Art Explains
Art leans back in his chair and looks around the room, examining everything except for Rich. At that moment, Art appears like nothing so much as a stray dog, cornered and frightened. For a moment, you’re not sure what’s going to happen next. Anything seems possible.
Then Art closes his eyes and goes quiet for a moment. When he opens them again, he’s regained his composure. He draws a breath and launches into his story. He speaks spasmodically and fast. You struggle to keep up with your notes. Rich just sits back and listens, occasionally picking up his pen to jot down a brief note.
“I don’t want to go to prison,” Art says again. Only this time, he says it in a calm, even tone, firm with resolution.
“I’ve always done well with my painting. It’s the only thing I ever do, only thing I’ve ever done. I can’t say that I do a good job or bad, because it’s all I do. I paint.”
“And people have always seemed to want my paintings, which used to amuse me. I mean I paint all the time anyway, so it someone wants to go through and buy from the piles of canvas I have in my shed, then so be it.
“But I don’t see it that way now. Wasn’t too long after I got out of art school that I realized I need to eat. And I’m not trained to do any other kind of work.
“So I met this woman? At one of my local shows? Her name’s Katya and she owns a big swanky gallery in Manhattan. Well, long story short, she got all excited about my work and said she wanted to help me sell my art through her gallery.
Then Art closes his eyes and goes quiet for a moment. When he opens them again, he’s regained his composure. He draws a breath and launches into his story. He speaks spasmodically and fast. You struggle to keep up with your notes. Rich just sits back and listens, occasionally picking up his pen to jot down a brief note.
“I don’t want to go to prison,” Art says again. Only this time, he says it in a calm, even tone, firm with resolution.
“I’ve always done well with my painting. It’s the only thing I ever do, only thing I’ve ever done. I can’t say that I do a good job or bad, because it’s all I do. I paint.”
“And people have always seemed to want my paintings, which used to amuse me. I mean I paint all the time anyway, so it someone wants to go through and buy from the piles of canvas I have in my shed, then so be it.
“But I don’t see it that way now. Wasn’t too long after I got out of art school that I realized I need to eat. And I’m not trained to do any other kind of work.
“So I met this woman? At one of my local shows? Her name’s Katya and she owns a big swanky gallery in Manhattan. Well, long story short, she got all excited about my work and said she wanted to help me sell my art through her gallery.