Day: July 6, 2018

A blog reader in the Midwest messaged me last night to say she wished to buy the “chicken” vase by Ed Gulley and she wanted to pay $200 for it, $100 for Ed and $100 for me for any purpose I chose. I showed the message to Maria, I said this was an especially nice message to get.

I accepted her very gracious offer and asked for her mailing address.

I showed Maria the e-mail and she said that I had missed the point, the sender meant to buy the vase as a gift for me, not for  herself. I completely missed that. I went back and forth telling her she didn’t need to do that, but she was insistent, and I do love the vase, and would love to have it in my office.

I was with Ed when he drew it on the new acrylic paint I had brought him and I would be very happy to have it in my study. I fussed about it and Maria said of course you should accept it, and so I did accept.

Ed is doing more painting on glass today, and there may be more things of his to sell. This was an extraordinarily gracious thing for anyone to do, I did tear up a bit, I guess I am more emotional about this than I realize.

I talked with he and Carol this morning and urged them both to take this slowly and carefully, I hoped Ed would only make a few things today, and only things he wanted to make rather than things people were asking for. Carol very much agreed. She is an artist too.

I see a lot of generosity from people, I guess it sometimes still really surprises me. The angel who gave it to me did not give me permission to use her name.

I’m grateful to have it, and thanks to all of you who are buying Ed’s art work.

I do want to explain one thing. As I mentioned above, a  lot of people are asking me about custom-ordered art from Ed, they want a certain color or style or they want a certain kind of jar. On principle, I can’t accept orders like that, this isn’t a commercial household outlet, it is a question of supporting an artist who is unleashing his creativity as he struggles to stay live.

The idea is to support an artist, not get a certain cover or glass, so it’s a take-it-or-leave it kind of thing. I would hate this to become a commercial kind of transaction, that is not what Ed is about.

I will put up a certain amount of Ed’s art, and people can choose to buy it or not – their business, not mine – but I won’t ask Ed to meet custom orders or sell them. His spontaneity and feelings are what the art is about. I won’t ever tell him what to make.

Thanks again, dear woman, for the vase. I will cherish it.

 

It’s funny about Dyslexia, some symbols I always remember, some I always forget. I am always sure of what I am seeing, but not always certain of what to call it. I always know the Poppy, for some mysterious reason, I always recognize it.

Our first Poppy came up in the garden this morning, and it was lovely and graceful, and I greeted it as an old friend, one whose name I always remember.

What is the purpose of art, anyway? To uplift, challenge, provoke and stretch the boundaries of our imagination. I never take photos inside of the farmhouse, unless it is about a dog or a renovation.

Some people come her looking for photos of cute puppies, and there are many of those, but of course I want than that for myself and my own sense of art and creativity.

We maintain our own circle of privacy and protect our intimacy, even in the spirit of sharing our open lives. People often ask us if we are comfortable sharing our lives, and I often say they don’t see the parts we don’t share, and there are many. We choose what we wish to be seen.

We are both artists, both creatives, we support that in one another. From the first, my photographs have been love letters to Maria, a private and sacred communications system, a way in which we talk to one another.

This morning, coming downstairs, I saw this gorgeous image of color, light and love. Maria was in the shower, the bathroom door was open, I was so moved by this image of beauty and art, and by the colors that framed it. I took the photo and then showed it to her, I asked if it was all right with her if I put it up on the blog. After all, one is entitled to absolute privacy showing in a bathroom.

She hesitated for a moment, inspected the image carefully, and said, as I suspected she would, that of course I should put it up on the blog. it was beautiful, she said, it was art, and art, of all things, should surprise us and push against boundaries.

I was happy to hear that, because I loved the photo and certainly would not have ever put it up unless she was totally comfortable with it. I like the idea of pushing against boundaries without going too far or being offensive. That’s my way of doing it.

It captures a moment familiar to all of us, but so special to me.

And it reveals nothing but grace and beauty, and is another message in the annals of my love with her, and of course I should share it with the people who share our lives.