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.

Rodney LOVEJONES

As a creative director with multifaceted roles for each artist, my responsibilities often encompass mentorship, agency representation, facilitating collector acquisitions, and fostering sponsorship collaborations with brands that resonate with the artist’s practice. These efforts are intended to support artists and cultivate an environment where they can thrive in their careers. One common misconception is that I dictate an artist’s creative process and output. However, my role is to empower artists to express their unique visions while guiding them in alignment with agreed-upon visual conversations and time management. Unlike a curator, who primarily works with pre-existing artworks, my role as a creative director involves leading the creation of new work across various industries and overseeing the artistic vision. I encourage artists to explore their untapped potential and create fresh work that avoids redundancy. Read more>>

MaKinlie McRae

My creative practice started the second I could hold a pencil. I feel like I was born to be an artist and creative; I’ve known who I am from a very young age and that kind of confidence can very often be misunderstood. I developed a love for writing around age 10 when I discovered that <i>I</i> was the only one who ever listened to me. Except for paper—paper listened. Paper always accepted my perspective and provided a landscape free of judgement where my ideas could come alive. Paper didn’t tell me how inconvenient it was when I expressed the depths of my emotions. After years of gathering resources and building skills, those ideas once etched in notebooks and journals finally became tangible and now flourish through my artistic practice. I will always have some kind of cultural or institutional critique to convey, I just have to find my audience and those who <i>want</i> to listen. Read more>>

Devin Wesley

During my teenage years, coming to terms with my queerness was difficult, leading to bullying and isolation. Things began to shift once I gained success in track and field. I noticed that despite being openly gay, my athletic achievements helped challenge stereotypes around masculinity and shifted how people perceived me. Those experiences led to meaningful conversations and friendships with straight men, who became more open to understanding my perspective. That chapter helped me understand the ability we all have to shift peoples perspectives and make a difference simply by being ourself. Today, I carry that belief into my art, using it as a platform to create conversation on various topics like mental health and masculinity. Read more>>