Mother Load

A piece I painted after the success of my first Print, received great success. People who bought the first print wanted to be included in the opportunity to own the second.

After Mother Load, I was asked to serve on the board of Ducks Unlimited. Which at this time only had men serving on the board. I was assigned the duty of selecting the art that would be offered at the auction dinner. I was not aware that Ducks Unlimited has an enormous selection of donated free artwork. I selected the pieces I felt were the best. At that point, I decided not to include my artwork in Ducks Unlimited Auctions; it is not a good auction for artists. It's a good place if you are in the market to buy art and get it at very inexpensive prices. I felt it stigmatized artwork and lowered its value. I resigned after that one dinner. It is an excellent place for a buyer; it was not for me and my art.

I tell prospective buyers the story of Mother Load, and it always seems to enhance their interest in the piece.

Watercolor in its pure form does not allow for the use of “white” period. The only white we, as purest, have is the white of the paper. Thus, when I had Mother Load Printed, many people, knowing my obedience to the rules of watercolor, wanted to know how I achieved the opaque color in the lower right-hand corner. I had to confess that in an early morning session, I accidentally dipped my brush into my coffee in which I use a lot of cream. Rather than abandon the piece, I finished the corner with this tasteful addition. It’s a great conversation point.