HAVE YOU SEEN ME?

On a rainy afternoon 12 years ago, in the driveway of an outdoor storage unit, I sold the above piece, "Nothing Was Going To Stop Them" and that’s where the story ends. No installation pictures. No further conversation about it, or any conversation about new work, or where I am in my life and career. Just loaded a 65x65 painting, awkwardly into a car and sent on its way, as if it never existed.

Where’d Who Go?
I get that in a retail model, no one knows what becomes of their products once they leave. However, for me, it is unusual to never hear from a buyer again. Like ever. Most buyers stay in touch. We formed very personal bonds. Even the cheap ones, I am close with. And yeah …I have a couple cheap buyers who want deals and wonder if I die, will my work be more valuable. They say these things to me. But at least they are there. A few though, have just disappeared. Some have huge pieces and a few were early collectors, owning multiple pieces. Jim, Alexandra, Jordana, Meghan …I am looking at you.

Take A Picture.
You have seen other posts about large format and the value of permanence in archiving your work. I even did a walkthrough video, using my Sinar P1 in the studio late last year, documenting a Broken Bank Note painting. I am lucky with this one. Some of the people above, have pieces that have no real photographs or high resolution documentation. Maybe a shot in a gallery or some work pics, but nothing substantial. Nothing of any real archival permanence. Scrapbook moments at best. This piece however, was captured on 4x5 days before unloading out of the gallery. The chrome has been sitting in a small archival box for the better part of 12 years, coming out once for an IG post a few years ago and then again, last week to view on my light panel.

Where Is This Going?
You want to know a secret? The buyers that stay in touch with me… the ones that still collect. They have spent THOUSANDS of dollars for one of my paintings. The others …nowhere close. That is not their fault. They were in the right place, when it was the wrong time for me, and found a way to get a deal on some art that I needed to be rid of. Is it my best work? No. Were they oil paint? No. Are they some of the biggest pieces I have done? Yes. Which ...seriously, how do you buy a 12 foot painting and then never contact the artist again? Where do you put that? Did it just get tossed out? The questions I have are endless. I need a child protective services program for my past work. I think they have possibly gone to bad homes.

Wrap Up.
This post is meant to have you think about a few things. First, always document your work for archival and future use. The fact that paintings like, Serenity On An Open Plane, In Green, Departures, or Universe barely exist in photographs is terrible. What is in those paintings is the foundation of my current efforts. Secondly, one needs to think about how you build clients and collectors. I suspect that because the financial outlay was small compared to the value, real or perceived, of the painting, the above buyers didn’t have a compelling financial commitment to my success. They are not invested in me. This was merely decoration to solve a decoration problem and not a journey in art. 16 years ago I met with a gallerist at Firestone. His name was David. He since went on to manage public art institutions. He had great advice: “Don’t undervalue your work, as it makes it throw away art.” Way easy to say. Really hard to practice. Looking back at my career, I think I get his point. Albeit a little late. It 'aint supposed to be The Price Is Right. That's on me.

So, I believe the owner of the above pictured painting, is named Aimee. If by some chance, you or any of the other named parties in this post Google my name and stumble across this … say hello. Send a picture. Let me know how the work has made you feel. Tell me where it went if you don’t have it anymore. I do hope the work makes you feel something. At least anything but ambivalence. If that's the case ...I failed as an artist, regardless of price of entry.