Tuesday, June 24, 2008

More than a pretty picture

"Beyond Black & White V" ACEO
Copyright Rita Woodburne


So my back is getting better by the day and I’m not going to say anymore lest I jinx my recovery (because I really am that superstitious) and thanks again to everyone for their well wishes!

Well, injuries aside, the past little while has been very productive for me in terms of art and some good news to come my way is that “Mystic” sold at the Expressions show and I was mentioned in several articles both in print and online publications regarding the show. (Insert me tooting my own horn here.) I have to admit that while I was happy it sold I was also a little disappointed.

Let me explain.


"Mystic" was a piece that I had completed fairly recently and, quite frankly, I was rather pleased with how it had turned out. I've always relished in the knowledge that I'll be able to spend some time with my work since art, being what it is, doesn't exactly have a rapid rate of turn-over. I get to appreciate it, study it, think about what I may have done differently and, ultimately, get better from spending time with any given piece of art I've done (while also working on other pieces, of course). In this case it was quite different as I had barely framed the darn thing before it was out the door, hung in the gallery and someone had bought it.

I guess that's what I get for wanting to be an artist that shows and sells their work, right?

"Beyond Black & White III" ACEO
Copyright Rita Woodburne

Now I hate to get all sentimental about it but let's face it, I think whether you're in the business of selling your art or not, that it's very possible to become emotionally attached to a piece. I'm happy that "Mystic" meant enough to someone else that they were happy to buy it and hang it on their wall for the world to see but at the same time I can't help but feel that I needed to spend some more time with that piece. What would I have learned from it? I'm not really sure... I'm just glad I got as many pictures of it as I could!

So is it just me or does anyone else feel the same?

7 comments:

Regina said...

Congratulations on the sale of your art. I totally relate to what you shared. (I just did an IF post for Hoard where I shared my sentiment on the topic.)
My husband has declared some of my works that are off limits for being sold... he's worse than me!

Jennifer Rose said...

congrats on the sale :D

I have a few pieces of art that I would only sell if I really had to and the buyer was going to pay the price for them. I either learned so much from a piece or I do have a sentimental attachment to the piece that it gets too hard to part with. I am lucky though that most of the pieces that I feel that way about are head shots of birds (and I don't know that many people that will pay $250 for a giant blue bird :P)

Ann said...

Congrats on the sale!
I know what you are saying. Sometimes these pieces are like our children and it's hard to see them go. I have a few paintings and drawings that I would never sell or give away.

Rita said...

Thanks for the congrats everyone!

I'm glad others feel the same about their work. What's that saying, "Parting is such sweet sorrow"?
I've kept my most sentimental pieces though... and they'll never leave me! :D

Anonymous said...

I feel the same way... even if you don't really like a piece, having time to stare at it over time and evaluate it is very useful. Once it's out of your hands, it's easier to forget the lessons you learned.

But... it's a sale. Congrats! :D

Lisa B. said...

Selling a piece of art is like selling a small piece of yourself. Slightly painful, but in the end, your jeans fit better. ;)

Congrats on the sale. :D

Rita said...

Meg & Lisa- Thanks for the congrats! I do enjoy spending time with my work once it's completed and, Meg, you're so right in that after the piece is gone it's 'outta sight, outta mind'.

Lisa, that was one of the funniest analogies I've read in a long time, thanks! :D