About thirty years ago, my father described my art as “mumbo jumbo”. I just looked it up.

“meaningless incantation or ritual.”

“senseless or pretentious language, usually designed to obscure an issue, confuse a listener, or the like.”

I know my dad didn’t say that to hurt me. He went on to say that he didn’t understand it.

My art has changed a lot in thirty years, but I’m not sure that the intention behind it has changed. I also think my dad has changed. He’s painted his share of mumbo jumbo now, too.

Of course I know it’s not mumbo jumbo.

He and my mom have heard me talk and seen me cry over my art, and art I have collected. He knows it is not meaningless, even if it is not his taste or he doesn’t readily understand it.

It is so easy to criticize things we don’t understand. Your view is not the only view. You can’t complete an education.