Reflections On A Quiet Pond 24x30 sold
Okay...I am officially stunned, overwhelmed and on my knees thankful and have been since yesterday afternoon! In fact my hands were shaking so badly I had to quit painting yesterday a little earlier than I had planned.
The owner of the gallery I am with, Cherry...of Cherry's' Gallery...called the other day to ask if a few paintings were available on my website. She wanted to pick them up and take them over to McCune Brooks Hospital. I had just recently sold a rather large painting to them....and of course I said yes. I have been holding on to a few, in my estimation, good pieces that I am very fond of...they are close and personal to me...and want them to have a "good home". The paintings she asked for were all available...with the exception of one..."Reflections On A Quiet Pond"and I told her I would not let it go for anything less than $2500. as I was not eager to sell it. The story on that painting follows.
It was a beautiful February day, cool with the portend of Spring not far off....Valentines' Day to be exact. Max and I had been seeing each other since the end of October...and had decided we were definitely for each other. I am a typical woman...and love all the wonderful cards and favors..that her man will bestow upon her. I had been previously warned though..by Max himself...that he was a stable guy...but not given to a lot of the sentimentality that many women crave. That's Okay....I said to myself....he's solid as a rock....and shows it in ways that one would never expect....like paying my bills for three months before I moved from Pineville to Carthage! He called to say he was picking me up and maybe we could go to George Washington Carver National Park and look around some, take some pictures and have a picnic. Of course I was thrilled at the invitation. He arrived an hour or so later and off we went to the park. Our timing was a bit off...or maybe he planned it that way... but we only had enough time to to walk around...take a few pictures and hold hands. I strolled around the pond looking for something I had seen a year earlier and also painted. I wanted to try it again with a little more knowledge under my belt. Then there it was.....Spring light hitting the side of a leafless tree...the reflection on the still water, a maze of reaching fingers with brilliant green moss and romantic soft color. I stood there fairly mesmerized by the beauty of it all! "That's a great shot" Max said.....I couldn't wait to get home and view the digital image. It was beginning to turn cool so I hurriedly took some more shots and we ran back to the car. We drove to his house and he surprised me with some chocolates and the dinner he had prepared for me...he waited on me hand and foot! Three days later was a repeat performance...on my birthday...complete with cake! So much for not being a romantic!! As a matter of fact he hasn't stopped cooking yet! Shortly after, we were viewing the pictures from that day....and between the two of us....came up with a painting. I thought I couldn't pull it off....that no one would like it and it was just too hard. Not Max..."Do it!"he said.."I know you can....go ahead and try something a little different." So try I did....after considerable studying! I am normally given to thinking outside the box....but for some reason...felt a little trepidation this time. The outcome was arduous...exhilarating...fun....and I learned a lot. Max encouraged me every step of the way...even when I was ready to quit and wipe it all off. One morning I woke up....and bingo...there it was the answer to the problem that was plaguing me. Fortunately I had long since learned to stop painting on a piece before I completely destroy it. Well, i have almost learned...I still make that mistake on occasion and must wipe away all the poor work. I quickly finished up the painting in the next two days and was extremely happy with it. Max loved it and enjoyed just sitting and gazing fixedly at it.
When Cherry showed that painting to the woman who buys the pieces for the hospital...She said, "This is the piece we have been waiting for! We have held off buying a piece for the hospital chapel for some time until we found the right one....but this is it!"
Hmmm?...How many lessons learned here?....well a whole bunch!! I think you smart cookies out there can see them!
The painting is in the possession of the hospital today....a brass nameplate is being made with the title and my name on it...we are a farther ahead financially than we were yesterday....and I am ever and always so thankful for life's lessons....and....My Max.
Lovingly,
Theresa

Cherry's Gallery, Carthage, Missouri

A Brand New Day 24x30

Okay...it is officially crazy here today! Running around getting stuff done ( yikes my hair)! Need to pickup a painting at my gallery.... get to the chiropractor...dogs need out....animals need fed...making coffee...answer the phone...print some stuff out for the article that I will be interviewed for today...pick veggies from the garden....on and on...Paint today?....maybe this evening....drats!
A few studio pieces today and that's about all I have time for except for two poems sent to me by two separate people by the same poet, Kim Addonizio....indulge yourself in her work....it's fabulous!!!


What do Women Want?
Sent to me by fellow artist Lori De Lozier

I want a red dress.
The Golden Hour 24x30 I want it flimsy and cheap,
I want it too tight, I want to wear it
until someone tears it off me. I want it sleeveless and backless,
this dress, so no one has to guess
what's underneath. I want to walk down
the street past Thrifty's and the hardware store
with all those keys glittering in the window,
past Mr. and Mrs. Wong selling day-old
donuts in their café, past the Guerra brothers
slinging pigs from the truck and onto the dolly,
hoisting the slick snouts over their shoulders.
I want to walk like I'm the only
woman on earth and I can have my pick.
I want that red dress bad.
I want it to confirm
your worst fears about me,
to show you
how little I care about you or anything except what
I want. When I find it, I'll pull that garment
from its hanger like I'm choosing a body
to carry me into this world, through
the birth-cries and the love-cries too,
and I'll wear it like bones, like skin,
it'll be the goddamned
dress they bury me in.
(by Kim Addonizio)

"What the Dead Fear"
Sent to me by fellow artist Marilyn York

On winter nights, the dead

see their photographs slipped

from the windows of wallets,

their letters stuffed in a box

and the clothes for Goodwill.

No one remembers their jokes,

their nervous habits, their dread

of enclosed places.

In these nightmares, the dead feel

the soft nub of the eraser

lightening their bones. They wake up

in a panic, go for a glass of milk

and see the moon, the fresh snow,

the stripped trees.

Maybe they fix a turkey sandwich,

or watch the patterns on the TV.

It's all a dream anyway.

In a few months

they'll turn the clocks ahead,

and when they sleep they'll know the living

are grieving for them, unbearably lonely

and indifferent to beauty. On these nights

the dead feel better. They rise

in the morning, and when the cut

flowers are laid before their names

they smile like shy brides. Thank you,

thank you, they say. You shouldn't have,

they say, but very softly, so it sounds

like the wind, like nothing human.

(by Kim Addonizio)

Fabulously frenzied....
Theresa