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.

Siz Wang

I think I was most misunderstood whenever I entered the public space as a photographer. I didn’t expect that having the identity of a photographer would put me in a vulnerable position, subject to the general conception that photography is a service. Plus, a young woman like me couldn’t possibly be experienced. Perhaps some of those people have been subconsciously misled by the fact that I am based in NYC. The urban context makes people prone to assume that I would always be interested in taking portraits of people. In their opinion, I shall feel my skills are honored and recognized when such a photoshoot request is made, whether personal or commercial, paid or not. However, I am a street and fine art photographer who doesn’t focus on exploring the details of human bodies. If I were ever to turn down somebody’s request coming with praise like, “You are such a talented photographer! I really admire your composition! Can you just take a few photos of me, over there, with your camera and email them to me? It wouldn’t take you much time.” I would then be criticized for being arrogant and petty. Read more>>

Mystique Niles

Yes, I do feel that my work is sometimes misunderstood. My lyrics take on more of a poetry format, and I think this type of songwriting can easily be misunderstood because it’s not a typical storytelling arrangement. My songwriting comes from a place of deep thought, and it might come across as random to some listeners. I encourage listeners to take the time to understand the lyrics so that they might find a connection to my music. Artists are much more than catchy melodies. Our world is constantly changing, and what comes with that is new music from a different generation that experiences different things. I received some feedback from a song I wrote and they said, “Her songs don’t make sense.” As someone new to the industry, I naturally got frustrated because the lyrics made perfect sense to me. As I reflected on this criticism, it turned out the comment was from someone with generational differences. I realized that feedback came from a place they understand music to be. It was clear to me as to why they wouldn’t understand what I was writing about.  Most of my inspiration comes from Taylor Swift’s songwriting. I’ve found that people misread her lyrics as well. As an artist, I have a lot to learn about the music industry, songwriting, and being open to feedback. Being critiqued is part of being an artist, and I’m coming to terms with accepting that. Read more>>

Jamone Mckenzie

Being misunderstood is definitely a thing that happens more than usual because many people don’t understand the mindset it takes to do the creative sport I love doing. Not everyone thinks the same way or does the same style in which the sport is being done, but unless you’re in the sport and understand the cultural aspect of it then you’re not really going to understand a lot about me or many of my peers within the sport of skateboarding. Read more>>

Britt Small

The work our theatre company (Atomic Vaudeville) creates can be difficult to describe as it pulls from various mediums of theatre, vaudeville, drag, clown, music, dance, puppetry, sketch comedy, and the avant guard to create an original work. The way we create is collaborative, artist-driven, empathic and improvisational, which results in unconventional structure and a kind of layered meaning. When I founded the company 20 years ago with Jacob Richmond, I was disillusioned with a lot of the theatre that was being platformed and celebrated. It felt dusty and irrelevant and out of touch. I questioned whether it was the art form itself that was caging the expression or if there was another way. When our shows became popular, especially with younger audiences, many in the theatre community diminished the work as ‘not real theatre.’ My experience though was quite the opposite, I had never felt more alive in the messy, aggressive and absurd work that we were doing. The insight was that I should trust my gut and the real time audience feedback we were receiving which was joy and connection. Read more>>

Dw Wells

Throughout my time as a creative I’ve come to realize that not everyone recognizes or understands how much goes into properly putting out a piece of art that you love. Most times people think it’s just a post, photoshoot, or a project of any medium when in reality it’s simply not that. There are a million factors that go into everything I do as a creative. However I’ve grown to learn that everyone will not always understand and that’s okay. It’s not my job to explain my art. The art speaks for itself. As for myself I’m often “misunderstood” in regards to my art as well. Although I try to advocate for young black men in the creative space, most black men don’t understand why I’m willing to wear the things I do, and do the things I do. Again this is fine, it’s not for everyone to understand. When you find something that makes you feel complete and accomplished you eventually stop feeling the need to explain yourself. Read more>>

Sean Rice

The more outside the norm a person is, the harder it is for others to understand them. This is not a fault of the others, it is simply that there are so many more ways to be outside the norm than inside. From my earliest memory I have been outside the norm, and my parents, siblings, and myself have been trying to understand why. This is a common quest/struggle people go through, that is if they’re lucky. When I was young, there was not an impetus to label “disabilities”, I simply was different. I looked “normal”, but my mind was always seeing the world in ways that others did not. I have subsequently learned that I have ADD and am dyslexic. It would be very hard to determine how much this shaped me through out my life, but there is little doubt that it did. Without a name for these specific aspects, and the fact that they do not work well with the standard educational system, I struggled. Not in all areas, I seemed to have an aptitude for Math and Science, but struggled outside of that. I am fortunate that I had areas of strengths, but it is human nature to focus on what we are not good at. This is not a failing of humans, but the manifestation of our intrinsic goal to better ourselves. Read more>>

Persephone Bennett

As a neurodivergent, mentally ill woman artist, I, and my work are chronically misinterpreted. I view the pieces I make as a means of releasing parts of myself from secrecy. To me, my art demonstrates a visual language that is so directly tied to what I am mulling over while I make it, but often because it is colorful, people misinterpret it as joyful. Read more>>

Vivienne Varay

About ten years ago during my graduate studies, I sat down with a visiting art critic and explained the symbolism and material choices of my jewelry work. He sat there silently for a minute before stating, with repulsion, “This is very conceptual…for jewelry.” He had no interest in discussing adornment as an art form, and I had no interest in continuing the conversation. This was the first time I directly received this sentiment about jewelry, but it hasn’t been the last. Lately, I’ve been facing a recurring issue—people not fully understanding the range of work, skills, techniques, and ideas that artists are capable of in contemporary art jewelry and the decorative crafts. People often assume my abilities are limited to the work I make as an artist. There are many roles that jewelers take on: from fabrication, design, casting, digital modelling, and scholarly work. Read more>>

Vanessa Valente

I definitely feel that my work, especially on Peaceful Pathway, has at times been misunderstood or simplified. When you’re working to empower women or create projects with impact, some may see only the surface and miss the intentionality, the patience, and the deep-rooted empathy that go into every decision. A lot of what I do stems from my personal journey, experiences, and a commitment to building something meaningful, but others sometimes interpret it as a casual endeavor or overlook the personal sacrifices involved. One memorable instance was when I shared a segment of my reality TV journey, and rather than engaging with the context or the message behind it, people seemed focused on the surface details, creating a caricature that didn’t fully represent who I am or what I stand for. Through this, I learned the value of clear communication, as well as the importance of setting boundaries on what I share publicly versus privately. It’s a reminder to stay grounded in my purpose, even if it means being selective about which audiences truly understand or appreciate the full story behind my work. Read more>>

Noah Mishkin

After leaving the professional world of practicing architecture to pursue an entrepreneurial journey of building a company, I was often asked if I had regretted the time and effort in my studies and practice of architecture only to abandon that career shortly into the experience. My typical response was to recognize that, regardless of outcome, all historical background and experiences are individually and cumulatively responsible for getting me to where I am. The follow-up to that point was in highlighting all of the skills I had developed as a student and practitioner of architecture have been so transferable in my career in such meaningful and less-than-obvious ways. This led to the consideration and eventual decision for launching my podcast, Transferable Skills, where I speak with guests who have completely pivoted their careers while leveraging their past education, skills, and professional experience into a new and seemingly unrelated field. It is a show that will inspire you with how others have braved big and unconventional career changes, applying their transferable skills.

Josh Blaines

My whole life I’ve ALWAYS felt, “misunderstood.” Since a young age, I’ve known that music was my calling, but SO MANY times I’ve had to prove to the world (and myself) just how passionate I was about it.. From being the only student in my graduating class (2011) to write/perform his/her own song as their Senior Project to being the only white rapper actually making noise in my area in South Bossier City, LA.. Misunderstood is an understatement for someone like me.. My life has brought me many battles internally as well as externally that I’ve had to overcome! I paint that on a canvas for you to see.. THE GOOD AND BAD even the ugly.. Read more>>

Jessica Davis

Being recognized for my work and receiving press for it can be a double-edged sword. My own post-and-beam mid-century home has been featured in the New York Times, Better Homes & Gardens, and Atlanta Magazine. I also worked on an Eichler home in Palo Alto that was showcased in Elle Decor. Because of these prominent projects, some people assume that I exclusively focus on mid-century modern design.What’s interesting is that while the core architectural shell and finishes of these homes are indeed mid-century modern, the furnishings, wallpapers, rugs, and decor reflect a bold mix of styles. Many clients come to me because they’re drawn to mid-century aesthetics after seeing these projects, but I believe it’s important to educate them about our passion for blending styles. Sticking too rigidly to a specific theme, like mid-century modern, can lead to a very thematic look—think Brady Bunch. Unfortunately, many people overlook the eclectic elements we’ve incorporated, such as rolled-arm sofas and 80s pendant lights, and assume everything comes from a single era. We love to emphasize that we frequently work in spaces beyond mid-century design and curate collections that span many eras and styles. I’ve also participated in a few show houses featuring more traditional styles to showcase the breadth of our work. Read more>>

HYUNJUN YANG

Back When was BFA in Fine Arts, few of my works on paper was vandalized in campus gallery. There were no security camera and department was not interested in finding whoever did it but I could easily suspect the reason as there were dispute about my work having human genitalia. Few of students think I was draw it as a bad joke. Meanwhile, I was doing my best explaining my intention of destroying the hierarchy in theme of work and rigid Korean society that even won’t allow people to watch pornography. They didn’t even consider listening to me and kept trying to suppress me. That was moment that I learned that it Is not worth trying to convince every people. I simply revenged them by putting collage made of bunch of Japanese adult comic images. (Mostly known as Hentai in internet) Read more>>