Once outside I said to husband, "This piece is worth a lot more than $19.99!" And so it appears to be. I don't know its exact "market value", but on researching the artist whose signature appears on it, I discovered a gallery of similar pieces, one priced at $7,500. I don't think this one is worth that much, but still worth much more than $19.99! I remain very surprised that the store owner hadn't done what I did before pricing the piece.
Artist in question is Joyce Crowley - her website is:
Joyce Crowley - Sculptured Painting. In the section titled "Bas Relief" go to the group "Contemporary & Abstract". There are several pieces there in the same style and colours as this one. Mine is titled "The Creative Mind". From her website, about Bas Relief:
All skills of drawing, sculpting and painting are combined in this unique art form. The slow layering process using acrylics and sand creates a bas-relief sculpture presenting a three-dimensional illusion when side – lighted...... whether bold abstract, contemporary flowing designs...... The surface interest, combining sculpture and soft earth tones, is a feast for the senses. The creative designs command attention. The tactile durability and craftsmanship command respect.
The Creative Mind
This online photograph definitely doesn't do it justice because the sculpted texture isn't made clear. The piece is sturdily well-framed.
It's downright spooky how you are able to find these treasures. A Keith Haring on the floor at the back wall, a Jim Rabby under a table. I don't know how you spot them. It's fun to comb the junk stores just to see what you will turn up next.
ReplyDeletecongrats on finding a new treasure you'll enjoy..
ReplyDeleteWay to go, Twilight! Have you and anyjazz decided where to best showcase the piece? It's wonderful to have artwork to display and enjoy. I had a very nice collection acquired in my early adult years, but I've moved so many times that I now have few. Most pieces were too fragile to make a U-Haul road trip...packing them appropriately would have left no space for other belongings. Little-by-little, many artifices of my life were left behind during each transition. I took three ceramics classes and made a number of pieces, but gave them away when leaving university...probably for the best, as the Northridge earthquake in 1994 would have exiled any survivors to shards. I'm not one to appreciate many nick-knacks, aka dust collectors, but I do like a room with visual distractions and pleasantries of various types. I'm sure you and anyjazz will enjoy the new addition.
ReplyDeleteanyjazz ~ It's a bit strange, I agree. Maybe it's something akin to water divining. :-) Maybe I have a "quality antenna" (found you, didn't I!) My mother used to call it "champagne taste and beer money".
ReplyDeleteSonny ~ Thanks - we shall love it for a long time. :-)
ReplyDeletemike ~ We have it hanging on the main wall of our living room, along with two of anyjazz's own paintings. The shape of the piece fits exactly where I used to have two framed water colour prints of petroglyphs, one above t'other. I swap pieces around from time to time to stop things getting boring. My previous "find" this year - the "Venezuela" print (http://twilightstarsong.blogspot.com/2015/06/arty-farty-friday-my-bargain-by-bart.html) hangs by my desk.
ReplyDeleteI know what it's like to have to leave things behind - yes. Did that when I moved to USA, sadly left lots behind in charity stores or passed 'em on to the house buyer - not to mention having lost everything to fire some years before. They're just "things" after all, and expendable. Still, I do enjoy them while I have them!
I like it: rather like Art Deco meets Cubism.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the artist can advise the name of the piece.
I, too, have that eye and nose for a 'bargain' - wonder where that gift lies in your chart - it's more than luck, that's for sure.
The ekpharasis is lacking on your part, but your photographic inclusion of "The Creative Mind" allows for visual rhetoric.
ReplyDeleteSabina ~ The name of the piece is on it, bottom right with signature and date - too small to see in the image here:
ReplyDelete"The Creative Mind". :-)
I don't know if our bargain eye/nose thing thing will show astrologically - where would we look? I have trines from Neptune to Mercury and (widely) Uranus to Mercury - in Earth signs - a Grand Trine which, I guess, could translate as bringing dreams unexpectedly down to earth (price-wise). The preference for high quality things though - I've often pondered about that (it can get very annoying!) I put it down to having Leo in first house natally. Where do you see yours?
mike ~ Okay - ekphrasis it for us then - write a poem about the picture! ;-)
ReplyDeleteA poem, yes we need
ReplyDeleteEkphrasis do we heed
Yes, a poem indeed
The creative mind of sand
A sculpture made by hand
Is now in Twilight land
On her wall it's grand
From the discards it has been freed
Yes, I see you mentioned the name - was in a bit of a hurry reading this morning.
ReplyDeleteBy Asc/Sun I'm ruled by Merc (bargains) cj Pallas (pattern recognition) in Libra. Venus (beauty) cj Saturn (intrinsic value - stands the test of time?) 2nd (values) Scorp opp Moon Taurus 8th (instinct for the hidden?). Neptune in Libra too, ruler of 6th and 7th. Just riffing ;P
Like Mike, I've moved probably close to 100 times but have managed to hold on to a modest but wonderful collection of original Inuit prints, and, by dint of my love of miniatures, works by some of the world's finest modern artisans - and a few antiques too.
mike (again) ~ Oh yes!! Good one - very ekphrasitic. :-) The long-haired guy at the bottom of the artwork is waving to you and giving you a thumbs-up. :-)
ReplyDeleteSabina ~ Yes, those are good fits. Perhaps there's some intuition or low-level (very low in my case) psychic-ness involved. That'd be linked to the Water element, so my Jup/Pisces, Scorp/Mars and natal Cancer rising might be upping the old arty-bargain antenna. :-)
ReplyDeleteYour collection sounds wonderful and intriguing - I'm not surprised you've held on tightly to it throughout many moves.