i'm Not That Famous

I have relatives who are however.

Terry Redlin. Famous, rich and lots of other good things. He is also a really decent human. And, he is getting older and his health is drifting.

We all will. You, Me, and your little dog TOTO too.

There was a time when Terry was NOT famous or rich. He was a lowly artist composer for a magazine targeted to farmers of the Dakota’s. He also made entries into duck stamp contests which he consistently lost. Into his 40’s he was just another guy who couldn’t sell his art or even get it looked at. All his life, all his art education, all his efforts seemed destined to end up on the ash heap of making sure the picture of the seed corn bag in the magazine ad looked OK.

He had a penchant for sending finished works and prints to friends and relatives just because. My brother Jim received early numbered prints of everything Terry did. Jim had done some heroic things that shall be the subject of another post. Terry felt it good to honor him in this way. So he “sowed” prints into other’s lives that later became prominent. Every kind of Ducks Unlimited banquet, every charity that needed a contribution got a Terry Redlin print (Free). This accomplished two things. First, it kept his closet clean and it published his name and art wide and far and positioned him as a man of compassion when in reality he might have been cleaning out his garage.

When Terry became famous and was becoming rich he asked Jim if it was ok to stop. Jim understood and it did.

I mention all this because I also understand that Van Gogh or Monet (my art history is poor) burned his works at one time for heat. I know that is part of the plot of La Boheme. Burning a great novel in the stove for heat.

That’s why I grieved a little as a person I admire, who in anger or disgust, I’m not sure what, began burning artwork that undoubtedly has (had) merit. I don’t have the right to be critical. I don’t have enough understanding to know what this all means. I do know that given to appropriate charities for auction would be just as effective as fire. If they burn it you’ll never know. If not and someone asks about the work the artists name becomes known. Would this not be as good or maybe better than a fire?

I know the Biblical basis for all this. Sowing and Reaping. Casting your bread on waters. Give and it shall be given to you.

I guess with art our soul is involved. A little bit of who we are. Music is one thing. We sing a song, it’s gone into the ether and we sing another. When a baby bird falls from the nest and is eaten by a cat the mother bird sings. Music is the voice of the soul. Joni Mitchell asked, “do you think anyone ever asked Van Gogh, “”hey man, paint a Starry Night again man””. We do this with musicians. Are tangible artists any different. I’m not sure.

Do we have a right or do we have a responsibility or do we have an obligation to preserve the string of the creative which runs thru us? This is an unanswerable.

On the other hand, I have a basement full of junk I saved. I would have more but we moved 3 times in the last 20 years. Three moves are as good as a fire they say.