Position is Everything in Life

Recently, I traversed a long and challenging distance in my art practice wherein every step is an adventure , every mark is a great decision, every shape is thoughtfully chosen, and the colors are from a dream. This is my adventure, these are my discoveries, and the paintings come from my heart. While others have made their journey before me, I am the explorer and the artist of my own previously unmapped experience.

I took four of my new paintings and put them on the gallery wall. It was pleasing to see them together and I posted the result of my effort to social media. I received positive feedback and lovely comments, which I find inspiring. I was surprised to receive the message from a curator in NYC. suggesting a change to the order of the paintings hanging on the gallery wall. After responding to the caring suggestion, now I can see my paintings with greater understanding, clarity and appreciation, and I hope you can too.

The professional touch of placement in the gallery and the pleasure of spending time in a well curated room is the work of the curator. The artist and the craftsman can make lovely things but the efforts can be destroyed even by the wrong light. It is edifying to see the work elevated with proper placement.

When I was a teenager I would sprawl comfortably over the arm chair in the den at home. Then my Grandmother might comment “Position is everything in life!”. The immediate effect was to increase my self- awareness ; and somehow the comfortable sprawl was no longer the optimal position. It is a great honor when someone appreciates my work and wishes to have my art in their space. It is exciting when my intention shows clearly. The alternative is rather awful, especially when my name is on it. I make paintings, I recognize that buying one is not a casual choice. I get it. Sometimes we move them around. Sometimes we find a painting that looks good in many places. Sometimes we try several before finding the one that shines in a particular spot- and it is wonderful when it shines; and I hope it is one of mine.