Saturday, June 2, 2018

Happy Birthday To Me

WOULD YOU LIKE ONE (OR TEN) OF MY WOODCUTS FOR A PENNY?

Today is my 40th birthday, and it seems that instead of having a mid-life crisis, I'm driving toward a mid-career crisis. Yes, I'm coming to terms with the inescapable reality that I've landed in that dreaded phase (at least I hope it's just a phase) of being a mid-career artist. As neither a sexy "emerging" artist with oodles of potential nor a truly "established" artist pursued by dealers, agents, and collectors (other than family and friends), I'm stuck working my butt off in the studio whenever I can in between my actual income-driven work and personal life. I'm proud of my accomplishments, confident in my current work and the direction of its future. But the old stuff that hasn't sold has piled up in my house like some kind of benign tumor. Yeah, it's not malignant, but it sure isn't helpful, takes up space, and ain't pretty.

Maybe some of you reading this want to say something about how my old work is good or great or important or whatever. And perhaps much of it is. But to me it is dead. Been there, did that, moving on.

Don't worry, I'm not going to burn all my old art in a bonfire like I've recently mentioned and fantasied about. I'm too old and not illustrious enough for something that melodramatic. But something must be done.

AND SO *trumpet sounds* for all of JUNE, I'm offering any of my woodcuts featured on the Facebook Album "Take My Old Art, Please!"  PAY-WHAT-YOU-WISH + $5 shipping*.

And when I say pay-what-you-wish, what I mean is offer $100 or $1 or ONE PENNY. You will not hurt my feelings. I promise I won't talk smack about you later. So long as you are moved by it in some way and desire to possess it.

Or maybe you want to give it as a gift to someone you think would love it. Maybe you have 10 friends who would like 10 of my prints as gifts. Pay me $50 to ship 'em all plus ONE PENNY and they are yours. Get some of your holiday shopping done. I seriously don't mind if you are essentially asking me to give you art, because I'm not trying to make money. I'm just trying to find a home for this stuff before putting it away for good. This is not a cynical act. I WANT people who like my woodcuts to have them, regardless of whether you have it your budget to buy art or not.

After the month of June, the album will be deleted and all of the remaining featured artwork that didn't sell will be packed away in a portfolio deep in my basement for my kids to deal with after I'm dead.

*If the piece/s you want is/are larger and matted OR if you live outside the USA, shipping will be higher than $5. Contact me and we can work it out.


No comments:

Post a Comment