Looking back, looking forward
First, a heartfelt
thank you
to all those who visited us in the gallery and in our studios during Open Studios Weekend. We were pleased and encouraged by the support and positive comments we received. Visitors loved walking into the gallery and being immediately struck by the volume, quality, and diversity of art being made in the building. Many of the 10x10 panels in the show were sold during the weekend. (Many real treasures remain!)
Lots of people participated in our collaborative 'art wall'. We'll post the video of the installation in progress shortly!
My favorite moment of the weekend, though, was the story of the person who came up to me to buy one of the panels. His eyes were dancing with excitement; he'd seen this artist's work before, and had always admired it, but was hesitant to buy. And here, in the gallery, he saw this little gem of a painting!
I found out later that this was th
e
very first piece of original ar
t
this man had ever bought. (Most likel
y
t
Buying that first piece is a real giant step. To become a collector, a person must first appreciate the value of the piece- many people do that. But that person must also trust his perceptions, his instinct that this particular work of art has meaning and value for him, and act on that trust. It's kind of a leap of faith.
Seasoned collectors already know the value of real, original art. But I'll bet they have a special memory of the first piece they ever took home with them. It feels good to know the gallery was able to provide the introduction!