What a silly question you might be thinking. Of course, not much at all would happen if the painter was down with cold and flu – bedridden for most of three and a half days to be exact. But this is not so. A painting is sold and carefully wrapped and then shipped to its destination in Michigan, U.S. A. on the first day of partial recovery.
NAVY CHANNEL EARLY OCTOBER should have left with the Canada Post boat yesterday on its journey to a new home where I am already convinced it will be well loved and appreciated.
It is the first original painting for 2013 to set off to new lands and I wish it well and trust it will bring great joy to its new owners.
Then there is the musing between long fevered naps as to which of three completed paintings to release next. The paintings could be released all at once but what is the fun in that? It is so nice to give them each a chance to walk out on stage solo and take their first bow to the audience without feeling they are being edged along by the painting coming behind or tripping over the one that is ahead. So it is decided. On the first day of feeling better EVENING THUNDERCLOUDS OVER THE STRAIT OF GEORGIA is released with flurry of dramatic sentiments.
The hyperlink will take you to the full story over at http://terrillwelchartist.com.
But more than all of this – what happens in the art studio if the painter catches a cold is pondering and reflection, musing and mulling and ultimately evaluating and in this case setting a direct course to more painting. You see, if the next ten years are this artist’s best painting years and this artist paints about 40 paintings a year that is a total of only four hundred paintings. If this artist did not sell one of these paintings would the artist’s spouse be willing to live with the carefully stacked, well-organized and cataloged collection of these works in their living space? You can see where this is going I am sure.
Spouse replies as expected “Of course Darling, we have plenty of walls space left.”
Now the artist, the spouse and you readers know that there has never been much for wall space in this timber-framed house of glass but it is just the answer the artist wants to hear. Paintings will continue to be sold and they will continue to find new homes but it is not an equal priority with the work of painting in this artist’s independent studio. The process of marketing and selling will be bounced just a little farther down the list – not off the list, just down.
What does this mean for the weeks ahead as this artist begins to feel better and again settles into her regular studio schedule? Well, it means first priority is to paint. Second priority is to inventory and organize finished work. Third priority is to assess effectiveness of current online and physical venues for showing work and consolidate where appropriate. Fourth priority is to seek new venues and opportunities to sell paintings. And so, the 2013 artist strategic planning session comes to a close as the blankets are thrown back and the coughing subsides.
The lesson – never underestimate the effectiveness of a cold in an artist’s studio.
What positive outcomes were the result of the last cold that you caught?
© 2013 Terrill Welch, All rights reserved.
Liberal usage granted with written permission. See “About” for details.
Creative Potager – Visit with painter and photographer Terrill Welch
From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada
For gallery and purchase information about Terrill’s photographs and paintings go to http://terrillwelchartist.com
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Creative Potager 
Such lovely paintings, Terrill. And what a positive mind set. Congratulations. So glad to hear that you’re feeling better.
Looking forward to a chat in the not too distant future, hopefully.
Thank you Leanne. I am not really quite better but I am well on my way… well enough to go out for a late lunch without worrying I am going to give this dreadful germ to someone else – remembering to cough into the elbow of course. And with luck, a chat should be ours sometime soon 🙂
Terrill – I love the word picture you painted:
“It is so nice to give them each a chance to walk out on stage solo and take their first bow to the audience without feeling they are being edged along by the painting coming behind or tripping over the one that is ahead.”
A bit of lime light for each of them!
What positive outcomes were the result of the last cold that you caught?
We had sixteen people for a sit-down Christmas dinner. One of them was a very sick young child. Bless his little heart, that resulted in five very sick adults, myself included. As you know, being flat on one’s back provides the opportunity for contemplation. Deep contemplation — seeds planted in my inner ecology. I have a foggy idea of what’s going to unfurl, but I won’t know for sure until it comes into full bloom. I’ll let you know once I can clearly see the blossoms in my heart’s garden.
Ah yes, then you know exactly what I am talking about in the area of cold and bedridden contemplation. I sense there is something new brewing on the horizon for you and I look forward to our invitation to see some of the tender early blossoms in your heart’s garden. Exciting times.
I love what you say about the process of painting being more interesting to you than the act of selling paintings — I feel the same way about writing songs, in that the greatest pleasure for me comes from the act of writing, and then any appreciation that I might get for the songs is really “gravy.”
True Chris. I do enjoy sharing and selling my paintings but it is not what gets me up in the morning and into the studio. Though admittedly it can be a lot of fun hanging a new show or doing an open studio day. I am one of those beings that likes to clearly set my intention sometimes several times in a day. It helps me to make the best decision when I know where my priority rests. So if my conscious efforts are on painting first then this is what I will do. There will be a time when marketing and selling my work will take on a higher priority for me but not during the next few months. Oh I will keep doing what is working for sure – I will just be careful about what new I add. Hope this makes sense.
Your descriptions are marvelous and I imagine you wandering through recovery with a cuppa tea and some good music as you muse venturing forth with brush and outcomes.
I am holding my own this flu season or cold season…a headache from the oiling of the wood buffet cabinet in the dining room. My partner is painting the walls in dining, living and office rooms – that wonderful blue which stays cool and changes colors in the light…He was disappointed not to be on the historic home tour this year but he could not show off because of the fade of the walls. I am allergic to the oil – my nose is stuffed each morning and throat sore…then I part take of the walk and find relief. It does make me rather slow for writing, but the computer/ office room will be next, I must stay busy to get it done.
I am of the school that when I first feel ill, I take a sweat bath, dose myself with Vit C and fall into bed for several days. I have not had a major cold (knock on wood :)) for a number of years. With my kidney problems this is a blessing.
Good rest, good health, and good art to you.
Ah the healing and getting well seems to be progressing nicely on this end Patricia – though I do kind of run out of steam by the afternoon. Napping is a nice solution though. Good luck with all the painting. We have taken to using the aura paints but a person can’t do that if they already have an oil paint base.
Ahhh, I can feel it. Today, I slipped on the ice and my right thigh is swollen, and I can barely walk. So here I am typing away. To you. Loving your post. And wondering how this injury will effect me long term (I am justing starting to recover from a 3 month arm injury that occurred while mountain biking). It shouldn’t effect my time at the computer and creating art, but my exercise program will suffer still. Both are important. So I will construct other ways to be creative and be forward thinking. Certainly inspired by your commentary. And by the way I love your work.
Thank you Walter! I fell down our stairs to the loft a while ago and know all about the discomfort a large bruise on the thigh. Sounds like you got the perfect mix for recovery laid you here. Good luck with it Walter and I wish the best with your healing process and your creative endeavors.
Terrill—
I’d like to wish you a cold more often, but I wouldn’t dare! Ha! I do well understand though that creativity is not guided by physical well-being all the time. Last time I was laid up, I watched some movies. So creative, so out of the ordinary. LOL!!!!
No, no more colds Sam I am still getting better from this one. Wow! it has been a wicked adventure. I think I have it on the run now but I almost had to give my best lion roar to get it to turn on its heels. I watched a lot of movies this time too. We got the Canadian version of Netflix which has added to our options along with the few we are still getting from Zip.