Shortly after I started painting, I took a trip to visit my sister in Alabama. I usually fly because it’s a long trip from Greensboro, but this time I decided to drive. Why? Because I couldn’t bear the thought of going a week without painting. So I loaded up my supplies and headed south! I included the 3 or 4 paintings I had completed in classes I was taking because my sister wanted to see them. A couple of days after arriving, she had some friends over for an afternoon of Rummy. I’ve played cards with this group before and it’s a blast, so I was looking forward to it. The stakes are high with this crowd - $1 per game! My paintings were propped up around the kitchen and family room. My sister loves beautiful art as much as I do and has some stunning original works in her home on the Tennessee river! When the guests arrived, they immediately noticed my paintings, and one of the women went over to the sunflowers I had painted only a few days before and said “I want that – can I buy it?” What??? Um… er… well, why not?? After greeting over my shock, I heard myself say “ Absolutely!”. And bam, just like that, I had sold my first painting! The oil paint was actually still wet!

Let me say here that I was so new to painting, selling one had never even entered my mind. And with my lack of experience in that area, I didn’t think about the fact that the painting wasn’t entirely my own original art – I had had supervised instruction from my current art teacher. Of course, I disclosed this to the buyer, but she didn’t mind – she just wanted that painting hanging in her house! I pondered briefly about it, but figured that since I was up front about where and how I painted it, it was okay. The next question was the price, and I floundered big time on that, but we worked it out. It did get me thinking, though, about the definition of “original art”. And that’s a post for another day!

Almost one year later (and many classes), I was commissioned by a dear friend to paint her vacation home as a Christmas present for her husband. She decided after seeing the first painting that she had commissioned, of the house in winter, she decided she wanted one of the house in summer! So challenging but so fun, and an honor to be entrusted with such a special commission! I had spent the last year immersed in painting – workshops and classes in the foundation skills and various painting styles, drawing anytime I was sitting down, and practicing and experimenting in my studio – never thinking at all about selling my art. I was motivated solely by the pure joy and thrill of learning, experimenting, and creating. It was exhilarating! In the art world, they call it “self-taught”; however, I use that term loosely. So much of what I’ve learned has been and continues to be from some amazingly talented teachers, and then studied and explored at home in my studio. I am eternally grateful to these instructors for sharing their knowledge and talent!

First commission, "Mountain House", 16x20 Oil on canvas

"Mountain House in Winter", 16x20 Oil on canvas

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