Hi Friend. Let me tell you a story.
It was a bitterly cold, windy Sunday in New York City. I was in town for meetings the following week and had time to kill. "I'll go to the Frick," I thought. As I wandered through the East Gallery, I came upon John Singer Sargent's glorious painting, Lady Agnew of Lochnaw. I'm not quite sure exactly what happened to me, but it was like a religious experience. I was so emotionally taken by this painting...the brush strokes, the color, the value, and her expression. I left the gallery and was headed to the exit when someone stopped me. "It's open drawing day. Would you care to sketch in the courtyard?" asked the attendant. Mind you, I had not picked up a pencil to sketch anything in about 25 years. It was about 17 degrees outside, "Why, not!" I remember the paper...it was grey similar to a Fabriano. She handed me white and black charcoals, a pencil and sketch set up seat. I will never forget how I felt...I CAN'T SKETCH! I CAN'T REMEMBER HOW TO DRAW!! WHAT WILL PEOPLE THINK IF THEY WALK PAST ME AND SEE WHAT I AM ATTEMPTING!!!" As if anyone cared to see what I was doing. Eventually, the fear (aka: my mean-spirited college art professor) subsided. And, I sketched. I sketched a column, the plants in the planter and a few other details. After some time, I rolled up my paper, returned the drawing instruments and trucked back to the West Village where I was staying. A couple of days later, I unrolled the paper. It's not half bad, I thought. I need to start drawing again. And, so I did. I set up a tiny drawing area in a closet guest room. I thought everything I made was awful! I kept going. I got brave enough to post a drawing on Instagram. A few folks liked it. I kept going. I made so many awful drawings and paintings but I kept at it. I got better. I got braver. I continued to post. I made a small painting to celebrate something that Bunny Williams did...it may have been a book launch. A few designers reached out to buy it for her. I kept going...and have sold quite a few of my paintings. It is still, and will always be, a thrill to sell my work and share it with someone. I am grateful to each of my collectors. Thank you for being here and being interested in my work.