June 07, 2007

Beginning Again


2005 - Indigo Field - 54x40

Just received a check for a very special painting. My NOLA gallery has been working with a 'gentleman' who lost his entire art collection in the Katrina tragedy. He's finally ready to add art to his life again and has chosen the above painting as his first purchase. I don't know if he owned any of my work previously, but I'm delighted to know that he does now.

I suspect, should any of my canvases be submerged in water, mud and/or yuck for any period of time... well, say a few days, anyway... that they could be cleaned and restretched and be almost good as new. Of course, many homes were left for months before attempts to reclaim possessions were possible. The wood would warp, the canvas would have to be disinfected, might be weakened but could be backed, but the thickness of my paint (often with spackle stirred into the gesso) would probably be in tact unless punctured or scraped badly.

Indigo Field has long been a personal favorite, but hadn't really looked at it in awhile. I like the way the landscape ties closely with my usual abstract format... that's what I want to do more of... or perhaps I should say, that's what I want to retain in my new work.

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Well, about all that w/c painting I was going to do at the lake... does latex on walls count? I'll call it my minimalist mural effort ;-) Seems like a lot of people are not happy with their choice of khaki colored mixed paint as I have several returned cans of varying shades. One was a perfect match for a bed skirt in a formerly blue room... which I swear had not been painted since my earlier effort 25 years ago! The silver-blue carpet cleaned up like new, we must have put some good stuff down there, I rather expected to be able to pull up tuffs of fiber but carpet throughout the whole basement seems to be in really good condition. Should have been able to finish that room in a day but didn't. Painting the built in shelves and floor trim will have to wait until next time.

7 comments:

Lisa Call said...

Congrats on the sale. This piece is indeed wonderful with the hint of landscape in your amazing abstract work.

Anonymous said...

Karen,

The man obviously has good taste to pick this painting. Your "landscape feel" abstracts are amazing.

We had a flood one weekend while away, and I was amazed that all my acrylic paintings, on canvas and paper, survived! I lost drawings, but it was such a relief that the paintings survived.

Lynne
Author of The Bipolar Dementia Art Chronicles

Rebecca Crowell said...

You never know how a painting will touch someone or end up with an interesting story behind it--this is a moving one--and a beautiful painting.

Karen Jacobs said...

Thanks to all... I would love to know other stories behind paintings that found homes, but not likely. Which makes it special when I do get a hint of a a painting's whereabouts.

Martha Marshall said...

That is such a great story, Karen! And the painting really nails that abstract landscape feel. Rich, rich color too!

CMC said...

How wonderful that he chose your work to re-start his new collection......and a great painting to do it with.

ArtSocket said...

Fantastic picture! A great compliment to have an experienced collector starting a new collection with your work. Thanks for sharing the story. Congrats.