Done and Delivered!

The large commissioned piece I've been working on for weeks and weeks is finally done and delivered! The buyer loves it. She was overwhelmed with emotion when I unveiled it. As a special surprise for her, I had worked into the collage portion a series of elements representing facets of her life. They included a photo of the house she grew up in, a cancelled Bulgarian postage stamp (she spent several years in Bulgaria as a Peace Corp volunteer, and the country is very dear to her heart). I also included a photo of the mountain peak she can view from her deck, digital images of bare tree branches in winter (she loves their silhouettes against the sky), part of a reproduction of an original painting I did of trees in summer, and many other references pertaining to her life.

"Fragments of a Journey," (4) 12x36" panels, acrylic, collage and mixed media on canvas

 ©2016 Lynn Edwards

 

    

Nothing gives me more pleasure than someone responding in such a heartfelt way to something I've created. It's so gratifying to create something that touches them so deeply and makes them so happy. Nothing else in the world can compare to that feeling. Which is why, I think, most artists create, many persisting despite severe hardships. We're a determined lot, unwilling to give up even in the face of adversity. We put our self esteem on the line every time we enter an art competition, approach a gallery for representation, offer our work for sale at a festival, or present a finished commission to its new owner. What we offer through our art is an intimately personal glimpse of us. It's work derived from our innermost feelings, experiences, beliefs, dreams and memories. Presenting our work demands that we expose our self esteem to a degree of vulnerability that few others willingly face.

When a person reacts profoundly to our work, we're validated in having made a contribution to the world. It's why most of us create. Some of us attain commercial success, some of us do not, but few enter this profession expecting making millions to be our ultimate goal. One might say we aim too low. (Starving artists?) I say we artists aim higher -- much higher -- by uplifting, creating joy, and bringing beauty into being. You can't put a price tag on those things. And most of us, thank goodness, would never want to.

Text and image ©2016 Lynn Edwards