Over the years, I have participated in numerous art shows and festivals (including the one in the accompanying picture). I have always enjoyed sharing my art with others. I have also enjoyed teaching others how to draw and paint so they could express their own creativity through art.
When my wife was helping me load my drawings and paintings into our truck for my first art festival, she noticed a painting sitting off to the side and asked, “Why aren’t you taking that painting?” I told her that I didn’t really like it. To which she replied, “Why don’t you take it. Someone might like it.” I reluctantly relented and placed that painting with the others.
Those of you who have participated in an art festival—or even attended one—are aware of the joyful energy that infuses such events. As we set up my booth, my wife and I talked about how fun it was, after having attended other festivals, to finally be participating in one!
As people started to arrive in numbers to the festival, I began to get visitors to my booth. I enjoyed watching people react to my artwork. One of the first people to visit was an older gentleman and he walked slowly back and forth among my paintings. I soon turned my attention to greet others who were arriving at my booth.
All of a sudden, that older gentleman said, “I’d like to purchase this one.” I excitedly turned to see him pointing to—guess which painting. That’s right, the one that I had planned on leaving behind because I didn’t like it. Trying to keep my utter surprise to myself I approached the man. He explained, “This pastoral scene reminds me of the rolling meadows on the farm I grew up on. I want to hang this painting in my home for my family to enjoy.”
My wife gave me an amused grin as I processed the sale.
As the gentleman walked away, my wife remarked, “Your first sale at an art festival! Aren’t you happy you brought that painting?” I thanked her for convincing me to bring it and while doing so, I felt a deep sense of humility.
That day, I learned an incredibly important lesson—one that every artist learns sooner or later (hopefully the former!). That lesson is put forth in a phrase we have all heard: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. We all see beauty through our unique lenses. I also learned another, and equally important, lesson that day: Do not undervalue or underestimate the importance of my unique creations. It was humbling to see the value and importance another human being accorded to one of my creations—one that I had been ready to discard…
It was a wise and knowing Henry Wadsworth Longfellow who said, “Give what you have. To someone, it may be better than you dare to think.”