I'd never seen Robo's work until this thread. Why? For the same reason as probably many others who are part of this imaginary clique that there is there to eat up all votes and comments, and leave nothing behind for others. The truth is that his thumbnails simply didn't catch my eye. To each artist, their work is the most important thing and something to be recognized. That's quite understandable and part of human nature. What many fail to realize and I will admit I did for a long time, is that your art is only one of 500 pictures per day. It's like the piano player at the theme park we went to once in awhile. We couldn't quite understand why when we asked him if he remembered us, he looked at us and shook his head. We recognized him. The nerve. He must be in that darn piano playing clique that doesn't see us as people! Hmmph. The truth is that he sees 30,000 people a day. We see just him. He can't possibly be expected to recognize all 30,000. That is kind of like Rosity. There is 500 images a day. One can't possibly recognize all 500 artists. So people tend to stick to those they do recognize and enjoy or have forged some relation with. That is what a community does. I don't know anyone who consciencely goes out of their way to ignore anyone because they aren't part of the group. In fact, if took the time to get to know the people who you shoot such venom at, you'd find that they are just friendly folk who like everyone, likes to look and comment on what they enjoy. There is a good chance that they may not even have seen your work out of the hundreds.

There is an entire audience that Rosity has that never posts comments, but likes to look at the art. Since I've become ill, I've fallen more into that category as of late. Nudity is a favorite among that group, and so it's not unusual for such an image to get 300 views without as many comments.

Rosity brings art back to one of it's key components in my opinion, and that is fun. It's not the hawk swooping down on the artwork to rip it to shreds and should it be? There is enough sites out there that will be glad to do that. It's also a place where art comes more from the heart than probably any place I'd ever seen, not only what is commercially acceptable. I post on pieces I like, but I am a believer that there is more to art than just technical skill and perfection. I don't look for flaws. So my excellents or whatever are based more on what I got from the piece rather than the lack of shadows. What I don't do is expect that people should post a comment on mine because I did on theirs. I would hope it's because my work touched them in some way, not out of obligation. As many that comment, I think it's the same. They do it because they enjoy what they see, not because they are trying to get whatever. I've posted the V a few times, again to acknowledge my excitement about their work, not to convince them to vote for mine. Sometimes I mention I voted, sometimes not. Frankly, I'm a little sick of hearing about how the gallery is a side show or that the ones who post comments are evil creatures that should be stopped at all costs. Maybe it's just that people want to have a bit of fun. Rosity is a place to do that. So what is wrong with that?

Before someone looks at my gallery and says, "You get 50-60 comments, so you are one of them." I didn't always get that many. My first picture got 17 views. In my time here, I'll admit I've met a lot of people, and reached out where I could in different ways to the community. In doing so, people have come across my work and stayed to enjoy the view. I am deeply honored by that more than I can express. I take offense at the comment about the side show, but if I'm in the side show, so be it. I know a lot of great people who were side show people. :) But in the end, it's like moving to a new city, if you don't introduce yourself often, how is the piano man going to recognize you from the crowd.

ShadowWind