5 Unusual Reasons to Buy Art

Art By Shona McFarlane

Some 22 years back I was on my way to my weekly sculpture class in Wellington, NZ when from the car window I saw a painting in the front window of a local Gallery.  It was a large, free flowing and colourful work by a NZ painter Shona McFarlane who had a personality as vibrant as her paintings.  I decided right then that I would buy it.  What also appealed was that it showed the view of the valley where I lived and was very soon to leave.

Fire on Second Ave, Ottawa, Nov 1999

Fast forward to November 1999.  I am living in Ottawa, Canada and my house has just burned down in the largest fire in the city in 34 years.  My new town house of under a year old is almost completely destroyed along with 12 other homes.

What was left of my front entrance

The house was a crime scene for a few days but then we were able to walk through a few areas to see if anything could be saved. There on the wall was the painting, covered in smoke but still in one piece.  Days later I took to it with detergent, water and a soft scrubbing brush and because it was acrylic it came up like new. 
Our house was rebuilt within a year and with this painting on the wall it felt like home again.

This got me thinking about different reasons to own art and so here are 5 of mine.

1   Unlike clothing and most everything else, it doesn't wear out.

2   It will stay with you through difficult times and give you joy.

3   It will still fit in 10 years.

4   Art adds real personality and uniqueness to your home and reflects who you are.

5   When you look at the art you will remember when and why you chose it and who you were with and it will remind you of the unique path you have taken in your journey through life.

I'm sure you will have your own reasons to buy original art and I would love to hear them.

Keyboard Paintings

"Alchemy in Colour" Exhibition

View from the front entrance

On Sept 15 my solo show "Alchemy in Colour" opened in the beautiful Marianne van Silfhout Gallery at St Lawrence College, Brockville in Ontario Canada. 


View of the gallery

When I arrived and saw the whole gallery full of my work I had quite a strange feeling!.  After spending time working so closely on the pieces you become very intimate with them but seeing them again like that, it was as though they had suddenly developed their own identity.  A bit like the the children you nurture and watch grow up knowing them so well, and then suddenly they are their own person and stand separate.  Not that this is a bad thing .... it's as it should be.  

Collagraph "Under the Hot Sun" by the guest book

 So there was my work arranged around the walls like separate moments in time each one exposing a part of me to be either liked, disliked or ignored. I had an odd feeling of distance and was slightly amazed that I had actually created all this work! 


With my daughter Trudy and husband Brian


To send my work out into the world in such a beautiful gallery was a wonderful experience.   I was also very appreciative of my friends who made the journey to be at the opening.  It was very special to have you there.

If you've experienced a similar feeling when confronted with your work in a new setting please tell me about it.