". . . a brush with nature"

As artists we all know how really special it is when your art “speaks” to someone, touching them enough that they want to take that thing that you have spent hours creating home with them to look at and enjoy on a daily basis. It means that what we were trying to express and share with others did indeed reach at least one person on a very personal level. It means something to them, just as it meant something to you as you poured yourself into the creation of the piece. 

I was asked to paint this particular painting of these two actual, and very famous, quarter horses. They are father and son, and both are in the Quarter Horse Hall of Fame. But even though I was asked to paint them it was not a commission piece that I was doing. I did end up painting these beautiful horses because I love to paint horses and I wanted to do this painting. I was very happy with the way the original painting turned out, so I even made a very limited number of signed giclee prints available of it. (I very seldom have prints made of my paintings.) 

The original sold as have several of the prints. As you might expect, many of the purchasers have been “horse people” or, at least horse lovers. I have been thrilled, honored and humbled each time someone has bought this piece . . . whether it was the original or a print. Many people love to hear the story of this famous father and son duo and tell me that they can actually “feel” their connection when looking at my painting. That’s huge . . . and a great compliment to me as an artist. Others have complimented me on my actual rendering of the horses themselves. You know, the details of the work. Of course, that makes me feel wonderful, too, and that I was successful with my depiction of the pair. Either (or both) have been great compliments to my art.

One couple who purchased this particular piece (in this case it is one of the signed and numbered giclee prints on canvas) decided to share with me how they had it framed and then displayed it in their home. I think it looks just wonderful there and I am so excited to see it.

It really is special, and the final step in the journey, to see your art as it is lovingly, and very personally, displayed in your collector’s home. It makes it all complete. 

I read the following somewhere recently and it is pretty important to keep in mind if you are a professional artist that enters juried shows regularly and/or submits your work to galleries for consideration.

“Trying to figure out whether your work is going to get into a gallery, be juried into a show, win an award or even sell is out of your control. Forget about it. It’s out of your control. Just keep working.”

I regularly do submit to shows hoping to be juried in. I am fortunate enough to currently have art in some really wonderful galleries. I absolutely do love it when something I have created touches someone enough that they choose to take it home with them to enjoy on a daily basis. All of this is part of my life as a professional artist and I love it all. But I would be lying if I didn’t admit that I often try to figure out why a particular piece wasn’t accepted into a show; why a certain gallery didn’t ask me to join them “at this time” or why a painting I think of as a success hasn’t found a “forever home” yet. I do need to remember that it is really out of my control. I really do need to just keep working.

The truth is, I always do keep working. I have to. I am passionate about my art. Sometimes it’s easier said than done not to try to figure out things through. But, you just cannot. That painting that was rejected from one show may very well make it into the next, and even win an award. Who can account for that except to say, different judges and different tastes. And the painting that hasn’t sold yet . . . well, that’s only because the right person hasn’t seen it yet. 

Just keep working. Sometimes when you are considering what to submit to a specific show at a specific location/venue you might be surprised at what inspirations come your way. That happened to me recently. I was feeling a bit frustrated at first as a submission deadline was drawing closer because I was fresh out of ideas for this particular show. I really wanted to create at least one piece to submit, but nothing was coming to me. Then overnight (yes, quite literally overnight), I had a couple of thoughts that eventually led to six painting concepts the next day! I don’t know how many I will be able to finish before the deadline for this particular show, but now I have a pretty extensive list of ideas I am excited about and very much looking forward to working on.

The important thing to remember here. . . for me to remember here . . . is just don’t worry about the things I can’t control. Make the submissions and applications I want to, share my art where people can see it, and just keep painting.

Most importantly, just keep painting.