Never Mind I'll Remember You This, I'll Remember You this Way

Archie basking in the glow of Stinky's painting.

I love art. I was fortunate enough to grow up with it all around me. My mother was a painter and my father was a photographer. They tried their damnedest to encourage us to be creative people. I think they believed that structure inhibited creativity, and I was also lucky enough to live the first ten years of my life with very little structure. It was perfect for me, but I know it's not for everyone. We didn't have a set bedtime. My mom once told me that she thought we were all intelligent enough to know when we were tired. She was giving me WAY too much credit. I am 56 years old, and I STILL don't know enough to get my ass to bed on time.

I raised my kids with a little more structure than that, but I'm sure The Oldest would tell you that it still wasn't nearly enough. I also tried to raise my daughters to make whatever they wanted, and not worry about whether someone else might think it wasn't good enough. Stinky has always loved to paint and mold clay, and make collages, and The Oldest loved photography. I have a painting that Stinky made hanging above our bed to this day.

This Christmas, The Oldest asked for some art for her office at work. Stinky and I went to the Artisan's Gallery to see what they had and if I could afford it. I saw a print of a photo from Antelope Canyon that was about the size I wanted, and it was $3,000 without the frame. I wish I could afford that, but there was no way.

Then I thought, "I have almost the exact same photo, I bet I could find someplace that would blow it up and print it off for me at a reasonable price". So, I went through our photos from our Colorado/Utah/Northern Arizona trip in 2019, and found some great shots. I picked out two for The Oldest, and a couple for us. I figured they would look great on our large living room wall that has been bare naked for the last twelve years. Then I looked around for some black wood frames. Between the four prints and the frames for all of us, it cost about $200. I could actually afford that.

Of course, then I realized that our wall was much too big for just two photos, so I had John and my girls offer their suggestions of some of the photo options I gave them. I also bought more frames, and on Friday, John helped me hang up our choices. Since I love trees, I had to put a couple up there, and an arch, and one of the gorgeous shots from Antelope Canyon. It's crazy how much better our living room looks now.

I love to paint, and draw, but I haven't had any real training, except my mom helping me with drawings when I was younger. Apparently, she thought it was important that the people I drew had necks. Who knew?

So, anyway, I draw and paint for myself, and thankfully, my mom raised me not to care if they aren't great works, or what kind of brush strokes I use. If I like something I did, I check with John to make sure he's okay with me hanging it, and since he is so damn supportive, he gives me the go ahead, and I hang it in our house, until I get tired of it, and put something else up in its place.

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I live in a college town and have always had tons of friends who make the coolest shit. Of course, as I mentioned above, I don't have tons of money, and I have no idea what art work costs. If you were to ask me what people should charge for their work, I would say millions of dollars. They are able to put what is in their heads on paper, or in clay, or metal, or fabric, or whatever medium they use. To me, that is so impressive. 

So, if anyone I know has a print, or vessel for sale, and I CAN afford it, I try to support them, and enrich my own home by buying it. The print above is by the wonderful Greta Songe. Cats and fish? Of course I want that in my house.

My friend Chris sold us some of his gorgeous work this year. John chose the lighter work, and I loved the darker one. We both won.

 

Our friend, Maire sold us some of  her work a few years ago. I love this piece. It looks great in our kitchen, and that butterfly is everything.

Finally, I bought some of Lauren Briere's Robot prints this year and got them framed. I have admired her robots for years at the Iowa Artisan's Gallery, and they were reasonably priced, so bought three of them. I'm still not sure where to hang them, but give me some time and I'll find the perfect spot.

I do feel lucky to have been raised to make stuff, and not to worry if it turns out shitty, and to appreciate the amazing stuff that other people make. Through plagues, and wars, and the crazy things that happen in a life, those expressions, and feelings, and colors, and dreams that people share gives me hope, and that's one hell of a gift.