This post is by guest author, Mark Edward Adams.  This article has been edited and published with the author's permission. You should submit an article and share your views as a guest author by clicking here. We've promoted this post to feature status because it provides great value to the FineArtViews community.  If you want your blog posts listed in theFineArtViews newsletter with the possibility of being republished to our 16,000+ subscribers, consider blogging with FASO Artist Websites.  This author's views are entirely his own and may not always reflect the views of BoldBrush, Inc.

I have found as an artist most people you meet will either tell you they like your work or say nothing at all.  It is rare when a stranger will tell you anything negative or offer some constructive advice.  However, I have found an entire group of people that doesn't hold anything back.  Children.

I first noticed this at the zoo.  I go through times when I spend a lot of time sculpting at the San Diego Zoo.  The last couple of years, I have been working with the mountain lions at the zoo.  I will bring all my materials on a little dolly I bought at Costco and spend a few hours at the exhibit at the times I know the cougars are active.  If you can imagine the number of people that walk by the exibit, it ranges from dozens to hundreds depending on the day.  I usually get the same five questions by adults, but not from children.  Here are some actual comments I have heard from kids:

"It is the most beautiful thing I have seen, you are really good."

"It is really scary, it looks like a monster.  It is for Halloween?"

"I want it, can I have it?"

"You forgot the tail, cats have tails."

"That is so cool, I wish I could do that."

"I really don't like it, nope, I don't!"

The list goes on and on.  After months of hearing these comments, I realized for the most part the kids are often right.  I realized if the kids are saying it is scary and I am trying to sculpt something very calming, I did it wrong.  If the kids are telling me they want it, then I am on to something.  Over time it has become one of the ways I receive honest feedback.  Often the comments go from really good to really bad over the course of an hour and I have to rethink things.  A lot of the time, I realize it is something I overlooked, like the head is way too big.  Their honesty helps me create better work.

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Editor's Note:  You can view Mark's original post here.