing about mixed media - anything's possible.

The 5% negative comes from a couple comments about the use of text in my drawing - whether it was really effective or necessary.  I agree and I disagree.  I think the drawing would have been just as beautiful without the text and maybe it would have even been better because not having text would allow the figure to be the only focus.  The figure was very beautifully done so I can see why one would not want the text there to compete.  Also, using text in a drawing, in general, isn't very widely supported among artists.  I can see why that is.  It's hard to make it work/do it right.  But then I disagree because of the reason why the text is in there.  The text is in there to enforce the meaning behind the drawing and to create an uncontrollable texture.  I wrote the poem; the poem maps my thoughts and it shows so much emotion.  The words enforce the feeling of the drawing and allow the viewer to have a more concrete idea of what's really going on.  Maybe it's not necessary, I'm not exactly sure.

Overall, I was/am very pleased with how the critique went.  In the future just as in the past, I probably won't use much text in my drawings but if I do, I'll have a better idea for how to do it. 

Let Out - Acrylic, Chalk Pastels, Charcoal (9' by 5')