Monday, November 19, 2012

Life gets in the way.

It amazes me how easy it is to become a total slacker when it comes to posting. Life sometimes gets in the way is my usual excuse.

Life did get in the way last week. A very dear friend suffered a stroke and eventually passed away from the episode. Al Wadle was his name and he was one of the finest men I will ever know. He was the owner of Wadle Galleries Ltd. in Santa Fe, New Mexico. http://www.wadlegalleries.com

He took a chance and was the first gallery to accept my work and hang it on a wall. This was way back in 1981. I have been showing with them since that time. This was a man that trusted me enough to only require my word and a handshake. He treated me better than I deserved. He encouraged me, told me the truth about my work even when I didn't want to hear it, paid me quickly, promoted my efforts, and generally was a fundamental reason I have had success selling my art.

Unfortunately I was not able to make it in time to see him before he passed. I was able to attend his funeral. I was able to spend some time with his wife and will try and keep in touch with her as time goes on.

I love Santa Fe. This trip however was very bittersweet and emotionally draining. Usually I will spend a day or two wandering the galleries, enjoying the food, and marveling in the quality of the light. This time, I just didn't have it in me. It will always be a special place but has fundamentally changed for me.

For those that do not know my gallery work, I am posting several examples. I work in oil on either panels or canvas. Most of my work is smaller than 24 x 36 inches and the majority is less than 18 x 24. I paint the figure as if it were still life. I love painting skin and fabric. Quite honestly, in 30 years of painting I am now just learning how to do it.






3 comments:

Will Terry said...

Thanks for sharing Don - life doesn't always seem fair - love the work!

Kyle said...

beautiful work. Sorry for your loss.

I just discovered your blog and am excited to follow it!

Shar said...

i'm sorry to hear about your friend. missing people we care about is hard. thanks for sharing your thoughts.