Plans...

"...FOREST FOR THE TREES"  - 38x50 - mixed media

So here's the plan... more blogging, less Facebooking and an effort to find my comfort zone on Google+. My plans, like my paintings, have a way of taking on a life of their own but they still require some kind of forethought to get them off the ground, so here we go!

Mist rising off the lake this morning, meaning the air is cooler than the water and is a sure sign of change of seasons. Met my Thursday paint group at a remote, scenic lake, and the consensus was... everything's too green! Well, I bet not for long! Alabama football is on TV right now... another sure sign we're entering the best time of the year! Perfect for outdoor chores/projects/excuses to wander around and enjoy. Roll Tide!

So... of course, the art season also kicks in and all those preparations were supposed to be taken care of when it was too hot to go outside, right? I did... I delivered around and was relaxing when a call came to update all work in Atlanta... they just checked my website, viewed the new work I took to NOLA and they LOVE it... want some of that! Well... that's always good news but that means more time in the studio when I'd rather be digging in the dirt! The painting shown here was one they particularly liked... one of a number of tree paintings I explored this summer. I have no complaints!

The Crest...

Up in the right hand corner of this blog are a few words as to the purpose of it all... "My view from the crest of the hill."  And that's pretty much what it's been... a look back over my career as an artist, mostly high points and a few not so high. I've accomplished much more than I ever thought I would and there are few things I feel I missed out on. It's been a good run. In some ways I feel I'm still at the crest, not yet on that slippery slope that is easier and faster to descend than it was to climb. There are times when I feel the inevitable pull of gravity and time... but I shake it off with new ideas and determination and head back to the studio.

Didn't have a problem with this until a couple of years ago when my several of my best galleries began closing and sales slowed in a not surprising way. But one rep in New Orleans had a steady drumbeat of sales (NOLA always marches to it's own beat and the city had recovered and was buying art again!) So 'retirement' eluded me, keeping my position on 'the crest' secure. It takes more than one strong gallery, however, and I've always had several to count on. So, for what it's worth, I'm hoping things will change but you know how that goes. One thing social media (Facebook, etc) has shown me is the vast number of very good artists out there... all wanting the same thing I want... good wall space at a good gallery! We'll see. I may need to just be satisfied with what I have... and that's still much more than many are able to enjoy.

So... I have two fully equipped studios... lots of materials at hand... a constant supply of inspiration... the mind boggles with new series I want to produce. And I have the time to work on it. Maybe the economy is slipping past it's crest but so far, I'm not giving up my spot even if it means fewer sales!

Joining a weekly life drawing studio this week... I'll be sketching, not painting... but many thoughts on how I want to do this...

Dusting Off...

Cobwebs around here... my bad! Can't believe the last post was written back in Feb, so much has happened, not to mention the drastic change of temperature between then and now. But we won't go there.

Had a really terrific April solo show at Carol Robinson Gallery in New Orleans (corner of Napoleon and Magazine, should you be visiting the city.) Really terrific in that she knows how to hang a show and sell it! I've been avoiding solo shows for a few years and that's not only bad for the resume but also for creating "reaching points"... most important to have good goals. Installation pics can be seen on the right hand side of this page.

Spring weather had J and I finishing up the elaborate step project at the lake house... we built the first steps when we lived there in the early 80's and are now replacing them with a much easier, and pleasant, assent up that steep hill. That deserves a post all it's own so I'll get to that later.



My summer project has been to set up an oil painting studio at the lake house. It's the same space I used as my studio 25 years ago. The walk out basement has great lighting and views of the lake... have to keep my back to the windows in order to get any work done! I've worked with oils on and off and a couple of years ago I loaded up on paints and supplies determined to conquer the beast (acrylics really make you lazy, so easy to mix and clean up after.) I also have a gallon of cold wax and hope to make it work for me as a medium... but who knows. This project also deserves it's own blog post (series, even) so will follow up soon.

Summer means lots of visiting and visitors... also much g-kid carpooling to work around. August will be especially busy. Time spent at the lake house without wifi and cable TV reminds me of how much time I spend in the computer chair when at home where I don't get nearly as much done that requires physical activity... which I need more of, not less!

So... I signed on to the new Google+. ARG! Hey! I've got this curiosity that must be satisfied! I'm just looking... and my website soooo needs updating, redesigning, even... but now, off to the studio! The acrylic one...

Happening Again...

SPACE - 26x26

So... there I was, dismayed about a potential project that seemed to have left me behind... and then I find that I'm still in contention. I decide not to say anything here until something definite happens one way or the other... but that's a laugh! It's dragging on and I'm obviously going to be presented via Power Point to the decision makers, those who write the checks... along with who know how many other artists! So I swing from "I don't need this" to "Who am I kidding, I need this" mode, understanding that it's a way bigger job than anything I've previously done, going from fear and trepidation to assured and confident... plotting how I'll do the job and convincing myself I'm in full control and totally capable.

I'm not ready to fully disclose the project but will say that it's International... and I've fully researched the gallery in charge and they are quite viable, as is the person I'm dealing with. This is the real thing as opposed to the scam proposals that come our way from time to time. The only thing I don't know is how many artists this person is proposing for the job... and/or how many reps are in contention... this gallery may not be the only option to provide the large number of paintings for this corporate lobby. They have, however, spent a great deal of time explaining the project to me and mapping out what needs to be done.

In the meantime, I continue to prepare for my April show in New Orleans. It's a marvelous distraction from the email drama going on right now. I'm on a roll in the studio, good stuff happening, just need to be sure it's all finished and ready to wrap before I get the go-ahead for this other deal... should that become real and contractual. And if it doesn't, so be it. Spring is right around the corner and it's my favorite season!

Small World

 Small World 2 - 42 x 45

Small World 1 - 60 x 40

The commission is finished, approved and shipped! I worked through my NOLA gallery and a Maryland decorator for a private client in Washington DC who selected SW-1 from my website. This was the second time this decorator had selected my work for her client to choose from and she really is easy to work with, I just get nervous when I must paint to please. 

I was sent several swatches (at my request) and discovered that the digital images I sent the decorator looked way different on her computer... she kept repeating: no blues or grays! And I repeatedly assured her there were none in the painting. I copied, printed and taped up every clue mentioned in emails and sincerely hope I made everyone happy... could have kept painting forever but realized that I would never satisfy both myself and the 'others' so when they said they were happy, I took it off the boards. 

Commissions make me really nervous... especially for private homes. I still see things I'd change if given half a chance... aarg!

Did I Tell You About...

2010 - TUXEDO - 40 x 30 - mixed media

So there I was, beginning to send out folders and disks and printed whoopee stuff to galleries around the region, trying to get someone's attention. Needed to off-load some of these paintings that were starting to talk back to me since a few of my galleries had closed or cut back. It's not a pretty pass time as most of you know and my lack of enthusiasm for this cold calling process was not helping.  It's very humiliating to not even get a return email most of the time and hurts almost as much to get the note that indicates they thought long and hard about your work but it just wasn't what they were looking for at that time. Sure, I have several good galleries but seems I'm painting more than they can handle, for reasons which we are all too familiar.

So... somewhere along the networking line, my name and website are mentioned by a friend at the right time and place... and voila! wheels begin to turn. A few email discussions later, I load the Prius and we make tracks for Asheville, NC. I take a dozen paintings, they decide on eight keepers... and I'm delighted to be represented in this lovely city once again. Gallery Minerva is right in the middle of town on Biltmore Ave, near the museum and other major galleries.

Here's to a long and profitable relationship! And another toast to networking!

 >>CLINK<<

Coasting...

 2009 - GUYED - mixed media 48x54

So there we were, driving south on the Interstate... and my phone rings. A gallery call announcing that a painting had just sold. I think it surprised him even more than me, considering the way things are going these days.

Back story: A woman in Kentucky had seen this painting (above) either in my (now defunct) Memphis gallery or on their website. The site stayed up for awhile after they closed and she emailed me about the availability of the piece. I gave her a link and assured her the gallery that now had the painting would be happy to help her... as far as I know at this point it could be just another scam or whatever.

So the point here isn't that, whoopee! I made a nice big sale... or even: okay, things could be worse. No one I know is admitting to business as usual... it's tough out there! Any sale is much appreciated, especially when there are materials to buy, art trips you want to take, life to live... one's usual contributions to keeping the economy alive.

I guess the point is how much we take for granted when we are coasting... hardly realizing that we're gradually slowing down. First this gallery closes, then that one... and those still open are strangely quiet. I'm not sure what to do about it. I can see where I've dropped the ball in creative marketing... haven't kept up with collectors, should be doing newsletters, etc... that was supposed to be gallery responsibility, not mine.

When the economy tanked I thought to myself... okay, this is the way my career shuts down. Not my fault. But I had pretty good momentum and the last couple of years didn't really seem to affect my bottom line... until now. Even the surprise sale seems to carry an air of foreboding since it bounced off of a gallery site that had already closed it's doors.

Business Relationships...

Business Relationships...

Experience is something you get after you need it.

Once again, it's about communication...

Something as important as delayed payment for multiple sales by an artist should not have to be explained away by their rep for whatever reason.

No, but it happened. After a proper amount of time, I requested an accounting and got an anxious, apologetic and quick response. Shouldn't have to be that way.

The check was, indeed, put in the mail right away, after I'd brought it up... and it's a handsome five figure beauty complete with details. But the excitement is tainted because it wasn't spontaneous, it had to be beaconed. Why?

I'm delighted with the sales, with the gallery for making the collector connections, with their apologies and reassurances, but it shouldn't be this way. Unfortunately... all too often... it is... and worse.

My 30+ year career has seen many gallery associations come and go for various reasons. You often don't know what kind of relationship you're in until you're up to your kazoo. Some have closed shop and crept out of town leaving your work to the creditors (okay, that only happened once and I was a novice.) Several others operated on little or no margin, always a hairy situation. But I really think and certainly hope that this really was an exceptional situation... we've had several years together and from positive past experience I think it will be okay. I sure hope so... that's a fine check!

Money...
A large part of my art earnings is set aside for college scholarships for my g-kids... all nine of them which includes three step g-kids. Only one is actually in college at this time, but in a few years there will be a bunch that I will be assisting, should they accept my challenge... and I suspect they will. Keeping that fund padded keeps me painting when I begin to wonder why. It's a pretty good motivator for me... and I hope for the kids as well!

The View From Here...

Unfinished oil - 36x36 - 2009

"My View From The Crest Of The Hill"... that's what it says up in the corner... and I guess that's how I've laid out this blog, lots of looking back over the career as well as looking forward. I'll admit that it's often easier to talk about the past than to plan for the future. What I've done says way more about who I am than what I've yet to do. I'll also admit that the temptation to begin the descent lurks from time to time.

Oh, no! Can't do that! Not allowed, doncha know! An artist doesn't retire... never! So okay, okay... I'll just take a break from time to time and focus on other things that are meaningful but have nothing to do with art as a career, passion, fixation. I just figured that since the economy tanked, it might be a good time to exit gracefully and it wouldn't really be my choice or my fault, right?

But it didn't work that way... several commissions kept me producing and the ledger says I documented nearly 50 paintings in '09 and sold the same number as last year... 25, mostly big ones. Doesn't look like the slip-sliding side of the hill, though both numbers are lower than when in my prime. Oops, who sez I'm not still in my prime? It's the economy, stu... well, you know.

So that's the kind of year it's been... plenty of studio time but braking for g-kids, lakehouse chores and wandering and wondering time. I've wandered over to oils again... trying to figure out how cold wax can fit in my (so-called) technique. Enjoyed the encaustic sidestep ten or so years ago and have wondered how this might build on that experience... it's play time at this point... no momentum for oils building as yet. If I was serious about retiring, I'd be focusing on watercolors, which would be like going home. But not just yet...

Strangely, this year I voluntarily left two different galleries (and joined one.) I had my reasons, but I still shake my head at how I can shut the door on perfectly good opportunities... well, in better times they would be but I didn't feel a good fit in either case so... there ya go. Crazy old lady doesn't know when she's got it good! In 2007, I left another gallery, and that one I rather regret... I think I misjudged. So I'm left with the old faithfuls in Atlanta and New Orleans, a new one locally which has yet to prove itself but at least it looks good, and several agents who come through for me on occasion.

Apparently, I'm still perched on the crest, no down-hill slide detected. After all these years, painting is still hard work... sure I love it, but sometimes the mojo is slow to perk... but it does, eventually...

So here's a toast to us all... those with lots still to do and those who've done most of it... may your hill have a terrific view from all perspectives!

Matt Jones Installation...

Finally got down to the gallery and took photos of my wall space. They did a great job considering the paintings come from several different parts of my brain, not series work at all, they hang pretty well together. He said they are getting lots of attention and I appreciate that.

My 'fractured' landscape, 'Divide' is nearby.

I didn't used to favor paintings being grouped by artist in a gallery but this space is pretty much one big room, and really lends itself to this arrangement. I like it! I like seeing all my work together, knowing it's got a good chance of being seen and not lost in a back corner. Not all spaces work this way and you deal with what works best.

My flash wasn't working so these Pylons don't show up in their sunny window setting, but I'm told they are also getting lots of positive feedback. They were created as wall pieces but I really like the idea of free standing, four sided works and since I had my fabricator with me, we discussed a new project for him to begin. I feel something at the bottom is needed to keep them from being tip-prone but I don't want to do anything obvious... will have to think on it...

Catching Up...

Vermillion View - 60 x 48 - 2007

Good grief! Can't believe how bad I am at maintaining some kind of order around here! My intent was to follow the last infrequent blog entry with installation pics of my work in the new gallery... but one thing and another later, I've yet to make a photo shoot trip to see it myself! But signs of a routine reestablishing itself might make it possible. This week for sure!

So... if you don't read me on Facebook, the news is that an instate rep picked up a few paintings to try out at some fancy corporation digs... and at least one (above) might stick. No final word yet. Gotta say, this painting does not photograph well... even the rep remarked about how much better it looked in real time. Lots of nuances... layers, etc.

Am focused in the studio on transforming a couple of horizontal landscapes into big verticals for spots in a Texas hill country golf club setting... a new rep doing a good job! More on that as they come together.

So, artwise, all is well in some corners... but like many, holding my breath in others... some galleries are just flat out... well, flat. I am lucky to have a decent mix.

I'm still convinced that the Bokusho series has a future so I continue to start new efforts in that direction. Though they took off at the beginning, the follow through fell with the market (and with the closing of one gallery that had established and sold them very well.) Try as I may, when I present them first, the gallery or rep will still mix in regular abstracts or abstracted landscapes... so they never get a chance to stand alone, which is how they should be viewed. At least I did have one show of nothing but... wouldn't I love to work toward another!

To amuse myself, I recently tried to do a series of big white paintings (basically bokusho based.) That didn't last long. I've managed to introduce a softer look but white paintings remain a challenge that I accidentally attain from time to time.

And so it goes...

Fine Tuning...

Nordys Gallery, now closed

A year and a few months ago my local gallery closed it's doors after 7-8 years on the scene. They opened just as we moved to this area and had contacted me even before they knew I'd be a 'local'. It was a terrific space, large and lofty, perfect for exhibiting contemporary art. We honed a great relationship, I had several shows and sales were good. Personal reasons more than the economy necessitated the closing... I understood.

I contacted another prominent gallery in town and was invited to join. Sales started popping and things were looking good... and then the bottom fell out of the economy and you know the rest of the story. I've no doubt that on recovery, this gallery will be as strong as ever... but I've chosen to move on... I hope, with no hard feelings.

The first gallery so spoiled me with their contemporary setting... this second gallery had plenty of space but it was very traditional in feel... and I didn't think my work felt at home. There were other considerations but mainly... the arrangement just wasn't a good fit for them or for me.

Matt Jones Gallery

So... I approached another and will soon be represented by the Matt Jones Gallery. The visual arts in our city suffer from lack luster support and there is little cooperation between the galleries to promote themselves as a group. MJG is new in town and probably without the ties that most depend on... but they seem to be innovative and I love what they've done with their old warehouse space which replaced another gallery in this location. They gave it a completely new, contemporary look... the ambiance I feel best suits my work and challenges me to fit even better.

So... there are other options, other regional cities that might be better prospects but I can't imagine not having local representation. And here's to making that work...

. . .

Uh, oh...

.....

The Grids 1 & 2 - 36 x 36@

I'm reminded of a blog post I made a few months back about an inquiry into three of my paintings... seems I was more than a bit leery of the writer's intentions and said so. My readers were divided as to whether I handled it appropriately... most of them having dealt with suspicious inquires at some point. Plus, I had a really bad head cold... I felt snotty and acted it.

So a few weeks ago I receive another email about my work. This time I don't have that underlying feeling of distrust and even if chances are it won't go anywhere I behave myself. Now, fast forward to today... and the above paintings are being shipped to California via the gallery to which I referred the potential buyer. What a vote of confidence this gives me... and a lesson!

Now see, Karen? That wasn't so hard! You don't really know if that other emailer might have been on the up-and-up! It's quite possible that you can't read minds and too quickly assume the negative.... I am humbled!

Road Trip... Colony and Beyond...

----

2008 - Construct 1 and 2 - 48x24 @ - mixed media

Monday morning I'll leave for NOLA with about a dozen paintings to deliver. I had planned to deliver a commission based on the Construct pieces above... but larger. Turns out they aren't in a hurry and we need to work together to be sure all is right with color nuances, etc. A deposit has been made and these people have bought other work of mine so I'm feeling good about the arrangement... and very relieved that I have more time to devote to the painting.

I'll also get a quick g-kid fix and on Tuesday I'll check in at Mississippi Art Colony, a return to a great art retreat after too long an absence. Located in central rural Mississippi, at the well appointed Camp Henry Jacobs (no relation.) Returning home the following Sunday.

The visiting artist for this session is Harry Ally, an artist whose work I've admired since spotting it in an Atlanta gallery years ago. It will be fun to meet and hear from the artist himself... and pick his brain for all it's worth! His wife, Suzanne, is also an artist and will be joining us. I've met her via Facebook and Twitter and I've no doubt she will add a fun element to the mix. She's promised to report with video and comments about the experience so if you're interest, sign up! Her blog link is on her website and you can get to FB and Twitter from there if interested in keeping up. I may be able to upload an occasional photo or blurb to FB but will focus on getting the most out of Colony and chatting it up with a bunch of good artist friends.

The amazing thing... and I'm sure this is true all over... is that really good art is not confined to the big galleries in big art centers... in fact, there are a good dozen or two in this group who could hold their own with any of the big $$$ artists you can name. I see this everywhere I go... and it's one of the disappointing aspects of visiting NYC or Santa Fe... like hey! I know people who paint better than this! It will be good to be with them again and feel that current! I'm going to be so jazzed!

Read more >> Options >>

On Time...

2007 - Indigo Tracks - 40x40

News came this afternoon that I'll be receiving monthly installments well into next year for two large paintings just sold in NOLA. This actually makes three as another sold in the same manner last month. I love this arrangement! I'm sure other galleries sell on time but I've never known one to do it as frequently as this one. They have a few collectors that just keep a running tab, when a painting is paid off, they contract for another. PLUS... the gallery always splits the payments with me, I don't have to wait until it's paid in full. This is a great benefit to new collectors as well... a win-win!

The above painting is just completed, the photo doesn't do the darks justice... will need to wind up a few others and plan a road trip to NOLA before long.

Art Show Nostalgia...

2001 Exhibition - Waxlander Gallery, Santa Fe

Reading Rebecca Cromwell's recent blog entries have me tripping down memory lane once again. She has been visiting her gallery in Santa Fe where they presented an introductory show of her work and promised a full fledged show next October... signs that she is gathering no moss since signing on. That market is like no other... if you've got the product and a good gallery, you are in business!

Interesting to note is that Darnell Gallery is owned by the former director of Waxlander Gallery where I had a three year stint. My show was October, 2001... a great weather month. Sales, all during my association, were constant and the requests for more work came like a drum beat... long story short, I couldn't keep up. I was rushing my work and not liking what was happening to it or to me. I began slowing down with shipments to the gallery and wasn't surprised when a conversation ended with... it's been nice, but...

I'm sad about that... I think it says something about my inability to be as proficient as is expected of a professional artist. The competition is very keen in Santa Fe... so many galleries along one long street, plus many other really good ones all around the city. To keep their name up front there's a lot of expense involved which is shared by the artist... not unusual except that the numbers are much higher in this market than most. The process and expense of building and shipping crates is mind boggling and it didn't help when we moved to another state and gave up my freight guy who would come by the house to pick up when I called. Was never able to find the same fit in our new location which meant considerably more effort on our part.

Meanwhile, I was still trying to keep new inventory in my other galleries and finally had to make a choice... cut out all the SE gallery relationships I worked so hard to establish or quit Santa Fe. Looking to the future, I could see myself within driving distance of all my major galleries... no shipping necessary. I began letting the Santa Fe inventory slide and like I said, wasn't surprised when the call came.

All that said... I miss the drum beat, the excitement, the high rolling ride! Sales from all five of my SE galleries don't equal the one in Santa Fe. But the pace suits me... I can take my time... I can have a life outside the studio. The experience was like no other and am so glad I was part of the scene for at least a while. Good luck Rebecca... enjoy!

Talking Points

"I don't always know what I think until I hear myself say it
...and then I don't always agree." kj

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According to a few comments re the last post suggesting that we 'shut up and paint,' I'm reminded that that's pretty much what we do here in ArtBlogVille... talk about it. Should we all revert to simply posting examples of our work with size and title? I don't think so. Is it the work in progress that should be off limits until a certain point in time? That depends on you and your personal needs and reactions. Some are stifled by saying too much about their works in progress and some are invigorated. I've experienced both.

I have something to say... matters not if anyone listens. This is my journal... my career roadmap which once was marked only by slides, clippings, ledgers and databases. Now, if one of my descendants should ever care to know more about their artist ancestor, it will be there for them. Wouldn't I love to have this kind of record to read about one of my grandmothers! I know traces of them are within me... but faded photos tell little and now that I have questions it's way too late to ask. Is that my primary reason for blogging? Dunno.

Verbal communication doesn't come easy for me... always regretting that I said too much or not enough. Standing mute when I can't get a word in edgewise or am verbally stepped on when I do. Writing it out means I can edit what I have to say (not always correctly) and check 'sent' emails to remember what I did say... exactly! And given the time to do it, I can uncover much more of what I really think by funneling it through a keyboard. Try it on for size, see that it fits or not, delete or save. I know myself better this way.

Recent trip to deliver paintings to a gallery included several from the Bokusho series. Thought a few words to the gallery on the background of the series would be appropriate... the meaning of the word, how it came about, technique involved... talking points if needed to push a sale over the edge. Never mind... who cares? The finished work has to stand on it's own now... few potential buyers will care beyond color, size and personal feelings for the composition... or maybe they'll be attracted to the surface quality. Face it... I'm just not in the type of galleries where anything beyond trends and styles matter. They toss around words like 'your collectors' but that means nothing. Somebody's got a big house or business with walls to fill and a couple of my works fit. My collectors indeed. ((Hey! I love and appreciate them all... every last one!)) But what do I know... there's a barrier that separates artist and 'collector' and seldom do either meet in a meaningful way. At least on my level.

Never-the-less... Thanks to the comments from readers who do follow my wanderings, I was able to focus on a single series for a full year and brought an idea to a polished conclusion. I honestly doubt that I could have done that alone. It's a series that had to be talked about, had to be discussed and even approved. I needed that feedback in order to stay committed. I may never return to that series, I worked every aspect and there are no new thoughts to explore. It's all been said, both visually and spoken.

Next challenge: that elusive signature landscape series...

Wish Lists...

2007 - The Heights 2 - 60x20

A comment from yesterday's post, Daphne asked: "Do you find it helpful to get a wish-list from the galleries? I would think that for me it would be helpful to have further direction as well as occasionally annoying to have to go in directions that I'm not interested in at the moment."

Good question! Guess a good answer is: It depends. No... a better answer is that any communication between gallery and artist is better than no communication. What does it matter that we've created the most unique and creative work of art since Warhol's Coke bottle if there is no market for it. Let's face it, few that follow this blog are on the fast track to that kind of fame and fortune, we're hoping to meet our financial goals, pay bills or just be able to buy more paint. One goal is to get in a gallery... then two or three (the more baskets for our eggs the better, right? Right!) So we're not going to welcome comments as to what the clients are looking for?

Well... that depends. You've heard me say I planned to work on more landscapes... I've been saying the same thing to my reps. They're just reminding me of that. If I get the urge to do more Bokusho's, I'm not going to be happy to hear 'landscapes'... but I understand. I understand the market and know that it's easier to sell a realistic work than an abstract work. My landscapes are sorta abstract... and they're big! And a lot of them are RED! Big, red, abstract landscapes... OO-RAH! (That's what the Marines yell for emphasis, donchaknow.)

Okay... not to get carried away... they aren't all red and some aren't all that abstract. Remember, I came from a high detailed, realistic background... sometimes it wants to resurface. Thereby hangs the challenge. Viva la bravade! What would we do without challenges?

Returning Work

Works In Progress

Two white vans pulled up in my cul de sac yesterday... one from an out of state gallery, one from an out of state artist. They met at my place to exchange work for the artist's upcoming show, and for the gallery to return work to me and to the other artist. Nice that more galleries are taking on some of this trafficking business. I served iced tea and stuff but we stood in the kitchen for our brief chit-chat... then I gave a quick tour of the studio, not that it's such a great studio, but it's good for gallerists to know their artists spaces.

"Landscapes? I didn't know you did landscapes!"

"You want landscapes? I can do landscapes for you."

"And I saw some of your long box construction pieces at another gallery... any chance we can get some of those?"

"Not a problem." (mental note to self for J to start building boxes... a studio side step that hadn't really found an audience.)

Later: "You know the best thing about your studio? There aren't big stacks of paintings sitting around!" That made me smile... I worked a long hard road to get to that point, to have enough galleries to store and occasionally sell the stuff. 'Course she didn't see my storage room with lots of rejects from along that road.

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Well, there are a bunch stacked around now! Fourteen paintings were returned, mostly little guys, some old, some very new. Color, everybody wants color. Bokusho's are notoriously short on color... I now have a body of work to push on down the road... Atlanta, are you ready?

So what have I learned from this exchange? I've had two recent shows that featured mostly black and white (some red, a little ocher) and although both sold respectably, the older work is obviously preferred. I can dig that (volleyball expression recently acquired where a player reaches low and far for control of the ball.) These paintings from the Bokusho series are fine. They just have to find an audience that will appreciate them. In the meantime, I will focus on work that I know already has an audience... I aim to please... I can dig it!

PS... big grin... they kept a bunch of BIG stuff... I've long felt that so many little paintings proliferating most galleries meant I needed to focus on big!

Celebrity Gossip...

Granted, these people are celebrities by virtue of horrendous family occurances... and they deserve happiness where ever they can find it. That said, let me tell you what happened at my opening at NorDys Gallery last Feb. I haven't mentioned it before because, well... just because. But now that People Magazine and Fox News have brought it up, and especially because the mag mentioned my gallery and the incident happened to occur the night of my opening... I gotta tell you who was there! Seems Beth Holloway (mother of Natalee) and John Ramsey (father of JonBenet) are an item and there they were at my opening! Sez so right there in People Magazine, June 18 issue!

I did notice a brightly smiling, very skinny woman with lots of hair being, oh, so social, on the arm of a stately gentleman, but I didn't recognize either... until after they'd left for their next engagement (at the museum, I think) and the gallery director came over to me and said "Do you know who that was???" Who me? Recognize anyone noteworthy? I was just trying my darnedest to remember the name of the last stranger I'd spent 20 minutes with explaining what the heck my paintings were all about. Geeze... you'd think they would have wanted to meet the artist!!!

Just to set the record straight, I don't normally read People Magazine (nor do I watch much of Fox News.) And neither does the gallery director (much too busy for such nonsense,) but the info did come her way and I happened to stop in for a delightful chat (on my way to the museum, of course) and all this came up. Summer in the south is a good time for such visits... lots of good talk about all sorts of plans and possibilities... more fun to listen to than to think about actually carrying out. I'm good at listening...