Art and Money!

Last week Jean-Michel Basquiat's 1982 painting, untitled and depicting a skull, sold for $110.5 million.

Last evening, three paintings of mine (titled) (no skulls) were on display at the opening of a Compassion and Appreciation for the Natural World fundraising exhibit for the World Wildlife Fund, where the take was good … but not quite $110.5 million.

Nonetheless, what an honor to have my paintings accepted to the exhibit, and to have my art participate in quiet activism. The exhibit was sponsored by Compassion Anthology, an organization/publication that promotes compassionate thought and action through the arts. This current exhibit/fundraiser is supported by the Beverly Arts District, and benefits the World Wildlife Fund in its mission to help those in business and government make sound decisions regarding natural resources and the environment in general, holding paramount the protection of vulnerable species, places, and communities worldwide.

This was a first adventure for me in exhibiting. I was delighted by and grateful for the presence of family, friends, and tutoring clients who supported both me and the WWF at the opening last night. I learned a tremendous amount through the prep I did for submitting and showing my work, totally enjoyed stepping out of my day-to-day routines to meet other artists and have the gift of conversations with 'my people,' and came away with both leads to follow and a palpable sense of a shift in my art life to move more fully into the world beyond my own four studio walls.

Hanging Out Together and Stoned Soul Picnic
rubbing shoulders with other paintings in the Compassion exhibit opening