February Success part 3

Well, Astrologyzone says that February is a good month in general. Maybe that's it. I can take credit for producing some pretty solid artwork, and for being open to people seeing and purchasing it. But I can't make a bunch of stuff like this happen all in one week!!!

Saturday a VCCA friend and collector was in town. She asked to visit my studio, so I picked her up at her hotel and drove her out to my Kensington warehouse. We spent hours there - she is deep, thoughtful, and unusually responsive to my work. Every artists dream.... And after much thought she decided on two recent encaustic paintings to purchase. Ironically they were the two that made a trio with the one larger one purchased at the donor party. Something special must be there in those marshes. Hmmm.

To finish with this story - Monday morning Aaron Leibel from the Washington Jewish Week called to confirm my city of residence, to include my name in a byline about the Kraft Center show. He wants to write about me as soon as I have another local show.
And last Sunday I delivered some older Costa Rican collages to a family friend who expressed interest - left a few there so they could ponder and choose. Wednesday - I expect another sale or two. I am knocking on wood. It feels like blessings all around.

This morning our buddy Judi Weinstock wrote to tell me that from now til June is a great time for those of us born under the sign of Aries. Wow.

Overwhelmed by successes. Part 2.

Saturday night - last weekend - we had a big "donor appreciation party" here. Invited were Musica Viva donors of at least $75. plus a couple of collectors that had purchased at least $500 worth of art from me.
We are not talking big bucks here. This is a grass roots operation - Marilyn Banner's art, Carl Banner's music, both of our visions and teamwork working to build an art life here and an artist friendly community. I often describe us as "under recognized sophisticates."

So why the overwhelm? Well....... as I did at my open studio last year, I put up on the music room walls (which now have track lighting to make the setting a real gallery) a few of my new marsh paintings. Two images had already gone out as Musica Viva publicity pieces via constant contact. I intend to show the best of the marsh paintings with the best of the 2009 VCCA paintings, all encaustic, at my Ceres show opening late April. The last thing I'm doing is "pushing" the marsh pieces.
Well, to my partial surprise - THREE of the marsh paintings were sold that night. THREE.

Writing this has already decreased the overwhelm feeling. Why NOT have what I want, a nice circle of my work doing its work for others and the others giving back to me in the form of money. The way it should be for artists all the time....

Overwhelmed with "too much good." part 1.

Last Friday, the day before the Ceres Gallery show ended, I phoned Laura Kruger and offered "Living Water" to the Hebrew Union College Museum. I've heard that museums don't just accept donations. After all, they have to promise to keep your work safe forever, and often have to promise to exhibit it. So, like everything seems to be, it's competitive. But why not compete?
She not only accepted the piece and went to get it, but then wrote a lovely and gracious note saying that the work way more stunning than she'd expecte, that it's hanging in a very public place, and that many people are commenting on it's quality.
OK!