A SIMPLE DIALOGUE
Anyone that knows me and my art knows that I grew up as a Forest Service brat. My dad worked for them through all of my formative years, shaping my love and reverence for the landscape. We had all the special maps that were not available to just anyone. We had access to small Forest Service cabins in the most beautiful places. We also had to move every year and a half of my upbringing, as that was the way to move up the government ladder. Utah was always home for me, but we were able to see so many different parts of the country that most don’t have the opportunity to see. Even now, well into my midlife, the Forest Service years stand out in my memories along with many family camping and fishing outings.
About two months ago, a very nice young man came through my studio at the Monarch Building. He mentioned working for the Forest Service and we started talking. As it turns out, he was looking for affordable artwork that would be displayed on the very floor in the very building that my dad worked at for years! A very good portion of my work is images of National Forests and National Parks. As you can imagine, my paintings were right in line with what he was looking for. I am thrilled and honored to have my work hanging in the Ogden Federal Building. We talked more and came up with a budget that would include four framed Giclee prints I had made for me to hang in my studio. It has been a win/win situation for us both!
The reason I mention this story is you never know who is going to walk across your path. I’m not a huge believer in coincidence. I think fate (and art) has a way of bringing like minded people together in very spontaneous ways. If I had not opened up some communication with him and expressed interest in his story, we probably would never have found out the things we had in common. The same thing has happened in other ways as well. People have walked into my studio and through a conversation, we have discovered a commonality or a love of a particular place we are both passionate about. In these moments, one thing leads to another and I have sold just the right piece to just the right person. Art works that way – the experience and energy of one person (the artist) finds the experience and energy of another person (the observer) in a very three dimensional and tangible way – and beautiful at that!
Keep your mind open, be inquisitive to the people that are drawn to your art. Find those commonalities between the two of you and you’ll never have to be a “salesperson”! Paint what you are the most passionate about and those paintings will attract like-minded people.
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