It’s a weird thing to sell a painting. It feels really validating to have something I put out into the world not only be admired, but wanted. And then, I’m left with an empty spot on the wall and fresh motivation to make something new.
So this happened really fast. By that, I mean that it took about a year.
I love meeting people at open studios, and it’s been a great way to meet new collectors and keep in touch with people who have been buying art in the bay area for years. I have started to display my social media handles where they’re visible, so that people can find me easily on Instagram or Facebook. I prefer this method to business cards, because I know how I am with business cards, and I tend to pick one up of an artist whose work I like, tuck it into my purse, and maybe six months later, take it out and look them up online. If someone visits my studio and begins following me on Instagram, it’s a much better way to keep them informed of who I am and what I’m working on, rather than hope that they look up my business card six months later and don’t accidentally put it through the laundry.
At our Fall Open Studios, the Alameda Artworks generally selects a charity to benefit, and so we all donate a portion of our sales. In 2019, we had a great turnout, in part because Sacred Heart charities does a fantastic job of outreach to their donors. And I had this new painting on display, freshly returned from the California State Fair in Sacramento.
“Remodel”
33” x 29”
Oil on Panel, 2019
I like this painting. It’s a perfect size without being too big, and the lines of composition really worked out to bounce the eye around it in a way that hits all my favorite spots.
This last week I got a message through Instagram from someone who was thinking about this painting, and she asked if it was still available. We masked up, met at my studio, and she took it home. She’d seen it last year, during the November open studios benefit, so it seems only fair that I give some of the money to charity.
500,000 people get food assistance in Santa Clara County every month. This number has doubled since the start of the pandemic. So I’m doing something to help out. If I could encourage a moratorium on evictions to last at least until next year, or expand unemployment assistance, I would, and I’m certainly voting that way for the foreseeable future. But I’m also throwing money at the problem, because I can.
Thanks for reading.