Who Wants to Buy…?

We’re all wondering. Artists, car manufacturers, clothing retailers. What’s the value we place on art and does it become one of the first non-essentials to be eliminated?

This was the weekend of the Good Hope School Fine Arts Exhibit- a juried, Caribbean Art Show of about 50 artists. Eagerly awaited by locals and snowbirds, it’s one of the biggest events of the season here.

Patron traffic and interested traffic seemed considerably less than last years show. The usual feeding frenzy of private showings before the doors open,  was not a frenzy. More like a dietary fast. Red dots used to fly at this show in past years. Not this year.

I sold three paintings within 45 minutes.

OK, I didn’t faint. But damn near close.

Buying art should be as thoughtful a process as making it. Adios, frenzies. Isn’t it so much better to moderate our impulses and refine our choices, to be mindful in selecting what we bring into our lives and our homes.

I had inner tugs of conflict about prices in this new under-stimulated, yet to be bailed out time we’re living in. Lowered some prices at the last minute.

It didn’t seem to matter. If it moved or touched someone, it found a home.

These were the three-

“The Gatekeeper” 9X12 framed o/p

“August Sun ” 9X12 framed o/p

” The Elixir ” 11X14 acrylic

Valentines’ Weekend too. I felt the love.

Maybe I’ll be asked to make an appearance on Winfreys’ show.

Okra Winfrey-

Taken at our annual Ag Fair, also this weekend.

A glorious three day event- high spirits, great food, local everything, animals, bands, music, more food, plants, vegetables, sunburned feet, and more kissing than a frat party.

Food is eternal and a necessity. Art? You betcha.

The “Casablanca” Mirror

You all know the scene: Hearts about to break, tears barely contained in the lower eyelids.

One of the best ending lines of a film- watch a brief 31 seconds.

I volunteered to contribute a  frame for a mirror as an auction fundraiser for The Womens’ Coalition of St. Croix.  It’s big- 4 feet by 3 feet and about 4 to 5 inches in width.

The two kids in the mirror are familiar to you, no? Minus the broken hearts and absence of tears. We kid ourselves about the kid part. There were other mirror shapes, some chests, a few doors, some headboards- about 35 in all.

A close-up which does a better job of conveying the method.

Three coats of tomato red orange paint, sanding in between, X-acto cuts of thick black construction paper glued on with Mod Podge ( see, the kid part was a lie, no one under 40 ever heard of it, I’m betting ). Three more coats of varnish.

The trial by fire was the getting the  lettering with 3/8 ” mirror tiles, measuring to fit the Jetsons style wavy edges.

This is what happens when I think of the concept and then have to adapt my ideas to the prowess of my abilities. But the idea was too good to pass up. What does a mirror do when you look in it? It looks back at you.

This is the same organization I did  Chairman Meow for, last year. They provide unending services and support for abused women and children, and after school havens for kids at risk. Theirs’ is a business of heartbreak and tears. This is their biggest annual fund raiser, and to my surprise, the Chairman brought in $2200.00 !!!!

I don’t know what the final bid on the mirror was- I couldn’t stay awake for the long nights’ event ( see, if I really WAS a kid, I could have ) but I donated the full 100% of the bid price. I think the days of giddy bidders may be over.  I’ll find out next week.