This is a clip from An American in Paris... yes, I'm in the right thread... because this is a painter telling off an amateur critic and then getting the shock of a lifetime when another passerby buys two of his paintings. I've always liked it, though they never remotely suggested the guy was some undiscovered artistic genius. I kind of like it better for that. He paints, he paints pretty good, he's had his fill of critics and pretenders, and has gotten so that he doesn't even know what price to set on his own work. I understand. I once drew a portrait for a class and the model asked to buy it and danged if I had the least idea what it was worth. I mean, it was for an art class. I still have no idea whether I over or under charged her. I put it at $30... it was about 15 years ago.
These days I find I'm happier if I don't think about selling at all. I'm doing the homemaker thing and I've only ever sold 2 pieces, so it's officially a hobby even though I still regard it as my profession. This is partially in defiance of my husband's stepmother's little old mom, who asks me every time she sees me if I'm still painting. The "still" rankles something awful. But I want to paint, I enjoy painting, I feel like I'm where I should be when I have a canvas and paintbrush before me. She thinks of me as another like her. She's one of those who took up painting in her retirement years. Well, good for her... and yet her repeated query bears the unspoken suggestion that someday I will stop painting, having found more important things to do. Or maybe I'm just afraid of that happening. Nah, she really does sound like she expects me to say, "No, what with the kids and all, who has time?" While this is true, it's not that simple, and that she doesn't get.
Besides, the plan is to carry on until I do get a bit more time (the toddler starts school next year) and whenever that happens, I work more and look into local means to sell. Trouble is... I put so much of my own mind into each piece, that I'll have to paint a lot more to be able to feel willing to part with one. I assume that will make it easier, anyway... Each piece takes so much time and means something. It couldn't mean as much to a buyer. To them, it's pretty, interesting, goes with the couch...
New plan. Maybe I can make a career of my writing.
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"Pack up my head, I'm goin' to Paris!" - P.W.
The world loves diversity... as long as it's pretty, makes them look smart and doesn't put them out in any way.
There's the road, and the road less traveled, and then there's MY road.
27 Mar 2010, 2:38 am
