–

When my friend Brooks Anderson (see my featured post on him here) told me to submit work to Roux and Cyr Gallery in Portland , Maine, I did. I was impressed that Brooks thought it worth his time from California, so why wouldn’t it be worth mine from Connecticut? Besides this was a bigger league than I usually play in, so why not give it a shot?

Well they wanted one of my paintings, so I took a day in horrible weather a month ago to drive the painting up there (four hours each way). When I started out, I thought we’d return for the opening, but by the time I got home from the drop off run, I knew it wasn’t worth the toll, in time, resources, or carbon emissions. (But Brooks flew in for it from California!)

The whole time I hoped my painting would just sell so I wouldn’t have to return for it. Alas, as it didn’t sell, a friend (and fellow blog reader of yours) accompanied me, and we made a day of it, talking and eating all the way up and back. You can see photos below of us at lunch at the lobster pound and the decadent desert we shared on the way home after a lovely dinner.

Basically, I learned that these things will only be worth my time if multiple paintings are involved. I also learned that a place whose website looks great is not necessarily as high brow as they try to appear. (These painting were displayed in little cubicles which wasn’t conducive to people falling in love with them, in my humble opinion.)

And I learned that while I can be flattered that I’m clearly “good enough” to be there, it is not worth it to me, nor does it best represent me. I guess that’s my job. I’ll work to set up a new gallery on this website, and look to sell originals better directly to my future collectors. These “International Fine Art” galleries have a business model designed for them and not the artists. Chalk all this up to experience!

Meanwhile, thank you to Portland blog readers and friends that sent me photos from the show! Also, below you can see Brooks’ moonlight painting that was in the show.

If you want to buy the original of Field of Dreams, contact me directly, otherwise you can obtain prints or merchandise with it on it here in my online gallery,  where you can also see a better photo of it.

–