The Oh-so Controversial Fairy

It's always amazing to me what people find "confrontational" -  possibly because I've always been taught that the truth sets you free, I look for and absorb every thing, idea and emotion that leads to personal liberation. If I find an idea distasteful, I have to ask myself what it is that I'm trying to avoid - its reality, or its illusion?

The painting here "Sprite" was in a local cafe in a solo exhibition of mine, where it was acknowledged that it had to be deemed appropriate for the location and the patronage.
Inside of a week, there were four complaints over this artwork, forcing the cafe owners to take it down. The local mothers had felt that it was far too adult for them to expose to their children.
When I posted this news on the internet, the general reaction was that the children weren't the ones troubled by the art, the mothers were - in a time when clothing catalogues, advertising on television and even on bus stops has changed the public definition of 'risqué', this particular painting wasn't displaying anything out of the ordinary - no shading to suggest a nipple or even a defined groin...... and yet.....
Putting it up for public opinion, the greatest response that I received was that it was her expression - she was 'confrontational' sensually, sexually, she has the scent of challenge about her, that would definitely inspire intimidation and competition in any, shall we say, less secure female. (Let me clarify - most of the responses that I got were from women. The men said that the women who complained probably weren't 'getting any'....)

As a subject, she carries, in my opinion, all the energy of the alpha female, the attributes of the goddess, and the definition of 'fantastic' = she's not supposed to be real, she's supposed to be a metaphor. The majority of my art work embraces the sublime, the divine and the quantum through fantastic imagery for the purposes of  exploring that which is unique to humanity - everything from our primal to our most supernatural compulsions and ideals. While I personally don't believe this to be anything typically confrontational or intimidating - indeed, it is my perspective that one can be uplifted through disillusionment while embracing the wonder and awe of existence - it becomes difficult to perceive when this is going to be an issue for the audience.

Not that it will stop me of course.... I have a little evil streak that giggles when I push a boundary....