Being an artist can be a rewarding but yet disappointing adventurous roller coaster ride though life that sometimes doesn’t seem worth taking. This past week has proven to me that the ride is well worth the effort after hearing a story that has given me inspiration that will last a life time. I had created a piece of art to put in a contest that I knew I had no chance in winning because of the nature of the contest, but I entered it because of who was judging it. I didn’t win that contest, but I did get the opportunity to help someone else with this piece, and for that I won the ultimate prize.

I put this painting in a gallery about three weeks ago to see how it would do in an exhibit. To my surprise, this older gentleman stopped in and it caught his attention, He asked the gallery curator if it would be OK to sit down and look for a while. The curator said “sure that will be fine, take your time” and he did just that. This man would come to the gallery for over a week and sit down and look at this painting , he seemed to get lost in time when visiting this piece of art.

A week has passed and the gentleman seemed to disappear from the gallery. I hadn’t heard from the gallery at all in this time frame, but then a few days ago the gallery curator called me. “Hello” I say, we had some small talk then she proceeded to tell me that”this young man stopped in today and inquired about that painting”.”Wow” I thought , there is another person wanting the same piece, but then she said “he is the nephew of the older gentleman that was here last week”. The nephew explained that the older gentleman had been coming in to see this painting was in the hospital. He has terminal cancer and is in treatment at Birmingham Hospital and would like to purchase this painting for his uncle. The nephew continued to explain “my uncle finds peace in this painting, when he looks at it he forgets about having cancer and his pain seems to go away because the man in the painting is in much more pain than he is, and I would like to take this to the hospital to help relieve the pain”.

While on the phone with the curator she ask me if I would sell this piece at a lower price, and I said “yes of course I will”.  The gallery curator explained that the young man would be back in the morning to hopefully get the painting for his uncle and she would call the next day. After hearing the story, I am filled with honor that this man would find peace in a piece of art that I created, but sad at the same time for his condition.

The next day, early afternoon the phone rings. “Hi” she said , the gallery curator on the phone says that the young man stopped back to get the painting. “Great” I replied, not knowing what was to come next I am happy that this piece has sold. The curator continued ” the older gentleman passed away early this morning, but the family took delivery of your piece because they say that it helped their uncle find piece before passing on and they want to display it at the funeral”. Now my emotions are mixed at this point because I am so honored that my work could help someone else find piece, but at the same time I am sad that he lost his battle with cancer. Even though I have never met this man, art tends to bond people together in one way or another and I feel I have a bond with this gentleman. Knowing his story I feel like I have lost my uncle, knowing the love that his nephew has shown toward the gentleman, he could only be a great-uncle.

A few days have gone by now, I reflect back on the story and realize what the older gentleman has left behind for me. He has given me a gift from his life, honor and achievement of helping others. This is inspiration that will push me in creation to climb the highest mountain and swim the deepest oceans, he has giving me a sense of self-worth in helping others though art and imagination. For this I would like to thank the older gentlemen that I have never met and will never have the opportunity to meet, your spirit lives on though me and my work.

REST IN PIECE  6-20-2012

“Dark Shadows” by Mark Moore

This story took place at Bucks Art Expo in Priceville Alabama , the family ask that their names be withheld