Page 22 - LIN March-2023 50-84-sent

in Naples
celebrating cel bra ing
beauty is in the eye of the beholder
ASK THE season

artsperts www.harmonmeek.com
in Naples
in Naples

by Kristine Meek and Juliana Meek 599 NINTH STREET, NORTH, SUITE 309 | NAPLES, FL 34102 | 239.261.2637

Dear Artsperts, Dear Picky,

I’m a local artist and I exhibited recently at a few local art fairs. You aren’t alone in experiencing a favorite work of yours not
I’ve been surprised that my two favorite paintings didn’t sell when selling and there are many possible explanations for why it is
other paintings of mine sold so easily. happening. Art is very personal and like beauty, belongs in the eye
Why don’t the ones I think are my best sell? of the beholder. However, just because a work doesn’t sell right
Signed, away, does not mean that it is weak or that it will never sell. This is
Picky Patrons how artist’s estates exist. It isn’t possible for an artist to sell all of
their work in their lifetime. However, it can be perplexing when it
is a work that the artist thinks is her best.
One possible explanation and one that may be hard to accept,
is that it could be you have overworked your painting because it
is your favorite. It is a challenge to self-edit, especially on a work
you love and keep going back to. Remember less can be more and
sometimes you must force yourself to put the brush down and step
away.
Another possibility is that since you are selling your own work,
it could be that you are unconsciously making your work unsaleable.
Perhaps you love the work so much that unconsciously you are so
attached to it that you aren’t ready to let go of it!
It could also be that you shared too much personal information
about the work. Patrons want to know some of your thoughts in
creating a work, but if it becomes too personal, it may prevent the
sale. For example, one artist we represented in the past painted
nudes in an abstract manner. All the nudes were actually his wife
who served as his only model throughout his career. Sharing this
detail with patrons would have been uncomfortable, especially for
those who knew his wife!
Have patience though, in time your two favorite works may sell.
For example, “A Girl in the Field” by Darrel Austin
(1907-1994) done in 1937 was included in Austin’s first exhibition
with Putzell Gallery in Los Angeles. The art critic for Los Angeles
Times selected this work as the most important work of the
“A Girl in the Field”
by Darrel Austin exhibition and an image of it was reproduced in the review. The
(1907-94) exhibition was successful with several sales, except for this work.
oil on canvas, The artist loved this work though, so it remained with him until
34” x 42”, 1937. 1982 when he included it in a retrospective exhibition with our
First exhibited in 1937 and depicted in a review by the LA Times, gallery. The work sold from that exhibition and then sold again
did not sell until 1982. years later to another patron and remains in private collection today.
Don’t lose hope and always remember art is long!
Sincerely,
The Artsperts

22 Life in Naples | March 2023