Old Friends for Sale

Most of us are familiar with the old adage "If you love something, set it free." This is not only a lovely sentiment but also a constant practice for artists. As individuals who have an innate need to translate our thoughts and feelings into visual, tactile and audible forms, we seldom create with the intention of retention. That said, a true bond does occur between artists and their work.

For as long as it has been documented, art-making has been compared to the birthing process and paintings to offspring. While physically, the comparison seems absurd, conceptually I get it. I've heard many a woman say that she initially bonded with her children at that amazing moment when she first felt them move within her growing tummy. Others say the bond began immediately after they learned that they were pregnant. Some artists bond with their work from the moment of conception. I bond with mine during its execution. Once the composition begins to fall into place and the piece has communicated to me what its colors will be, I know that I have embarked on a new and complicated relationship.

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