“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters, compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
I sit in my studio-office looking out at the almost denuded trees. The sun is shining …not the bright golden light of summer, but the subtle light of late October. We turn back the clocks in a little over a week. November has always been, to me, the “brown” month. Trees are bare and darkness arrives before dinner. I have to boost my vitamin D to 5,000 mg. a day! This fall and winter, however, I anticipate a quiet time of artistic and emotional joy…my creative spirit rides high.
The past year has brought professional recognition to my work as a painter of intuitive, emotional abstracts. In September, I had a one-person exhibition of my latest work …twelve paintings of the last two years and three of earlier origin when I was attempting to figure out what “abstract” meant to me. The highlight of September was an artist’s reception at which I presided over a talk-back session. Any questions, asked by interested art lovers, give me a genuine opportunity to examine my own thoughts and feelings about the work I do. I find it exciting and challenging and at the same time, give me much to ponder.
“There are moments in our lives, there are moments in a day, when we seem to see beyond the usual. Such are the moments of our greatest happiness. Such are the moments of our greatest wisdom. If one could but recall his vision by some sort of sign. It was in this hope that the arts were invented. Signposts on the way to what may be. Signposts toward greater knowledge.” – Robert Henri
In August, I entered one of my paintings, “Red, Yellow, Black” (which previously had been on exhibit in The Hardy Gallery‘s “49th Annual Juried Show” 2011) into a show featuring original works by senior artists from throughout the Chicago area. On September 16 I receive a letter telling me I was accepted into the exhibition, “Later imPRESSions 2012.” The show is now hanging in the Renaissance Court Gallery at the Chicago Cultural Center in Chicago through November. There are well over 100 entries and 45 original pieces of art chosen. I am honored to be a part of this group.
Two days before the Artists’ Reception is scheduled, I receive an e-mail from the coordinator of the show telling me a couple from Toronto, Canada are interested in purchasing my painting. She tells me they just happened upon the show when they entered the cultural center to get out of the rain. She gives me their contact information and says they will be leaving for home the next day, but I can reach them by phone or e-mail. The prospect of this being a serious offer seems slim to me; however, I e-mail them that evening and say I understand she and her husband are interested in my painting, “Red, Yellow, Black.” I ask her to confirm via text or e-mail and she does so within a half-hour. We work out the logistics of her payment and shipping costs. She acknowledges she is aware the painting has to continue to hang in the exhibition until November 27th, at which time, it will be shipped to her. I invite her to visit my website and online gallery to get to know more about me. She says she will look forward to it.
Two days later, I receive this message and it is with her permission that I include her response:
Love reading this. Thanks for forwarding it. What a lovely letter from your “patron.” Interestingly, I saw many of the same things in this painting that she did. It’s so wonderful that we have so many kindred spirits out there that we may never meet, eh?
But what do you mean that your editor is in jail? Really?
Hi, Jami,
Yes, unfortunately it is true. I do rely on his editorial expertise as a finishing
touch to most of my posts. This time, I had to post on my own…i felt insecure.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this special story.
myrna