Delivery Music

Yesterday Handsome Husband and I traveled up to the Norfolk Arts Center to pick up my paintings from their 4th Juried Exhibit.


"Is that all there is to it? HH asked, " Just waltz in, pick up your paintings and head for the car?"

"Yes," I said. "It’s kind of like dropping them off, only in reverse."

"Hmph", he harumphed. "Seems like there should be something more to it than just this."

I know what he means. Simply walking in and walking out seems incomplete. After all, a lot of effort goes into making it into these exhibits.

First off you create a masterful piece of art. Photograph it multiple times. Fill out the application form – completely. Properly identify images on CD. Write or update your artist’s statement (which takes monumental dedication), and bio. Write out a check to accompany the application and CD, and dash to the Post Office just minutes before closing. Then wait for the magic envelope to appear announcing your acceptance into the exhibit.

Hopefully, the next step is to deliver the artwork. Sometimes that involves building a safe container for shipping with another mad dash to the Post Office, other times a drive of several hours for hand delivery. It's a big committment in time, finances and energy.

HH and I believe a little TLC on the part of the exhibiting venue is in order.

A parade would be a nice touch. Nothing fancy like New York’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade of course. A couple of high school bands, a baton twirler, one of those guys in the little scooters would be fine. The bands wouldn’t even have to play the Hallalujah Chorus, a simple high school marching band rendition of "Louie Louie" would suffice. A couple horses bringing up the rear.

Since some venues might not have the resources to produce even a couple of clown cars, couldn’t there at least be music? Maybe it’s my television-addled brain, but it seems to me that when significant events occur on television (which, as we all know, is a perfect reflection of real life) there is theme music, even if it’s only barely audible. Something along the line of Theme from Rocky  would really set the tone.
If you're really confident about your artwork,  I Feel Good  would be awesome to march in to.  Anything to add to the occasion, something uplifting and exciting to herald the delivery of the next Best of Show and Big Check painting.

©2011 Patricia Scarborough 6x9 pastel  Created to "It's a Wonderful World" in my best Louis Armstrong voice

Extra attention is even more appropriate when picking up artwork after the exhibit has concluded. Egos might be a bit raw if your art didn’t sell, or wasn’t noticed by the judge. At this time, a parade is probably unnecessary since a parade for 3 (Best of Show, first and second runner up) is extravagant by anyone’s standards. However, a small group of volunteers could easily form a line to pat you on the back, congratulate you on your effort, or even chat about the lovely weather we’re having. I nominate Frank Sinatra signing “My Way” ,
or even Tubthumping by Chumbawumba. (Or maybe its Chumbawumba by Tubthumping. I can never tell.)

What extra attention would you like when delivering or picking up? A harpist? Perhaps balloons released upon your arrival. Doves? (Not so much on the birds. There are usually repercussions.)

You choose. How would you like to be treated when you next deliver your artwork to an exhibit?

Hug Your Local Artist

I’ve had three lovely things happen to me lately that have served to keep me going through the dreary days of not-quite-spring. These small events encouraged me when I needed a boost, and got me to thinking.

I have the pleasure of claiming a delightful woman in her 90’s as my friend. For fun I gave her a package containing 4 greeting cards with images of my work on them. Several weeks later I happened to see them carefully laid out on her table, unused. “I’m waiting for frames for them”, she said. “I could never actually use them, they’re too beautiful for that!” For that sweet comment I carefully matted and framed them, and now they’re hanging over her couch in an artful display.

©2008 Patricia Scarborough  Spruce Ridge Greeting Card.  Original 11x9 pastel

Long long ago I painted a mural above the fireplace in a woman’s home at her request. It was a simple painting of her homestead long since destroyed by water from a reclamation project. She passed away years ago, and honestly, I’d forgotten about it. Just recently I was visiting with the young woman whose family moved into that house and she said to me, “The mural is still there, and we love it. We’re thrilled to have your painting in our home. Our 4-year old makes up stories about the family who used to live in the house.”

And just last week an artist whose work I’ve always admired called me on the phone. She said, “I wanted to let you know I’ve just spent a lovely afternoon looking at your artwork on the web. Thank you for making the afternoon so pleasant.”

©2008 Patricia Scarborough Indian Summer Greeting Card  Original 24x18 pastel

And here's what I got to thinking about.

There’s a lot of talk out there about Advocating For The Arts. Usually the conversation turns to dollar amounts in the millions, federal funding, public art projects and the like. Support is not just voting for a bill or waiting for a donor to build a theater.What we forget is that supporting the Arts can - and should - begin at a very basic level.

Embracing the Arts is as simple as a conversation between you and someone else. It’s appreciating what another person does, and communicating that feeling. It’s a simple “thank you” or “nice job”.

Its signing your kid up for a dance class and letting them learn the joy of movement no matter how clumsy they are. It’s learning how to let that kid play with pipe cleaners and paint and not worry about whether they’re gifted or not. It's learning to ask questions about what you see, learning to wonder about how something came to be, whether it’s three-year old’s tempera paint blob or the Eiffel Tower.

It’s Handsome Husband listening to his wife struggling to get the idea out.

It’s not complicated, really. Think about it. What do you do to support the Arts?