Feeling like a TV star…..

1999    #2    Not Going Gracefully

2014   #3   "The little old lady..."

…whose show got cancelled. No, I am not talking about the studio/gallery status, which will be addressed in another post down the road. Right now, I am preparing to bring downtown about 30 of my more “controversial” and “misunderstood” paintings from the now retired (?) Women Series, the one for which I am best known as an artist. The first official painting of the series was done in 1999 when my sons were 6 and 9, and the last (?) was in 2014 (ironically of a grandma in a graduation cap). My boys are are now 23 and 26. 

Somewhere at last count, I think I completed about 150 or so paintings, with a few in storage that may or may not ever get done. My dream for the series was to have it shown in retrospective form, somewhat in chronological order, as the intent of the series was to depict the social, cultural, moral, emotional and physical changes of a woman’s pathway through life. As she ages, as she has kids, interacts with people and circumstances, and so forth. Using visual imagery, color and humor to soften the blow of my statement, some pieces hit the mark and others were just too obscure for the average viewer.

Over the years, I wrote numerous versions of my “artist statement” to try and explain the concept. Some venues got it and hosted a solo show, filling a couple dozen guest books with mostly positive comments. Others could not get past the “comic” nature and felt it was not serious enough for “real” art.  But back to my point…..I wish I could see them all in one big show, the huge party scene of color and expressions that happens when they are all together, even in small groupings.

“I love your work!” Yep, hear that all the time….I do too, that is why I did it. “But not in my house…” Yep, hear that too. My house must be very weird compared to most. “They are so expensive!”  Yep, in this part of the woods that would be true. In major markets, they are cheaper than dirt, which also devalues the product. How to price at market value when the local market does not see, or can support, the value? Catch-22, but somebody already wrote that.

So it is with a bit of sadness that I am letting these more “difficult” children of mine go out on the floor in time for First Friday in hopes that someone will want to adopt one that may be problematic in their living room. And if they can’t find homes, I am happy to bring them back and add to the growing boat load awaiting my Viking funeral.  I wonder if one can get their paintbrushes spade so they stop producing so much?!

I won’t let go of the dream to see them flooding the walls of a venue big enough to house the whole lot, frameless however. Thin little sides with exposed staples cannot compete with the deep sided finished edges I can afford now. Back in the earlier days, the cheaper the better, hence a few warped ones in the lot (like me in many ways). 50 or so have long since been adopted and I have no idea who owns most of them. Sold at shows and I just cashed the checks. Some favorites will never be allowed to leave while the boat is still in dry dock.

Will I ever go back to the series for a second wave? Maybe. There are so many “subjects” waiting to be brought to canvas, but there has to be a purpose when one is my age, to add to something that may not ever go away. I am considering a book. Maybe pick my 100 favorites and add updated commentary to them. A book would not be the same impact as a real life sized in your face presentation but I am not aggressive enough to go after that. I like to plant seeds and hope that something sprouts in somebody else’s garden.

So with all that said, stop by First Friday for a final farewell to Snarky Art …the studio as a destination in the downtown area. My space is FULL of “stuff” from the sidewalk sale including tablets, drawing boards, tempera paint, cigar boxes, glass bottles, sheets of glass, ceramic tile samples, cans of paint for pollocks, frames, props, leftover community art project supplies, the projects themselves, and just lots of junque that needs to go. Cabinets, work table, some shelving…looks like a tornado went through so I apologize in advance for the mess!!!!  And it is a BIG mess, which for an avid merchandizer like me, is a very stressful state of being.

Hoard Couture is not discounted as that is almost done being an official trademark with the US Government! Step one of going to the Cloud is to protect the “brand”.  Most paintings of mine in the signature series and the botanicals are not discounted either but fashion paintings, photography, and misc works are reduced. My last day is Sept 23. So much love and laughter has been shared in that space, so that post is for another day. As always, thanks for playing and see you soon!

PS…I am going to have more time for blogging you lucky readers you!