The Artist

Here's the beginning of a story that I just finished up, I've had a few people read it and it's gotten some interesting reactions.

The Artist:

The interview had begun. The artist sat in his chair, ready to answer the reporter's questions.

How do your clients usually respond to the finished product of your work?
I've found that the majority of my subjects are more than satisfied with the results of our collaboration.

You say "collaboration". How much do your clients actually contribute, besides their function as models?
Oh, quite a bit, actually. They decide the location as well as the nature of their situation, not to mention the makeup and in some instances, the prosthetic application, which can take hours of sitting still. They do all the work-I'm just there to put it to paint.

People have called your work "grotesque", "ghoulish", "morbid", and even "inhuman". How do you respond to the criticism of your artwork?
If there were no demand for it, there would be no product. The only reason that it exists is that there is a demand for it. If there are people who find it offensive, then they are more than welcome to never look at it. The fact is that there are people who find that they have something to gain from it, and who am I to deny them that joy?

Most people would hardly describe the products of your efforts as "joyful".
That's probably why most people don't employ my services then (slight chuckle). But again, there are enough people to provide me with an extremely decent living. As of right now there is an eight-month waiting list keeping my assistants and I very busy.

The portraits take quite some time. Are there any clients who request that a portrait be photographed for expedience's sake?
I make it very plain that my work is only done in one medium.