February 12, 2020 was a horrible day. I only remember it, because it was yesterday and that was the day Vincent de Valmont the Furry Red Panda was denied access to the ODD CO. https://www.newgrounds.com/art/view/adventvoice/vincent-de-valmont-furry-liaisons I was really excited at the notion of having found a distributor for a few of my digital pieces..at least someone that liked the process enough to say send me a proposal. That is the half the battle most of the time. The idea was to take Vincent’s design and make stickers out of it and pan around town. They get 30% of the proceeds and I walk home with a few nickles. Only they don’t spend the money on the supply and development. I do, but if the owner does not find the product to be marketable, then she will have no incentive to push a product. I do not feel deterred in any way in my ability to produce art. I am deterred in the demographic I am being asked to market to. I had the notion of playing it safe. I was not going to send: https://www.newgrounds.com/art/view/adventvoice/princess-demi-d or https://www.newgrounds.com/art/view/adventvoice/out-of-the-woods-bad-guy-page-3 considering the risky nature of the project. Not wanting to offend..which is different from my natural person..or beg the question of “Who I am voting for in the next election after Trump’s term is up?” Seeking to only produce art and not make a statement all the time seems too boring for most.

That is what I did when I made Vincent de Valmont. There is nothing imposing about him. He has something on his mind but I was not selling his thoughts to the company, I was selling him, his personage and you know that woman that has been a shit parade on everyone’s works that are not her husbands said, “I really did not get a chance to see it, I have been rather busy, but from what I saw: ( here it comes) I don’t understand the colors, not enough depth, can’t tell his front from his back and the blue background is distracting, You should have left it white.” I thought we were talking about art and then she hits me with a South China Sea Side Wind: “ I thought his tail was his penis, until my husband told me differently, if it was his penis, it would have been huge.”

The only thing that came to mind that could save my sanity was to nod my head and merely say thank you for your time. Like WTF, I do one wholesome ass piece of illustrating, safe for two fucking jobs, and still I am accused of lewding. Not that I am offended by any of this mind you. After having time to think about it and considering I work for myself anyway, it was upon her request that I even considered lowering myself to selling stickers and little knit-knacks to retired grandmas, in my golf paradise lagoon, that nothing was really done to harm me. She was nice about it, and did not want to sound rude, though all that talk about penises was rather uncalled for. Instead she risked sounding insulated, which is worse than rude. There is little I can do to improve the thing besides displaying my childish contempt. commercialized brains choke me up. There is no way I'm changing it. she just has to sell the sticker for who ever wants a tony the tiger look alike. Sigh. (( It might sound fair to suggest I am being unreasonable about this. That I should do as she asks because she owns the shop. No, not buying the filling.)) You are right though, I should not curse her out for talking about Vincent’s penis even after I listened to my better judgment and did not show it. I am not arguing much with the outcome. She is not spending money shes giving me a platform and I agree that the customer has the right to throw shit until they are happy. Its just she does not like it at all for impossible reasons. I mean I cut the blue; no background; good, but how can u ask for a light source understanding and shading from something the size of my palm?

she should have said fuck you I don’t like pandas. We would have stayed friends then.

Now she won’t get my business and I won’t feel a bit of worry behind someone that can’t look at something simple and pull something interesting to say about it.

I am the artist. I make images. It is the job of the proprietor to fit catchier slogans and advertisement around the design. Had I done that as well, had I put in some catch phrase in the word bubble that made her laugh her penis envy-heart out, I might have gotten past the preliminaries. I did not curse her out and I spoke to some friends about it and I guess I feel better.

Just know I am going to make the stickers and merchandise for you all to buy, it just won’t be in a real shop, and you will have to buy them direct from me. YAY!!!