Living with art
For the love of it
DAVID VOWELL Contributing Writer

Drive on Panther Top, Oil on Canvas by Pebbie Mott

In January of 2006, on an unseasonably warm day, I sat in the rural Mississippi studio of renown impressionist painter and teacher, Sammy Britt. I was lucky. Sammy had stopped dealing with gallery owners (that was me) 20 years earlier, but a very dear neighbor of his had befriended me, and supported my dream of starting a gallery, and consequently introduced me to Britt. That proved to be a valuable introduction, as I then spent most of day learning from this master painter about the heart of the artist. I also came away with a painting, a single glorious painting, to put in my upstart gallery in Murphy, North Carolina.

Now, when someone asks me why original artworks are preferable to prints, and I talk about how the original work has captured the actual energy of the artist as they worked, I remember Sammy Britt's words about the energy the painter has released from their own heart and transferred into their creations.

Creating fine art is surely an occupation of great intimacy. You can easily imagine the painter or potter bending over their work, their mind whirling with the imagery they long to produce and their heart impatient for the finished work to prove the delight of their particular vision. The original artworks I show in the gallery all have captured the artist's love of creating, and when I display them I know that each piece has become an engine of sharing that creative delight.

View on North Bayou Road, Oil on Board by Sammy Britt

Sure, I've seen some really fine art prints and some of what decorates my own home are prints. So what's the big deal between prints and originals? It's the creative energy, the piece of the artist's heart-a gift to you-that comes along with the artwork itself.

When a painter, potter, weaver, quilter, wood turner or jeweler lays down their tools and says they're done now, and sends off their creation to let it belong to someone else, I know they are offering a rich form of blessing to the home where that artwork ends up! And now, as a gallery operator, here is where I get to share in the extra special gift of giving. Sure, I sell fine art, and that provides practical support for a number of artists, but I'll tell you, my neighbors, a secret about this particular art gallery owner: Almost every morning when I arrive at my store, I start by giving my own intentional blessing to each and every artwork displayed in the gallery. With my favorite music playing in the background, I walk around the shop, touching each piece, and willing into it my own delight to become a part of it-willing into the art the ability to radiate the energy of abundant delight for anyone who views it that day. And for those who take one home, the wish that it serves as a continuous generator of joy in their home.

A view inside the gallery at David's Fine Art.

As I did recently with a group of students at the John C. Campbell Folk School, I will invite you now to come and look! There's a great collection of original artworks at David's Fine Art, of course. but I'll end this article with a list of just some of the many other great shops you can visit.

Wherever you choose, make the effort to enjoy art, especially original creations. Picture the artist or craftsman at their worktable as they capture the image or shape you see in front of you. They did that for you!

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