Life of Plenty

My mother, having grown up on a farm, has always appreciated the benefits of growing one's own food. I had the benefit of growing up with a garden most of my life. After moving to New York City and afterward to Cincinnati I gave up gardening for the pursuit of a career or some sort. And, though I missed gardening, I hadn't realized how much until I had the opportunity to tend to my mother's backyard garden. The picture above is just a small example of what was available just several yards from the back door.

It called to mind the days when I tended my own garden back in Vermont. Most of my gardening was restricted to containers, but the satisfaction of having fresh herbs and vegetables close at hand could not be matched by anything purchased at the local grocery. I don't know why I thought I had to give up growing after I moved from Vermont, perhaps, I thought I had to find a completely new life in the big city. Or, perhaps I just got caught up in the hustle and frenetic pace of living an urban life.

Vermont Garden Harvest, watercolor, 1997

What I find interesting is that as I devote more and more of life to my art, the more I find myself returning to the life I thought I was meant to get away from. I find myself slowing down, taking time to appreciate things, and taking less for granted. This life I live, this devotion to art, is not easy. But, when I look back at my life without art, at the lives of my friends, of the people around the world, I see that no one's life is easy. I think finding an easy life is not the answer to finding a life that is content. Because, even though I find the challenges to devoting my life to art daunting and the most difficult of my life, I also find that I feel the richest and most blessed than I ever have. Contentment is within my reach, I still have some work to do, but I am confident that if I continue to cultivate and nurture my artistic path, that I will have grown my own contentment, just as I grew my own vegetables in the smallest of spaces.

I recently came across an old painting I did, back in Vermont. It was a watercolor of the first peppers and tomatoes that I grew on my own. This painting is now a symbol for me of my ability to grow my own plenty. We all have this ability. Some of us have to pay attention to where we are already cultivating our life. Others might need to get those pots out and stick their hands in the dirt. It is not too late.

DoAn
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DoAn Art is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions for the purposes of DoAn Art must be made payable to Fractured Atlas and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. 


All artwork and text © Copyright 2005-2011 DoAn Art (Antony Galbraith) unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Antony Galbraith.

New Work Coming Soon

Now that I have moved and I am about half-way unpacked, I am eager to be starting work on some new pieces. I have some projects lined up that I am excited about, so I hope you will bear with me during this time of adjustment into my new space. I will share my progress as it unfolds.

DoAn
Subscribe in a reader



DoAn Art is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions for the purposes of DoAn Art must be made payable to Fractured Atlas and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. 


All artwork and text © Copyright 2005-2011 DoAn Art (Antony Galbraith) unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without the express written consent by Antony Galbraith.

Help Stop Copyright Infringement

I recently discovered that images of my art as well as images of artwork of several artists I know are appearing all over the internet. These images are being used without permission and almost always uncredited. I have seen them on MySpace, Photobucket, Facebook, and elsewhere. The number of images being used without permission is staggering.

Every image that I (as well as other artists) post on my site are copyrighted and owned by me. Therefore, it is illegal for anyone to use images from the internet (or anywhere for that matter) without getting permission in writing from the owner of the image. I have written to a few people who have used images without permission and they were very apologetic and promptly removed the images. They didn't realize it was illegal to use the images without permission. This is a problem that needs to be addressed. As I am trying to build a career with my art, it becomes counter-productive if I have to chase after people who are using my work. Yet, I still need to post my images in order for to see my work. It becomes a frustrating situation.

Here is where I need your help. If you ever come across an image of mine on a website please contact me. (If you see this happen with other artists let them know too.) The more eyes that are out there spotting the illegal use of copyrighted images the better chance I have of keeping this problem to a minimum. Also watch out for sites like Photobucket, Flickr, or Polyvore that indirectly or directly (in some cases) encourage the illegal use of copyrighted images.

It may seem like a compliment for others to post my images on their MySpace page or on their website, and it is in many ways. It is great that they like my work enough to want to use it. I am very likely to give permission for someone to use an image of my work if the person agrees to give proper credit. What they don't realize is that using an image without permission can harm me in the end.

I put many hours, sometimes weeks to complete a painting. I depend on the sale of m work to help pay for my medical bills, my health insurance, the cost of supplies, the rent, etc. Having images spread out throughout the internet without permission or credit to my name has the potential of a lost sale. It could, in some cases, dissolve a sale, if, for example, there is a pending license or contract. A lost sale means lost income, and that means it is that much harder to live.

I hope that one day all this notion of copyright and possession is no longer an issue. I am much more interested in painting and contributing to the world in a positive way. Unfortunately, until this problem gets better or we all find a way to survive without the need for money exchange, this will need to be addressed. (I am working on latter part actually...I'll share my thoughts in a later post.)

I appreciate your help and attention in this very serious matter.

DoAn



DoAn Art is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions for the purposes of DoAn Art must be made payable to Fractured Atlas and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.