"If You Love Something...Set It Free...."
"....If it comes back to you...it's yours, if it doesn't it never was" An old saying. Never truer about this 30x40 piece I did in 1998 when my Dad was dying. It was done as a focus piece for me to get my mind onto something big and epic as opposed to working on a painting I hated doing while my Dad lay someplace with the life slowly draining. A few years ago, a "Big business well-moneyed" showoff type asked about buying the piece. I didn't really want to sell it. I told him the price anyway. It was not cheap-$$$$$$$$$. He bought it. I asked what I asked for it for the fact it's large and it means something to me. Sometime later, I find this person is an "art flipper"-he was trying to flip the work(like the housing market which we see what's happened there!) and make a buck on it. What that means is someone buys art not because they love it, but because it's some weird way of thinking they can invest in it. Art should never,ever ever be viewed as an "investment" but as something you buy because you like it. It's why I have the smaller $100-$300 paintings on this blog because they're something everyone can afford and they're bought mostly for the joy of them. Which I am only too happy to be the cause of. In this case, the above painting, done out of love was stored away as a commodity. The other week, a really cool art dealer contacted me. He asked me if I wanted the painting back. He said he would trade me some other pieces-illustrations for covers specifically-for what he felt was fine art that, he couldn't effectively sell. Anyway, we did a deal and both of us are happy and, this painting, now, finds it's way back to me. Maybe it should never leave again? It's an example of what I really want to do alot more of-epic landscapes with drama and dynamism.
But a note on collecting art. It's fairly a sad fact in this country that alot of art collecting is done based upon what someone else says is "worth" or "they should have". People letting others tell them what to think instead of buying what they love. I run into alot of "Businessmen" who are like this about everything. My opinion of them, is not very high. Everything is a "bottom line". They have no passions or dreams save for the acquisition of wealth at the expense of anyone or anything that gets in their way. Mind you, not everyone is this way, and to those who are the exception rather than the rule, my hat is off to you.
And, a tribute here to George Carlin. He was one of my favorite comics ever. He sums up my opinion of the kind of " cigar smoking businessmen" I detest. WARNING-the language here is fairly coarse but man o' man is he deadly funny. GET THE KIDS OUTTA THE ROOM. Enjoy:
posted by Bob Eggleton (Zillabob) | 8:57 AM
10 Comments:
Hi Bob,
I understand what you mean about art investors. A couple of years ago I had the honor of sharing a table with one of the Silver Age greats from the world of comics, who is retired but still does the convention circuit. In addition to being an artist, he was also a former teacher of a friend of mine (though sadly there were no good stories to tell), he could be a bit crotchety at times and couldn’t remember my name for the life of him (I doubt he’d even recognize me today), but had a sense of humor about him that made him fun to hang out with for the weekend.
At one point during the con a couple of guys approached the publisher whose table we were at and began talking to him about my new friend’s work. The artist got a sour face, and I was wondering what the deal really was while what appeared to be negotiations were going on. After they left the artist suddenly had a bunch of commissioned work, including sketches in his most recent collection/biography. I asked the publisher later what the deal was, it turned out they were those same type of businessmen you were talking about, only they were snatching up work from the artist in anticipation of his death (which happily has not occurred yet, and I hope does not for many years to come). I was disgusted to say the least, and over the course of the next few cons I attended saw them regularly at that publisher’s table as well as others, each tie my stomach turning at the sight of them.
So, thank you for the post, I’m glad you got your piece back, and I’m glad you offer the small pieces for your fans to enjoy. I am happily numbered among them, with a very cool piece that fills me with wonder every time I look at it. Cheers.
I don't think buying art for the joy it brings you and seeing it as a good investment should be an either/or issue.
I suspect these hundred dollar paintings bought for the love of them by your fans will show up on ANTIQUES ROADSHOW (or the future equivalent if it no longer exists) many decades down the road and be told they're worth many, many times what they were bought for.
Of course, that's a far call from "flipping" art.
Bob-
I agree. This is the reason I still paint Sci-Fi and Fantasy instead of the wildlife and western that would sell quicker and for more money. Bottom line I love the genre the imagination and the process not the business. I will always treasure the paintings in my collection for lots of reasons- I will leave the end result to my son. Keep on rocking out those super cool paintings. I am sure your dad is proud.
JR Monks
Oh, very cool that you got that painting back. A lot of emotional energy in that, no doubt. That's powerful.
As for the Carlin video - that's so foul. Completely cracked me up.
Christian-thanks! It is sadly typical of the "art field" once you get into the high end of things. It's seen as a commodity.
jr-thanks! Yeah, I like painting everything myself. It's fun to have alot of things going on. I think Dad is okay someplace...
the whole world is crawling with these business scurge. Everything is an investment. Artist, scientists and humanitarians are often sadly controlled by these people who make money off others labors and exploit everyone and everything. In the end they die empty hollow shells cause they can't take their shit with them.
The painting is awesome though Bob! Very beautiful.
Hi D.B. Ellis love your work! Have you Saturn over the ocean work sitting next to one of Bob's
dave t
This is one of the most stunningly beautiful pieces I've seen you do. The impact even greater when you know it's history.I can't believe it found it's way back to you, it's almost too good to be true. My wife and i are having our first baby this fall and I'm pretty committed to my current project so I'm selling older pieces to make sure we have money. It's so hard. But the people who buy them always seem so grateful.
Again, a really beautiful piece.
Eric! Thank you ssssooo much! And this is 10 years old. Imagine what I could do now. I want to do now. I feel, honestly a bit trapped in my "living" or success sometimes. I long to take out some time and do some huge pieces. They're all there. I love your stuff too, BTW..we should "talk" sometime. I'm on a mission of self-discovery as I approach midlife. Just seeing and talking to other artists is helping me form a new path.
I'm really surprised to hear that! When I read your response I leapt up and started looking through your work and it's all so full of mystery and wonder and stories. Everything I want so much to be in my work. At the heart of it, your work is full of meaning and I couldn't ask more of myself and it's what I aspire to.
I also realized how much of your influence is in the SF stuff I do... Not too much I hope!
I'm honoured you'd want to talk art with me. If you ever feel like it my email is
eric.orchard@gmail.com
I hope you know how much your work means to everyone!
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