November 2026.
I buy small art.
And I love it. From any artist at any market. I think it started at the pow-wow when I was young. I coveted all the art. Rings, necklaces, baskets, paintings, beads and sage bundles. I couldn’t afford the pieces I really wanted so I found the best way to buy something tangible that reminded me of it. So instead of the gorgeous sterling silver turquoise ring I bought a card of a print with a deep blue sky. To ‘remember the day’. And to forget the turquoise ring.
i shop the cards, the dishtowels, the ring trays. the smallest bracelets, the smallest zipper pouches. the postcards and the sale tables.
But do I have the money? Have I just been playing small? Is this a metaphor for my life? If I didn’t buy all the small stuff could I have just afforded the big piece I really wanted? Am I afraid to dream too big or do I think I don’t deserve the grand prize?
I have so much art, but I still feel like I am starved for it. I am trying so hard to surround myself with beauty.
Last week a package arrived in the mail with 3 hand painted pieces from an artist I adore. She just had a 12 day show in Round Top Texas with over 300 pieces of ORIGINAL one of a kind art. She had $1100 paintings, $50 framed collage pieces and $150 canvas paintings. And I knew I didn’t need any of them, but watched every day as she showed her inventory in reels. I love her work and I love her spirit. Then she made a reel with her patches, which I had never seen before. They were $20 and I knew they would be perfect to adorn my upcycled purses and bags and a special jacket I am working on for a friend. So I grabbed the ones that most embodied the spirit of her fabulous, inspiring and lighthearted work. I want to tell her thanks for being affordable. And I’m glad I made room in my budget for her. @paigemtyler
Then on payday I wanted to go to our local First Friday Art Walk. There was a holiday open house at my favorite florist and it is usually the one time of the year I get to support his beautiful business. I usually treat myself to one ornament. Also this year his guest artist was a jeweler I shopped from over a decade ago, and she had advertised not only jewelry but mini ceramic ofrendas. I was intrigued. When I got there and stopped in her booth, we chatted about ofrendas, art, her logo, selling at markets and I showed her my homemade bag that I carry every day. She said YOU HAVE TO KEEP MAKING THOSE, and if she had a store she would totally SELL THEM IN HER SHOP. I told her I was out of inventory and she said WHAT A DELICIOUS PROBLEM TO HAVE! I happily bought the last remaining one of her tiny ofrendas (yay, her!) but then immediately felt guilty (?) that I would never ‘use it’ and it was an impulsive purchase. Silly me. I love it. I light it as I’m going to sleep and turn it back on when I wake up in the night. Last night I moved it closer to my bed so I could feel the glow. It lights my life in a way I didn’t know I needed. Worth every penny. Thanks @loripiccolodesign!
So. For me. Art is not a luxury, it’s a requirement. And I fucking deserve it. Big or small.
Thanks for listening.
