I hadn't expected it. It was simply a chance encounter, but there it was- that immediate attraction, a quickening of the pulse, that warm flush of knowing.
The feelings were not unknown to me, and the warning questions flashed. Can I trust my judgment? Can I afford to get involved? Do I take it slow, or do I let passion guide me?
Art at first sight
Sound familiar? I'm talking about falling in love-a wonderful experience that can happen in that love-at-first-sight moment, after a few dates, or even through the passage of years.
But I'm also talking about falling in love with art. Because it's absolutely true that falling in love with a work of art is much like falling in love.
There can be that intense passion of the moment, the evolving and steadying of the relationship over time, and then, as the relationship grows and the passion mellows a bit, you recognize the qualities that, for a multiplicity of reasons, originally attracted you.
And as all lovers have a story, each piece of art in my home can rekindle fond memories and passionate moments. Some have revealed impulses that I wasn't aware of-aggressiveness and possessiveness, for example.
I was at a silent auction several years back and fell head-over-heels for an African mask. I was definitely hot for it, but when the bidding war began, it was clear that several other people were too. So I hovered near the mask, intense, vigilant, rewriting my name and upping my bid on the list each time someone outbid me. As the moment came for the auction to end, I scribbled my name making the final bid. The whistle blew, signaling the end. I was ecstatic, but then a rival slipped over and topped my bid.
Foul! I cried, unabashedly making a scene. My cries did not go unheard. The auction police erased his name, and I rejoiced and went home with my trophy.
And then the next morning, I wondered, have I spent too much?
The mask is mine
Maybe I did. At least for my budget at the time, but the good news was that I had the mask in hand. Thinking overly much about price can often get in the way of my ever making a purchase, and I never get the art home.
I have learned, too, that the gallery owners in this town are willing to work with a buyer and will take payments in installments. I've purchased this way, and it's a thrill making that final payment and claiming the art as my own. But you may not have to buy this way as prices of art in most galleries vary widely to support a range of budgets.
Sucking up the art
It is true, however, that if I buy a piece of original art, I've chosen not to buy something else. But I make choices about how I spend my money every day. Buying original simply means taking more time and effort to save.
But the joy and well being I discover in hanging a beautiful piece of art on my wall or placing a new statue in the garden is something I can't get from a new Hoover. And art increases in value, it endures for generations.
My Hoover doesn't.
Art also gives me opportunities to assess and re-evaluate my aesthetic over time. Art challenges, provokes and satisfies. My Hoover doesn't.
So consider art. View it; find out what you like. The galleries in town are hosting a First Friday art walk on July 6.
Check it out. Maybe you'll fall in love.
Amy Richard has lived in Ashland since 1990, was Revels editor at The Tidings for three years, and since June of 1998 has been media relations director for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
Amy Richard
