A Little Rambling about Value

I sit to write tonight thinking about the word, value.  Value is a diverse word with many meanings such as monetary worth, price, the things we treasure such as friendships, and our personal belief system.  It can also be defined as our worth to other people.  How do other people value you?  How do you value yourself?  

Due to the fact that I'm pretty much self centered.  I'll be talking about myself once again.  If you know me at all, you are quite aware that I hold myself in high regard.  I have a dream that I'm chasing and will continue to do so until I leave this earth.  I am on a journey that I will not deviate from at any cost.  I value that dream immensely.  Nothing or no one will stop me.  I also value myself as a decent person.  I have my many faults that most will point out rather quickly if you ask around, but I do try to help and be an encouragement to others whenever I can.  I also know from my own experiences, that the hardest thing to find when you need one is a friend.  I'll be that friend for anyone, whenever they need one.  

The hard part of life is finding people who value you in return.  They may value you, except in different ways than you value yourself.  As I've wandered through the galaxy lost, valuing myself as an artist, it seems that many of the people closest to me value me more for my other skills.  The fact that when I'm broke, I'm a halfway decent cheap handyman, for instance.  Many also value me for the fact that I'm capable of heavy lifting.  Few of those close to me value me for what I am, and what I love, and that is art.  

I'm not going to go into art, and it's value.  The monetary value of art is so different to many people.  One person may tell you it's not worth the price and her kid can make one for free, while another may say you should be asking more.  I rarely have prices on my work.  The monetary value of art to me isn't important, although I would like to be compensated as well as I can, like anyone else who works.  Many times, my prices are set by how much I feel my work is valued by the customer.  

I've told this story many times.  I was at a show several years ago in Chattanooga, TN.  A very well dressed couple came into my booth.  It was apparent that they were rather wealthy.  The gentleman in particular was rather rude, his wife didn't get to speak much.  She liked one of my paintings, and had her husband ask the price.  I wanted $100 for the painting, but tacked on a $50 asshole surcharge, just for him and told him $150.  He comes back with "I'll give you $75."  I said, "No sir, it's $150."  While I was talking to them, a young girl comes in my booth telling me how much she loves my art, and asks the price on the same piece.  I also tell her $150.  She looks sad, and says she wishes that she could afford it, because it was well worth $150.  I looked at her and told her that she could have it.  She tried to say she couldn't accept it, but i insisted.  The gentleman standing there in disbelief, says "I was going to give you $75 for that!!!"  I looked him in the eye, and said, "No hell you weren't either!!!"  The girl thanked me for the painting and I gave her a hug and she left excited.  The man and his wife were still standing there.  As he started to rant, I cut him off.  I told him that she valued my art, and thought it was worth the price that I was asking.  He only thought it was worth half of my asking price.  Had i sold it to him, he would have walked away thinking he had pulled one over on me.  I told him, the biggest difference is..... she's happy and going home with a painting that she will hopefully treasure... and you're going home with a mad wife!!!  As they walked away, she turned and smiled and gave me a wink and a thumbs up....  that was payment enough!!!  

Focus on people who value you, and what you want to be valued for... the rest of them will just want you to lift heavy shit.  

Art... Love... Perfect TV Hair

SamG

Life Lessons and The Real World

Well, looking at the last blog post, I haven't posted anything here since December 2013.  I'm not going to use this as a catch-up post, that's for sure.  About the only thing that hasn't changed since then is my hair,  I last had it cut December 23, 2013.  It's longer now than it ever has been, and still perfect for television.

As I sit to write, I have no idea where this is going to go, or how it will end.  I believe it will probably be very random and likely make very little sense.  My art studio is packed up in storage as I make yet another life transition, so my friend Jeanne encouraged me to start back writing.  I used to do a lot of writing when I was much younger.  Those are in a blue notebook along with a lot of personal drawings.  I've told several people that when I'm gone, to find it and they'll learn a lot about what really made me, and the demons I've fought most of my life.

Speaking of life, I've learned many lessons so far.  Hope the years of my life are long and I am given the opportunity to learn many more.  Here in no particular order, or no particular reason, I will share some of them with you.

If you want to learn what someone really thinks of you, disagree with them on something.

Every woman will tell you that you will never do any better.

Chocolate Peanut Butter flavored beer tastes nothing like a Reese's Cup.

Your religious friends will pray for you, your heathen friends will show up and help you.

Overly positive people are usually fake.

Don't ever eat an octopus or a squid again.

Show love to everybody, and treasure the love you get back.

Humans are doodoo heads.

You're only a circumstance or two from being one of the unfortunate ones most look down upon.

I've been stuck in the real world for a while now, I don't like it here.  I much prefer my land of imagination, love and bright colors.  I was at a show recently, had a young kid ask me a strange question about a painting.  "Where were you when you painted this?"  I quickly told him that I was floating around in outer space.  He looked at me seriously, and asked "Can you really float around outer space?"  I told him that in our minds is a thing called an imagination.  Using my imagination, I most certainly was floating around in outer space.  This real world right now is full of hate, bitterness, and tension.  I'm ready to go back to where I belong.  SamG's Imaginary Amusement Park is back and open for business, free imaginary rides for everyone.  Just follow the imaginary signs.

Thanks for reading...

Art... Love.... Perfect TV Hair...

SamG