first part of week 4- big sale

Beginning Week 4

I like Kansas City.

I've been wanting to actually wrap my head around a real painting.
We've been rushing around so much, doing quick sketches then moving
on, it seemed time to go for a more significant painting.

We contacted Leopold Gallery, a local KC gallery, whose owner Paul
turned us on to a local collector named Lee (and his wife Claudia).
Paul took us over to Lee's house (near the art museum and the art
institute) and we got a good tour of his dense collection of art. So
much! Packed into his house, floor to ceiling, almost all figurative
painting and sculpture. It was really incredible…

My idea was to see if he was interested in any of the work I'd done
so far, or perhaps agree to a commission or something. Initially he
was hesitant, as he should be.. he doesn't know me, nor my work.
Anyways, we eventually wandered around to the idea that I could do a
painting, and he could have the option to buy it, but I'd be very
happy to take it back to LA and sell it in the show at the end. This
way no pressure on either end.

Though there was pressure for me— if I bought some art supplies, and
I was about broke. If he decided not to buy it, if the painting
didn't come together, I would be in major jeopardy.

So we discussed what he would possibly want; a figure for sure. We
started thinking about hiring a model, then Lee suggested Lucie, our
associate producer.. Duckie her nickname. It was a brilliant idea,
because it made the whole experience intimate and personal. I did an
ink sketch, we thought about a size, called a great canvas maker in
town (Signature Canvas) and they knocked out a custom Linen for me.
Bob over at Signature heard the whole story and donated the linen to
the cause. Very cool. (I was happy to find they are the only major
canvas manufacturer in the US that use all local materials-- from
wood to canvas. Except for my special oil-primed Belgian linen.)

So with linen in hand, we set up in the upstairs den/guest room. I
chose this room because I could control the north light and find that
cave like condition I love to paint. Lucie has a great neck and I
wanted that to shine, and we chose a purple dress… just because that
is I what she had.

Duckie, it turns out, was a great model. She had been a dancer and
played in Orchestras; both required physical control for long
periods of time. So, her first time as an art model she was
amazing. 7 hours straight we worked.

It is not ideal to finish a portrait under time and money jeopardy,
especially when you have a HD camera over your shoulder, and a
producer asking me questions on camera. Lee and Claudia would come
up sometimes to hang out while the painting was being done. What's
funny is, as much as that would throw most artists off, I thought
about how cool it must be for them to see a painting being done in
their house, of someone they know, of a painting they might live
with. As collectors it would be a rare opportunity, I'd think.

So around sunset I finished the painting, and it was not easy. Doing
a one-pass oil is really hard, as some strokes will want to remove
paint. In my style of paintings it makes it much more technically
difficult.

I was a happy with the painting however. We all went down stairs to
eat and have some wine, with the Lee not having seen the last 2
hours or so of work. After food I brought the painting down, on
camera, to see if he would buy it. He was perfectly theatrical about
it.. an art showdown. He said this whole speech about how KC is not
LA nor New York and that I was an unknown artist to him… it was
great. So I threw out a real, if a bit low, number—2500 firm. He
took it. First big sale!!

So I collapsed exhausted, but knowing I wouldn't have to worry about
money as much form here on out. Though I will set a bunch of money
aside for framing and show costs, as well as a vegas hotel. It is
not smooth sailing, just I get to breath a bit easier now.
-------------

I'm currently in Goodland Kansas near the border of Colorado. I got
a couple rides here from the outskirts of KC—a nice family moving to
Utah from Tennessee (leading to a night in Salina, KS), and yesterday
a fantastic trip with a big rig trucker named Mack. He lived out of
his truck basically, and took me, the camera man Ian and the sound
man Paul along for about 200 miles. It was a real treat and I
learned much about the life of a trucker.

i've been a bit burned out after KC. I'm afraid when I'm done with
this show I'll become a hermit and live in some cave and folks will
remember when I "was such a social fellow."

Today I feel better. Ready to win this race.

That is all from the road. Will be Colorado soon.

Much love
Kenny