And a Final Art Show Lesson

The arts and crafts show my husband and I coordinated gave us the chance to talk with a lot of people about our art. I like to joke that my work would be appropriate to hang in someone’s home, while Steve’s work is thought-provoking and conversation-generating. He says I’m a realist and he’s a surrealist.

‘Musicians.’ Oil, 18 x 24 inches, by Donna Mills

One thing I noticed, though, is that sharing art in any form brings people together. The conversations and connections created as people strolled from exhibit to exhibit, voicing appreciation as the artists enthusiastically talked about their work, was a great community builder.

On a personal note, a man I generally find challenging to deal with stopped by to view my paintings, and he shared some of his own backround as a watercolorist. When he said he doesn’t paint in oil because he can’t deal with the fumes from the turpenoid, I told him about a product that works as well as turpenoid, but is completely odorless. He expressed appreciation for the recommendation, complimented me on my work, and moved on.

Some of the barriers between us were broken down as a result of that brief conversation. Perhaps next time we meet, we will be able to relate in a more positive way. An unexpected gift of art!