A few weeks ago, I submitted one of my photographs for a juried art show at a local gallery. The theme of the show: “Drips, Lines, Splatters, and Splash.” The organizers were seeking artwork that celebrated the artistic ideals of the Washington Color School art movement. My photo was accepted.
When I saw the theme, one photo in particular came to mind. I thought about entering others as well, but in the end, this was the one that best embodied the theme. The artists of the Washington Color School used innovative techniques to emphasize color, abstract design, and the two-dimensional surface of the picture plane. My photo, which I titled Reflections, shows an interior space where an enormous wall of color-blocked stained glass casts squares of color streaming across the floor and bouncing off a stainless-steel wall where a figure sits, reading.
The exhibit opened yesterday. My husband and I attended last night’s opening. This morning, I took a volunteer shift at the gallery. The exhibit is vivid and exciting, with a wide variety of artworks of all types: paintings, multimedia works, photographs, textiles, ceramics, furniture, stained glass, cloisonné, and more. What a joy to walk out of a cold, gray, rainy day into a room filled with such joyous color and life.
And my photo sold! I had been wondering if I should have printed it larger, framed it differently, or priced it lower. So I was surprised — shocked, really — that someone wanted to buy it. I bought two other works while I was there, so I am not coming out ahead financially, but that’s not the point.
The Petrini Page 