Instead of penning yet another “blog reboot” post that sits all by itself for more than a year without any subsequent follow-up posts, I thought I’d just start with a post with “real” content instead of one merely promising content.
This is an adaptation of a Facebook post I shared after a very special print sale encounter. This picture has always been featured rather prominently across all of my internet presences (Facebook, Flickr, Instagram, etc.). It’s by far one of my favorite images that I’ve ever taken. I had it hanging at the Autumn Art Show at the Shore Arts Center in Lamar recently. After the show had ended, the show organizer, Giget, got in touch with me that she had been approached by a party that was interested in the print. We worked out the details and I drove out to drop it off last week.
I met Giget at the buyer’s house. It turns out that she was an 82 year old lady that had spent many years teaching in South Africa. When she saw the print up close, she couldn’t stop complimenting me on how wonderful it was and how it had captivated her attention the moment she saw it at the show. Before the night was done, she would end up paying me more than my asking price. She also proudly showed me where she would be hanging it in her home – a hallway where she would pass by it several times a day. She also assured me several times that it would be more than appreciated, it would be loved.
When I think of moments like this, it makes me think of Ansel Adams’ quote regarding the lack of people in his photos: “There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer.” I’ve had many positive connections when people have purchased and appreciated my art. But this was one of those moments when I knew that the years of practice, the money spent on cameras and lenses, the attention to detail and using the highest quality materials for the print really connected with the viewer. It truly made my night and continues to leave a glow in my heart as an artist. Life is special because of moments like this!