Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Hard to Part With


Is it hard to part with art you have made?  It comes up for me every now and then.
I have three pieces; no actually four counting the one in a previous post titled Going in Circles named Vintage Velásquez. 
That one I still have. I won’t ever let that one go. I have a friend who to this day still asks for it. Whenever she calls me she doesn’t say hello at the start of the conversation, she always says "how is my painting"? 


The second and third are the circle paintings, pictured above. I sometimes visit the home where one of circle paintings hangs and I get a bit jealous that my painting lives there.




 The fourth one is the this orange flower painting which I use as my avatar, which many of you have seen. 
This one was really hard to let go. 


Why am I so attached to them? Why when I see photos of the ones I sold I get tinges of remorse. 


Why is it like a relationship? 
Am I their mother, their friend, their 
lover?

Is it easier for you to part with your creation? 
As an artist what is 
your relationship with your art?



Are you the mom, nurturing it every step of the way and saying goodbye breaks your heart?
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Are you the friend, giving a pat on the back saying go on it’s okay?
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Are you the lover, holding it in such a tight embrace that when you do let go your arms ache?
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Are you the teacher, showing others how things are done, so you don’t mind sharing it ?
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Are you the student, learning from it then letting it go to move on to the next thing?
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Are you the storyteller wanting to pass on visions and illustrated stories?
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Are you the pimp sending it off without care, with a just give me the cash attitude?
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My belief is that your relationship with your art never ends. Our art is our treasure.

The more I thought about it I figured it might just be me. I have a hard time lending books and clothes as well. Is it because the book may have been a favorite growing up? Perhaps it is a new art book and I need to visit it everyday for inspiration and it has become a friend. The outfit or that dress, maybe it is because I wore it the day I heard news I had been waiting two years to hear. Perhaps I wore it at my most favorite place at one of the most favorite times of my life,


 I don’t really know the answer but I do know that everything has a special place in “our” time, in “our” timeline. Therein lies our attachment. As artist don’t you feel that we see the world differently and just feel things and about things differently?


As I was running this post in my head I kept hearing songs. I was thinking, I am so tired I must be cracking up! I just ended cracking myself up! But I think I am normal and this happens to everyone right?
We all have that song whether it drives us mad because we cant get it out of head or it takes us to that place in our memory or our hearts where it took on special meaning. We all have that song, the one that signifies summer. You know the one we listen loudly in the car to with the warm wind blowing through our hair. I always think of Will Smith's "Summertime". We have our wedding song. Our bad break-up song. And so it goes. Our art is our song.

These songs were floating around in my head because of the thoughts on parting, and leaving.

Never can say goodbye-Michael Jackson
Never, never gonna give you up-Barry White
Never gonna give you up-Rick Astley
Love will tear us apart again-Joy Division
In the end-Linkin Park
The Scientist-Coldplay
You don’t have to say you love me-Dusty Springfield
(reminds me of my mom)
Feel free to share your song and add to the list......

So I decided to pick one and leave you with it. I had a good laugh watching it. 
Sharing some laughter.....

Oh come on I dare you to have a listen go ahead press play!


Great news to share, I opened my Etsy shop
 Please stop by for a visit. And yes there is at least one owl I had a hard time parting with!

9 comments:

  1. Hahah! I love rick astley! That's actually my power song when i run races. It always gets me through my mile 4 rut!

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  2. Deborah, I LOVE HIM!!!!!!!! I have this on an old DVD. Thankyou. Still dancing!

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  3. Love this post Deborah and I can so relate. Artwork is a part of who you are and I feel like I make myself vulnerable with everything I create. I want someone to love my art because it's a part of me... As for Rick, love him! Still have his album :)

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  4. No way that is him singing. I mean, the man that sings that song, cannot be the "boy" in that video. Love me some 80's tunes.

    I know what you mean about being attached to your work. I have a painting (the one that is my avatar for my biz page) that hangs in my home. My husband's favorite to date. I would totally sell it, but at a price no one would probably want to pay. That is part of the plan to keep it. Just mark it up so high no chance of selling it.

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  5. Love your art! I don't blame you for wanting to keep it. Yea for prints!

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  6. I had wiped that video/song from my memory. Now it's back. I think my hair is getting bigger and I suddenly desire cutting all the colors off my sweatshirts.

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  7. That's supposed to be "cutting collars" not colors. iPhone! Urgh!

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  8. Haha..so funny to end with him !
    I think with originals it will be harder. As a photographer most of my work so far has been prints. Now I'm painting there will be other issues.

    It reminds me of my nephew who at 4 or 5 drew ten or so drawings a day. When I kindly enquired if i might have one, he looked up at me , with a very sad face , shaking his head and told me " No, I'm sorry, I need them all ! " ( He did draw one just for me a few days later though, so it was ok in the end ! )

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  9. Thank you all for having a laugh with me. I have so enjoyed your comments, and yes Ann that is the boy behind the voice!

    I found comfort in knowing that others are sometimes attached to the art they make. I love the comment by Rhiannon's nephew "no, sorry, I need them all!"

    Need to keep looking into making prints if issue persists!

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