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Thursday, May 26, 2011

How to Be a Burden to your Children

                       "The Librarian of Congress"

The above is one of my many unsold paintings. I am rather fond of it.  Still, it sits in a basement rack with many other paintings I'm fond of.  In ten years of painting, I have been prodigious.  I chalk it up to the excitement of discovering a talent late in life.  Just last year I produced 40 paintings. (I was painting for two shows.) More than half of them are now stacked in my dining room.  In twenty years of writing, I  wrote five novels, a two food reference books and hundreds of recipes.  All of which fit neatly in a several cartons in the basement.  (The wolf spiders seem to enjoy curling up with these.)   I can't help but wonder what will become of the paintings.  I will never be famous or in serious demand.  Reasonable people might suggest I stop painting.

I've donated dozens of paintings to the Art League Patron show over the years. My friends and family's houses are already clotted with my paintings.  I've whited-out many pieces and reused the canvases for new work.  

When my mother died, my brothers and I wanted her few remaining paintings. Spirited words were said.  And when I die, my kids will fight over who gets my paintings.  But neither will want custody.

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