Just the other day I was carrying on about the unknown whereabouts of a career's worth of paintings... and LO! Donchaknow I receive an email from someone who bought two serigraphs and a watercolor back in the early eighties? Her note:
Hi Karen,
I purchased some early works of yours while living in Montgomery, AL (1980-83). I have two prints called "Big Red I" and "Big Red II" and I have a beautiful watercolor - looks like it might have been in your 'grasses' series; however, there is nothing on the mat about the name of the piece and nothing on your website that looks just like it. It is possible that if I look under the mat I will find that information. Just wanted to tell you that I was an early fan - then lost track of you. I was interested in seeing your recent works - quite a bit different from what you did in the 80's, huh? Of course that was over 20 years ago! Yikes, how time flies!! Is there still a market for your early work?
Well, Dang! What a nice and timely note! A couple of emails exchanged and she sends me the above image. Sadly, I was not the record keeper I am today and though I probably have an inventory card on the painting, I can't find one with this image. I remember the work... the stalks with fluffy grass seeds presented a fun challenge at the time... wet the area, let the color bleed into it for the fuzzy effect. The grass series is extensive but this one is more of a vignette compared to the many involved paintings of grass, pampas, bamboo, and other elongated leaf forms I eventually did. She asks if there is a market for my early work... I have no idea. I suspect not. That's something most artists seldom get to find out about. I really must do something about digitalizing those older photos. The prints she mentions are a pair of red geranium serigraphs... probably on slides somewhere, add that to the to-do list.
I'm packed up again, there are at least a dozen paintings in the van, ready to haul to Memphis. Thought I'd take everything and let them choose what works best. The gallery there has had a very good spring after several dry months. We'll drive a couple of extra hours to overnight in Little Rock with oldest son and family in their new digs. We see them all in a couple of weeks when the whole family convenes here for our annual gathering. Looks like we'll be 100% this year! Once that's done, I should have some good play time in the studio... really enjoying the possibilities that keep showing up (just when I have no time to give them.) Must pay close attention and not lose the beat!
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