Creating Keepers

You complete a painting when you are satisfied with the end product. It is your best work at the time and it is ready to be released into the world. Hopefully it has much exposure and many people can connect with it. Someone makes the purchase and your art has a meaning in a home proudly displayed. Many years pass and the painting maybe recollected into a different setting or home. Most of the time you never find this out until the collector actually contacts you. Recently I had this happen to me on two occasions. One collector emailed me to confirm that I was the artist on a piece they were resurrecting from being in storage for ten years. Another collector again wanted to confirm a painting I had done about 15 years ago that they had just purchased from the original collector. I recycle canvases after I accept that a painting is not working and I simply paint over it. That is what is nice about painting on a hard surface such as hard board or wood panels.

Keeping to the idea of recycling, Ikea is going further with "circular Ikea". Steve Howard, Ikea's head of sustainability, said at a recent Sustainable Business debate hosted by The Guardian that "If we look on a global basis, in the west we have probably hit peak stuff," he is quoted as saying. "We talk about peak oil. I'd say we've hit peak red meat, peak sugar, peak stuff... peak home furnishings." To make what he is saying a bit difficult to swallow is that he still thinks the company will meet its goal of doubling sales by 2020. Achieving this by investing in renewable power, find clean energy sources for its shops and factories, and create, this is the best part, a "circular Ikea" where costumers will be encouraged to repair and recycle items. Sure hope it works out.

Quiet Waters,  Oil, 16" X 16", 2016