Alternative Venues

Golden Marsh

Original oil painting 24x36"

by Susan Roux

Yesterday I got to play decorator!

A magnificent old house with tons of rooms was recently turned into A Center for Healing Arts Therapy. A dear friend gave them my name and voila it came to be that I received the fun job of hanging art throughout the space.

I brought 23 paintings (mostly large, some really large) and 7 photographs which I hand-picked from my husband, Michael McAllister's collection. I expected to have strict rules and guidelines presented to me, even a scrutinizing of what I intended to hang. But no. Complete carte blanche. How wonderful is that?

After unloading all 30 pieces, I had the two available therapists come give me an idea of their preferences. I wanted to hang images in their areas they'd really like. Aside from that, three floors of lovely colored walls waited patiently for my selection. Up stairs. Down Stairs. In the stairwell. Hallways. Waiting rooms. Rooms and rooms and rooms... So many rooms and doors, that at times I was getting lost.

During the process, another lady arrived and asked if I was the new acupuncturist. Oh no, I assured her. I was the artists here to hang art. Her face lit up and she immediately asked if I would hang some in her room. She unlocked a door to reveal a beautifully decorated space with one large empty wall. She was the message therapist and just entering her room made one begin to relax... I had the perfect piece for her. The 24x36" Golden Marsh posted above complimented her empty wall as though the room had been decorated with the anticipation of its arrival. It took her breath away... (It's actually softer than this older image portrays. You know how it is with photos.)

I won't tell you I wasn't stiff when I returned home. This was far from the normal workout I get standing behind my easel all day long! Seriously. Three floors, thirty pieces of art, but it was a good tired. Whenever the therapists' had breaks between clients, they were seen exploring the house examining what I had hung and how it transformed their space. The smiles couldn't be wiped of their faces. Wouldn't it be great to be able to market that? The look original art puts on people's faces. It's priceless, yet many people have never experienced it.

The center is having an opening soon and I'll use the opportunity to advertise it as an art opening as well. Will art sell there? I don't know. But I'm holding steadfast to the concept of being open to alternative places of exposure. Catching the Rain, as Eric Rhoads put it. After all, what are we suppose to do with accumulating inventory???

Rick was asking me if there exists an art orphanage to send them all to. I know I'm not alone in this respect.

What alternative venues have you found? Are they working? Sales generated? Please share your findings.