"Harbinger of Rain" 36" x 48" Sold
Painting New Orleans Blog
The Collector as Curator
7/2/2021 4:42:54 PM
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Hi Everyone,
When I was in art school, I had to endure something called the "critique", where the teacher and fellow students would stand around and criticize a painting, trying to foster artistic growth and seeking out any green shoots of creativity. Although it could be painful, I sometimes miss that kind of feedback.
What I realized recently is that there are certain collectors who somehow manage to push us forward, even though they are not artists themselves.
This was crystallized for me recently when a painting went to a local collector, a surprise birthday gift from her husband who had heard that she liked it a lot. "Nancy" is a lovely person. Everyone who meets her loves her. As her husband pointed out, Nancy would never criticize an artist or say a negative word about anyone but, she plays an outsize role in the arts community that goes beyond simply buying art. I can see it most clearly in other artists' work when Nancy buys their breakthrough pieces-- the most distinctive artwork in a series. Nancy is doing more than just buying the best pieces, she is nudging the artists to be the most daring version of themselves.
It was her husband who dubbed Nancy a "curator". I thought that was a great term as it captured some of the insights and intelligence I see in some collectors. I hope that in the future I can tune in to what they are saying and grow to be the best version of myself. I am thankful that Nancy loves the painting "Harbinger of Rain" and honored to have it hanging above her mantle in her home. |
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