They deleted the convo - Original Collage (Open Edition)

I enjoy creating artwork that people can connect with on more than just a surface level. I think apps like @sniffiesapp and @grindr have become easy ways for us to connect with others in the gay community, and in a way, they can also serve as safe spaces for us to express ourselves. But something I think often goes unnoticed is the amount of rejection we experience on a daily basis.

I wonder if even the buffest, fittest, most masculine men experience it, too. We all have our preferences, and we all get rejected for one reason or another. I think it’s something we learn to compartmentalize, but there’s something so unnatural about putting yourself out there, making yourself vulnerable, and facing rejection over and over again.

I say all this because I created this piece as a reminder that no matter how great you think you are, or how much you might be someone’s cup of tea, that doesn’t mean you’ll be everyone’s. And that’s okay.

I wanted to immortalize that feeling of rejection, not to dwell on it, but because I believe there’s something empowering about acknowledging it. In a way, it’s helped me build my own self-confidence. It’s taught me that my value isn’t determined by who wants me, who chooses me, or who passes me up. My value has never been in anyone else’s hands but my own.

This piece is a reminder of that, and of the strength that comes from knowing your worth, even when someone else doesn’t see it.

Details & Materials

• Medium: Mixed-media collage, heavy texture, and paint on clay