It is the nature of artists to want to share your work and for your work to be recognized. Recognition can come in many forms, accolades from friends, getting something published, and of course having something purchased. Few people really are just working for their own gratification and are happy working in obscurity.
The most meaningful recognition I ever had was at a show I did at the Silver City Museum in like 91 or something. It was a show of my images of historic New mexico Churches. During an otherwise very decent turn out at the openeing, I noticed a very old hispanic man, oblivious to everything around him, moving slowly from print to print. He would stare intently at each image then move in close to examine details. He would occasionally point to something and mouth some words silently. With each image after examining it, he would step back close his eyes, cross himself and kiss the rosary he clasped in his hand. There were over 100 prints in the show and he stayed along time. He never spoke to anyone and left without saying a word to me, but signed the guest book. Later I went to see what he wrote. He said simply "by the grace of god" and signed it simply Manuel. That my images, without all the artiface normally present at openings, could be spiritually moving to someone was enormously gratifying . He got it. The only sales from the show were a couple of images the museum bought, but in many ways it was the most satisfying opening I ever had because of that old man.
Bookmarks