Often, those who tread off the beaten path are misunderstood or mischaracterized and so we asked folks from the community to reflect and tell us about the times they’ve been misunderstood or mischaracterized.

Paul Marturano

Well there was that time I played a Practical Joke on Paula Abdul in front of 33 MIllion Peopl on American Idol. Here is the background and the video  American Idol https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xo-YfKDXTBw  Access Hollywood https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdbAqSQNZRc “Paul Marturano’s Paula Abdul Practical joke spotlight the extraordinary career of American singer-songwriter Paul Marturano, a true luminary in pop culture history. Marturano’s journey to fame was ignited on January 15, 2008, with his unforgettable appearance on the iconic television show American Idol. Read more>>

Anthony Scarzafava

My work, and art generally, is mischaracterized as a job, as a standard 9-5 workday, you get your check and your health coverage. That’s not what art is in this country or what it is, period. It’s more a calling or a crazy inner necessity that you can’t bottle up. And it it’s hard to fit that into society or to turn it into a job, into a living. 2-3% of painters make a living strictly from their work. The professors – professional artists – told us this in college. You are going to have to figure out a way to support yourself while you find yourself creatively. People think this is a job like a lawyer, doctor, engineer, and it isn’t. There is no cause and effect – just because you did 50 hours of work doesn’t mean you get 50 hours pay in return. It just doesn’t work that way. You will need a side job to pay the rent. Read more>>

Lauren Kay Johnson

I write predominantly personal essay and memoir, so my work is an extension of myself and my life; therefore, a misunderstanding or mischaracterization of my work is in a lot of ways misunderstanding or mischaracterizing ME. Writing from within a niche community—especially one as politicized as the military—comes with a lot of preconceptions and expectations. Being a woman adds a whole other layer. My writing has never told traditional/familiar military stories—the combat-focused ones you see in Hollywood films and bestselling memoirs by generals and special ops guys—because that’s not my story. And, while those are very valid and important narratives, they are far from the only military experiences. I’ve always felt compelled to push back against that mainstream narrative and the nuance in war, and in the humans engaged in it. Read more>>

Wayne Matthews Jr.

I believe that me misunderstood was the best thing that could’ve ever happened to me. I truly think I might not have learned as many life lessons had I been the jock archetype, or most popular in the class, or even hang with the top of the social food chain. Now this is not to say that I never had friends, but I never really felt like i had a friend group that accepted every aspect of me, or even knew how to deal with me or understand me. I’m an overthinker, so I really went back and thought about what everyone thought of me. What that opened the door for is massive intrapersonal understanding, or as I feel like other people call it, Knowledge of Self. Read more>>

Calder Campbell

Too many stories to tell! It used really to get under my skin. I think because I felt like my identity was wrapped up in what I do. I was very sensitive to any sort of judgement about my work but I really try to not let it affect me anymore. I think that’s one of the biggest things I’ve worked on personally and professionally, to let things just roll off. Read more>>

Elyse-krista Mische

It wasn’t until many years into my creative practice that I deeply understood my own motives for making art or the meaning within my work. I was a prolific artist and existential thinker but I could only explain myself and my work on the surface. There was a disconnect between visual narrative and explanation. This muddled state of being and creating began to clarify after a studio visit with an individual who, amidst my slew of euphemisms, said to me “you know you make work about death, right?”. Indeed, I did not. Or at least I knew deep down but couldn’t consciously or directly acknowledge the fact. Read more>>