It all started with an email nearly seven years ago from John, a very close friend. John is the brother of Barbara Tapp. He sent me an email which included the full post by Eric Rhoads (below is an edited version as it was quite long and not all about giving away paintings) and I was intrigued and fascinated at the thought and concept of it. I have wanted to do something like this since 2017 but we had just opened Qcity Podiatry so it wasn't the right time. Now, however, we have the ability to put this idea into action and spread the word about generosity and kindness. We are kicking off our small step into the art of giving away with a competition that lasts three months, has daily prizes and is open to everyone. You only have to subscribe. We hope you will join in and enjoy.
30 October 2017
Recently at Fall Colour Week I was painting next to Barbara Tapp, an amazing watercolour painter from Berkeley, California (where our kids were born). While we were standing there, she struck up a conversation with a couple visiting the area, heard about how the man had grown up nearby, had been gone for most of his life, and finally came back for a visit. The place, Schoodic Point, was just as he had remembered it.
I’m listening to the conversation when Barbara says to the couple, “My painting will be done in about half an hour. If you’ll come back then, I’d like to give it to you. Would you like to have it?”
The couple was deeply touched. “You would do that for us?” Barbara explained that because they had such a deep connection with the area, the painting would be a nice reminder of their old home, and it would be a pleasure to give it away.
She finished the painting, signed it, put it in a nice matte, and gave it to them when they returned. Though they offered to pay her for it, she insisted that it would be her gift to them and that their joy was payment enough.
Later that evening, during announcements, I asked Barbara to come up and tell the story, and I learned that her goal is to help the world by giving one painting away each day. She has already given away dozens and had stories of others during Fall Colour Week in Maine.
Each story was touching.
Well, the next day, this trend had caught on. Rick Wilson and I painted, with permission, on a farm with an amazing view, and the owner was very engaged with what we were doing. But she mentioned that people often stop, walk on her property without her permission to take pictures, and some set up and paint without permission. She was thrilled that we had asked. So Rick said, “When this painting is finished, I’d like you to have it so you know not all artists are going to walk on to your property without permission.” She was so excited that I ended up giving her my painting, too.
Though neither of us liked the idea of giving away a painting we wanted to keep, we both felt very special about making an old woman’s day. We both went back a few days later to do another painting from the same spot, and she already had Rick’s painting framed and proudly took us in to show it hanging in her house (mine was still wet).
Others in the group also brought in stories about giving away paintings. Everyone felt great about their generosity.
Before we knew it, everyone was giving away paintings and had stories about special connections with people. Barbara reports that she hears from most people she’s given paintings, and she’s enriched her life with new friends, visits from people she has met, and a feeling that she is doing something special to help others through her art.
Barbara Tapp may have started a trend.
What if we all tried this? What if we all lived with a spirit of generosity? What impact would we have on the world? And how would it affect people getting excited about owning more original art?
Though a giveaway doesn’t have to be every day, what if when you’re out, you do a small piece, knowing that you may encounter someone who needs to have their day lifted, or to have a special memory.
Everything in life cannot be about selling. If you do artwork, photography, something else … why not try it?
My dad, an accomplished photographer, takes a large matted photo with him to every dinner party, every doctor visit, every special event. It enriches his experience with others and makes them feel special.
What can you do to live generously today? It may not be about a painting, or even a physical gift at all. It may be about listening or helping or just reaching out to someone who needs an ear.
One generous person I got to know on our first Cuba trip is artist Nancie King Mertz, who stayed in the World Famous Artists’ Cabin this week at our house to film a couple of amazing pastel art instruction videos. We were thrilled to get to know her better and experience her generosity.
It’s my wish that generosity will impact your day today. And be overly generous with the candy this Halloween. :-)
Eric Rhoads, Art Publisher
Select Bio: Eric is the founder and publisher of PleinAir magazine and Fine Art Connoisseur magazine (both on newsstands in the US). He is also host of several painting retreats: Africa, Cuba, Adirondack Park, and Acadia National Park. He is a painter and shows at Castle Gallery. Eric is heavily involved in the radio industry as founder of Radio Ink. He is the author of a best-selling book on the history of radio, Blast From the Past: A Pictorial History of Radio's First 75 Years. He lives in Austin, Texas, and is the father of triplets. You can find him on Facebook, X, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Copyright Eric Rhoads. All rights reserved.
