I was raised by holy rollin, hell fire and damnation, speakin in tongues parents. They were VERY strict. We couldn't go out and play on Sundays, no TV (well - that is after we GOT one we couldn't watch it on Sundays), no dancing, and certainly no listening to popular music.
As I grew up, I began to realize this environment was SO VERY contradictory to, not only MY nature, but to the "norm" in society.

One thing I looked forward to was when the missionaries would come to our church after they had been over seas. They would show all sorts of "artifacts" from their journeys....poison darts, bows and arrows, and different kinds of woven materials. Cool. But the thing I looked forward to the MOST was the films they would show.
The lights in the church would be turned out and I'd sit there all atwitter in budding pubescent anticipation of.......guess what.......TITS!!! YES, TITS. Somewhere, at some point, there would be a panning shot of a village in New Guinea or somewhere remote, and sure enough there'd be topless natives.
It was better than National Geographic, which was the only OTHER place I could find tits.....and hell, sometimes even full frontal nudity!.
It was not the intention of National Geographic OR the missionaries who visited our church, to titillate or provoke erotic thoughts. In fact, quite the opposite.

I am not going to go into an Art History lesson here. But let me just say that it is FULL, maybe even DOMINATED by imagery of the human form. I would venture to say that over the centuries, religion and human form have been two of the major inspirations and subject matter for artists.

SO....here's the deal. I've gotten a LOT....and I mean a LOT...of comments saying, "Your work is porn!"
According to DA and THEIR policies, it is NOT.
According to Webster and the definition found there, it is NOT.
In MY world, it is not.
If it IS in YOUR world...fine....just acknowledge the fact that it is YOUR opinion and NOT the ONE and ONLY TRUTH.

If someone looks at an image I post and feels compelled to masturbate, then perhaps that image is porn to THEM. Read the first paragraph in this journal....see what I mean?
But let me say THIS also. MANY of my images ARE of a sensual and intimate nature. There IS touching. There IS kissing and almost kissing. This image [link] created quite a controversy of porn/art discussion. But let me tell you.....I was there. I SHOT it. I HEARD what they were saying to each other and it WASN'T ,"Oh Baby, you're so hot I wanna F**K you!" It's none of anyone on DA's business what they WERE saying but I WILL tell you it got me rather choked up because these two women care deeply for each other. And for the childish folks here on DA who think every time two women draw close to each other, then they are lesbians, I have to say,"Grow up, idiot". And another thing...read this journal entry by Shy, [link]

There will never be a FINAL answer to the debate of Art versus Porn. And DA, Merriam Webster, and I don't have the TRUTH in our pockets. BUT in THIS case, the case of MY gallery of images, there is nothing, that meets the definition of porn and has to be deleted.

What ASTONISHES me is the number of people who come to MY gallery, CHOOSE to click on an image and look at it, then COMPLAIN about it being porn. That's like seeing a pot of boiling water, CHOOSING to stick your face in it, then COMPLAINING that it burned! And I SERIOUSLY doubt it will ever stop....so I just shake my head in wonder.

What ALSO amazes me is the incredible outpouring of love, support, and admiration that I have received from the MAJORITY of DA.
And for THAT, I am ever so grateful. And it is this positive exchange of ideas and admiration that keeps me here.

Thanks DA, for a terrific place to post MY ART!

Think I'll go have a Heineken and toast DA!