Why do we make Art?
Aspirations 18x12 - $800
Aspirations 18x12 - $800
It's been a challenging year. Whenever I've found myself feeling a
little down, I try to remember how lucky I really am. I'm healthy, have
great friends and family, and I get to make art for a living!
Being an artist, whether you do it professionally or not is such a
rewarding experience. Even on a quiet day in the gallery, when no one
is buying my work, or even looking at it, I can still be beside myself
with the joy of some tiny little breakthrough, some new little
discovery I've just learned.
But the real rewards are when you touch someones life with your art, no
matter how small that is, I'm moved when a collector shares how my art
might have brightened their day.
I just returned from the Zion National Park Plein Air Event. It's an
event I've done for the last 9 years, and I always love painting in
that gorgeous place. The Zion Forever Project and the Park Staff do an
outstanding job of running the event, and they treat us artists like
gold.
I'm always honored when park staff buys my work. These folks know the
park better than any of us 'tourists' ever could. This year Aly B.
Chief of Interpretation and Visitor Services purchased two of my
pieces. Then when I got home I found the following in my inbox.
_____
Just hung the Angels Landing painting "Yes, Gravity Works" up last
night- it looks beautiful and was especially vivid when surrounded by
the morning light this am... thank you for changing its name. I want to
share why...
It was a rough year here in Zion w/ several visitor fatalities,
rockfalls, and flash floods- which was why the three words I used to
describe Zion at the Monday welcome dinner was "yes, gravity
works"...nothing optimized that more for me than Angels Landing... I am
the park's public information officer (ie press contact) and I feel
like all I did recently was talk about Angels Landing- and it was never
good. We had two fatalities there- one, a local young girl, was just
heartbreaking. I am not sure any of us will ever fully get over that
one. We also dealt with complaints and concerns of overcrowding on
Angels Landing, as record breaking numbers of people continue to visit
the park. Human waste was a huge issue, as toilets were over capacity-
closing the trail for a few days to pull barrels of human waste off via
helicopter. And of course, the big July 11 storm that decimated the
trail to Angels Landing, closing it for two months. One thing after
another... So, recently, whenever I looked at Angels Landing, it was
with a manager's eye of apprehension and foreboding...
When I saw your painting on the lawn, it forced me to look at that
formation again through another's eyes. It was more refreshing than I
can describe. And I love the warmth captured in the piece... so Thank
You!!!
Looking at it everyday will continue to remind me to take a deep breath
and look past my recently held belief that Zion means only "Yes,
Gravity Works"...
I also have your demonstration piece, which I also love. It's funny
because I know ya'll must think, "we paint the same thing each year"
with demos since we keep using the museum patio... but I don't think
any of us that work at headquarters and see the Temples and Towers
every day EVER get sick of them. For us, they are like a piece of
home...
Anyway- I just wanted to thank you- Plein Air week has been a great
break for me, as well as the other staff, to enable us to focus on
something other than our visitor use issues and to remind us to enjoy
the park and its never-ending beauty.
Hope this next year is much better than your last,
-Aly
_____
Unfortunately the photos I took of those paintings did not come out. My
old phone was giving up the ghost. (I just replaced it) But I am
thankful for yet another enriching art/life experience. And thank you
to all my friends, collectors and supporters who have encouraged me to
continue through the years.
Over a Barrel 12x18 -$800
Over a Barrel 12x18 -$800
Demo Alert
I have been invited to do a painting demo in the historic Kolb Studio
at the south rim of the Grand Canyon. The event is free and open to the
public. It takes place on Monday Dec. 10 from noon to 4pm. It's very
casual and I look forward to talking about art, my own and in general.
Hope to see some of you there!
_____
One last bit of good news. I got a call out of the blue from Southwest
Art Magazine. They are going to do a feature article on me in their
February issue. What a great surprise! More on that later.
Lastly, as you are thinking about meaningful gifts for the holdays this
year, consider art, original or prints. Here's one website that has
some interesting things :-)
Wishing you health, peace and contentment.
Cody
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