Ars Longa Vita Brevis

Hope everyone is having a wonderful fall.  My wife and I just took a short trip to Camden and Bar Harbor, where the weather was splendid and the foliage spectacular. Took lots of pictures, and put a number of them out on Twitter (@daviddpearce) and Instagram (majnoonleyla).

As followers of this blog will know, I started painting while serving overseas as a U.S. diplomat. It was a welcome antidote to high-stress work in Algeria, Afghanistan, and Greece. Although a number of Greek and other friends encouraged me to exhibit my work, I checked with the State Department ethics lawyers, who advised against it, lest it create the appearance that I was using my position to advance my painting career. 

So I did nothing except hang a few pieces in my own home and, at the instance of the embassy public affairs officer, put some Greek watercolors out on Twitter. The purpose there was to show the human side of the U.S. ambassador and reflect my avid interest, as a former Classics student, in Greek history and culture.  Few will be surprised to learn that my Greek Twitter followers appreciated the watercolors far more than the official photos and USG policy statements.

Nevertheless, as long as I remained in government service I carefully steered clear of trying to sell anything or place work in galleries or other venues for sale.

Once I returned to the private sector, the situation was different. I could start the business of learning about the art business. I built my website. Friends asked me for prints, and I could oblige.

Now, one of the things artists do is take part in shows. At first, I hesitated to do this, not having done one before and unsure where to start. Then, a few months ago, I saw a notice that there would be an art festival fairly close to where I live in Maine. I decided to give it a go, and I'm glad I did, because I learned a lot.

The process involves submitting a number of pieces and then waiting to see if any of your work is selected. Three jurors decide, from over 600 works submitted, which 170 will make the cut. The jurors for the 2019 show were Bob Keyes, arts writer for the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram, Anne Haas, art librarian at Bowdoin College, and Wes LaFountain, art curator, formerly at Greenhut Gallery, most recently at Phillips Exeter Academy.

Most of the 120 artists selected are represented by one piece, some by two. I was one of the lucky minority to have two pieces picked, Sumac Bush and Damascus Gate, Jerusalem. I submitted relatively small-sized pieces in order to keep prices within the range in which festival organizers had indicated most purchasers made purchases the previous year.

I don't know what the chances are of actually selling these two pieces, but I have already profited just from the experience of entering the show.  I may even do it again.

So if you're anywhere near Yarmouth, Maine on October 23-26, come on down. Tell your friends. I will be on hand for the October 24 artists' reception.

The entire catalog of works to be shown can be found at https://yarmouthartfestival.com