Print Sale Wrap-Up

We had a very nice print sale, the one that ended yesterday. We sold 55 prints, very nice for all concerned.

A friend mentioned that among the kinds of businesses selling art prints or photographic prints in real-world situations—frame shops or little local art galleries that sell work in the two- to low four-figure range range—almost none ever sells 55 prints of a single artwork. It's easy to forget how remarkable that is. So it's our customary win-win-win—buyers, artist, and TOP all come out ahead and happy. Especially for an unsigned print by an unknown artist, 55 sales is excellent! Congratulations to Chester.

I don't know about you, but artwork, for me, transforms—perhaps I might say "evolves"—with familiarity. Sometimes what happens is that I like it more and more as time passes, and I value and appreciate it more and more. My "liking" for it deepens. I've mentioned that I have a Paul Caponigro poster that I bought in 1981, and I love it so much that today it's the only visual art of any kind I have hanging in my bedroom. Other times, my interest seems to subside and...not wither, exactly, but sort of tail off. Usually I don't ever come to dislike that sort of work, but it doesn't have legs—after a while I can sort of take it or leave it. This happens with my own pictures, too.

And our own feelings aren't always the only reason to own a print. Sometimes we like it that other people like it, or we like the colors go with the room or the room light, or we associate it with feelings or memories—the list can be as long as your arm. Sometimes it just expresses us. And sometimes we just like it for a while and that's enough, because it's okay for art to be a "consumable," too. For me, music is essentially a consumable, for instance...I almost always move on*. But the music I'm into at any given time sure gives me a lot of pleasure while I'm into it.

Here's hoping that at least a significant fraction of the 55 of you who bought our print get plenty of pleasure out of it! In times to come. This was fun to do, and we all had a good week. Many thanks.

Mike

*I have to laugh at myself...as I wrote these words I happened to be listening to "Bridge of Sighs" for about the 500th time. The statement is true in general, however.

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Comments

[Michael]

Mike I think you may have missed a trick here by not publishing the background story a few days ahead of the print sale as I believe it would have encouraged a few more of your readers to buy.
Michael.

[That could well be true. --Mike]

[MikeR]

I hesitated to buy another print, because our walls are full. Then my wife saw the image - and she bought it.

Ponte dei sospiri? And, first I've heard of Robin Trower. Recommended?

[James]

<*I have to laugh at myself...as I wrote these words I happened to be listening to "Bridge of Sighs"........>

Oh yeah? Well I was just listening to "Messin The Blues" from
"Long Misty Days". Gotta love it - 'cept it's too short.

[Bear.]

Mike / Chester,
I would have loved to buy a print - I really, really liked the shot and am glad you sold so many - but unless or until Mike can sell me wall hanging space with his prints sales, no prints for me for the foreseeable future...
Bear.

[Gary J Alessi]

Wondering which Caponigro image is on your poster?