Blog

Burgundy Vineyard, France III

Here's another painting of a vineyard in the Burgundy village of Vougeot.  In my yesterday's post, I quoted Robert Mondavi, a famous winemaker in California: "... it's wine, food and the arts.  Incorporating those three enhances the quality of life."  Yes, I can picture this, Mr. Mondavi - opening a bottle of Clos de Vougeot while tasting rich Epoisses cheese, and waiting for bouef bourguignon to be ready, in a room adorned with works of my favorite painters.  That would be such a rewarding, satisfying moment to anyone!  But wait a second, is the art original?

For the enjoyment of the genuine quality of life, I feel strongly that original art should be collected wherever possible.  So it is a mystery to me when I visit a well-to-do, art-loving family that I only see reproductions on their walls.  I cringe when I see a weekend art show in a fairly affluent community, crowded with people looking through a framed oil painting after another (Many are colorful florals, still lifes, scenes of Venice, Lake Como... and it's so obvious they are all copies, probably mass-produced overseas).  I know these people don't represent an entire population of art collectors, and there must be reasons why they don't look for originals.  But I have to ask why each time I see things like this happen.

Lori Woodward Simons, a nationally respected artist/art teacher/writer, offers one explanation: There are millions of untapped potential art collectors.  Less than 5% of the U.S. population ever enters an art gallery or museum.  This statistic rings true in my own experience; for example, in the late 1990's, I began offering portrait commissions at local fundraisers.  The families that bid on my portraits were well off.  While one could easily see that these people had highly developed their tastes with furnishings, architecture, and gadgets, the only "pictures" on their walls were photographs of their children and sometimes framed poster prints. As I became acquainted with these families, I realized that they would love to collect original art, but had no idea about how to get started.  Many times, they felt ignorant and were nervous about the idea of going into an art gallery.

Artists, it is our job to make available original art of high quality.  And it is collectors' job to be well-versed in the business of buying originals in the art world.  Together we contribute to enhancing the true quality of life.


Burgundy Vineyard, France III

Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 8.25 x 11.5 in. (on 9 x 12 in. paper)
Mat/Frame: No
Purchase: Sold