Parting is such sweet sorrow.
Red Velvet by Jan Dale
Red Velvet by Jan Dale
ship pntg
Off to it's new home.
"SOLD" That has such a nice ring, doesn't it? Anyone who offers their
artwork loves that sound. If you are not an artist, indulge me and
imagine for a moment that you are and read on....
Hearing that a painting sold validates you. Yes, it justifies the long
hours of work and the expense of tools and supplies and maintaining a
website, but more importantly, it tells you that you have something to
offer that someone else likes and wants enough that they are willing to
part with some of their hard-earned cash. The fact that art is an item
of luxury, not necessity, makes it even more exciting. You wonder if
buyers, especially those who are currently strangers to you, understand
the positive impact they've had on you, the artist.
The first thrill after being notified that a painting has sold is
replaced by urgency. Now it needs to be shipped. The next few hours are
spent making sure the work you've so lovingly produced is safe in
transit to its new owner. You concentrate hard on using acid-free
materials and creating several bumper layers so the artwork never
touches the sides of the box, and that it's secure with enough tape
(the good stuff) to choke a small horse, yet not so much that nobody
can open it. That is an artform in itself! You rush your fragile cargo
to the post office just in time to beat that day's deadline. You hand
it over to the clerk with a smile. They are curiously unimpressed that
you just entrusted them with your beloved child. They lay it in a pile
with everyone else's 'children,'..or toss it, depending on how their
day has gone thus far. You smile again. They cannot hurt your baby. You
made sure of that, remember? Ahhh..time to decompress over a cup of
coffee.
You're at Panera Bread indulging in a steaming cup of your favorite
blend. You take out your sketchbook, intending to do a few thumbnail
sketches of ideas that came to you after successfully selling a piece.
A dozen or more mental images circle your brain, clear and brilliant,
as though you'd already painted them. Two or three sketches in and your
mind wanders back to that painting you just shipped. A profound sense
of loss unexpectedly washes over you. That painting represented
pleasure...pleasure in the subject, pleasure in the painting of it,
pleasure in the seeing it every day for however long it had graced your
studio wall. It was a part of your home. It's still a part of
you....and you miss it terribly. You almost wish you hadn't sold
it....almost.
By now you may be thinking, Sheesh, lady! You sold a painting. You
should be jumping up and down with glee! Get over it! Indeed, I've
experienced this inner conflict so many times you'd think I would be
numb to it. I've also seen this scenario played out in children. I can
recall at least a dozen times when one student or another would bring
me a drawing they made for me and then ask for it back so they could
make revisions. Sometimes they even changed their minds and kept the
drawing for themselves. What all of this says is that the thing created
is of immense value to its creator.
One nice thing about the way the art world operates is that artists
sometimes get to see their work again after it has been sold. For
instance, an artist may do a retrospective exhibit that chronicles
their work from earliest to most recent, in which case they would need
to ask collectors' permission to let them borrow sold works. This kind
of show often increases the value of the artwork. The public gets to
see it all over again in the same context with newer works. People get
to see the progression of skill from one decade to the next. So..... If
you're an artist, keep a record of who bought your work. If a
collector, keep track of the artist's career. The piece you bought just
might be the one that defines the artist's style. And unlike 2nd
graders, I'm confident that the artist WILL give it back when the show
is done.
Sunset Path
Sunset Path
Next On The Auction Block
"Sunset Path," by Jan Dale 4"x4" oil on panel. The panel is mounted on
a reverse shadow box. See the auction listing: http://ebay.us/aJwK4c
As a child, I recall taking early evening walks in our farming
community. One evening as I cut through a neighbor's field via the
rutted path left by their tractor, I was treated to a spectacular
sunset. I've enjoyed seeing it in my studio every day. I will be
offering several small pieces like this over the next few months. The
proceeds will be used to help a family I know personally is
experiencing a crisis. So if you bid, please bid generously.
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