Sold

( Angel of Mercy )


( Proclamation )

Saying goodbye to a drawing can be incredibly difficult for me. Two of the hardest works to let go of have been two of three conte` angels that I’ve made. One, my first attempt at conte`, belongs to Guidepost magazine to possibly be used in a “future” feature in their angel art gallery but the other two were sold this summer at the same show. I had never exhibited the originals before even though I made the drawings in 2007. I sold note-cards at Parish Christmas bazaars. I also sold them at art fairs and in a gift shop but never had the originals appear in public. Why? Was I displeased with them? No, I loved( still do) them and I loved working with conte` which gave them the old world feel that I adore so much. No, it was because, well, they were my angels and I kept the originals close by to inspire me. They represented celestial guidance, protection and direction, which I desperately need in all areas of my life but especially when creating. The visuals reminded me to be grateful for the rich blessings all around me even when I might sink into bouts of self-centeredness. So, it was with a bit of trepidation that I dropped them off at the first show where they made their debut. They got a lot of attention and several people commented on how much they would love prints or note-cards but they did not sale that evening or over the month they were on exhibit. Okay, I’ll admit it. I was a bit relieved. I felt that meant they were destined to come back home with me to keep inspiring. Still, they had generated a lot of interest so I made a mental note to re-photograph them to make better quality prints and cards.

A few months later, my one woman show rolled around and I was hesitant to send them along. The curator of the gallery asked me to include them so I agreed and dropped them off with 18 other pieces I had ready to go. I felt certain they would once again come home with me. They had to, right? We were destined to be together forever. However, this time both originals sold on opening night of the exhibit. Not only that but I had two people vying for Angel of Mercy and another gentleman had his checkbook in hand, heading towards the curator, on a mission to purchase Proclamation. It had literally just sold. I stood watching all of this take place, far removed from the chatter of wine glasses, laughter, background music and reverie taking place all around me in the gallery. This may sound odd but the emotions I experienced ranged from absolute bliss to profound loss. Then it continued when I received commissions for more angels. I had a lady call me “the angel artist”. As flattering as that was, I’ve always resisted being categorized in such a way. I suppose that’s why I explore so many different subjects. Yet, time and time again, the Angelic/Ethereal pieces seem to speak to me and I feel very connected to them. They are just so intimate and personal.

Some other artist friends and I have discussed this strange loss that we experience. I think it’s safe to say that most of us view our artwork as our “children” but find it much easier to let some pieces go than others. I wonder about other blogging artists out there. I wonder which ones mean the most to them and what did they go through when their special “child” or “children” left them for a new home. Feel free to share if this applies to you.