Written by SAA gallery member Skip Berrien, this article illustrates what we enjoy doing here at the SAA, connecting patrons with the art works in our gallery.

Connecting the generations

Two brothers, possibly twins, rushed through the door with their long hair flying accompanied by a young lady in pink from the hair on her head to the tips of her boots. They quickly approached the desk asking if there were any paintings by Barbara Cowan. Having just inspected the bins, I took them to our local scenes bin where Barbara had one of her prints of the local band playing in the bandstand. The guys were ecstatic, “That’s our ‘Popa’, grandfather, playing the bass drum.” Then I guided them over to the Christmas display of Barbara’s work including other Exeter events. What a thrill they were having.

Brass Band by Barbara Cowan

“Do you know Barbara?” I inquired. “No, we don’t know her but Trends sent us over to look for her work.” With anticipation of the holidays, they purchased three of Barbara’s prints and two of her whimsical cards.

I called Barbara to let her know how these young men had personally connected with her art. She replied that the bass drum player had recently died and, though she didn’t know these boys/young men, she recalled that she had taught art to their father.

Place connection

Later in the day, a young woman was perusing the art laden walls and approached me to purchase a Kevin Talbot photograph in which there is a sunset taken from a canoe overlooking a quiet pond. As I was taking the photograph down with the title label “Powwow Sunset”, I casually inquired if the woman recognize the location of the photograph to which she replied, “No.” I then pointed to the title which she had not seen and she was so excited. The photograph was to be a gift to her mother who had just purchased a house on Powwow Pond!

Powwow Sunset by Kevin Talbot

Person to place connection

At the December artists reception, as her son entertained us with holiday violin music, I chatted with the violinist’s mother regarding her recent trip to her native Serbia. I had traveled to the Balkans several years ago and acknowledged that a mountain painting of mine on the wall behind her son was inspired by my time in Slovenia. She admired the painting and said that as a child she had hiked in the Slovenian Alps.

Slovenian Skyline by Skip Berrien

While gallery sitting the following week the phone rang and a young man inquired if the “mountain painting” was still available. He wanted to purchase the piece for his mother who had hiked those mountains. The young man was the violinist. His mother has subsequently sent me a picture of her hiking in those mountains with her family.

Art keeps these connections alive.