Winged Way

I create the paintings as an offering to my community. You are my community, and the exhibition and auction constitute the performative ritual to gift that offering to you. In exchange, I ask that you offer the appropriate sacrifice. In the auction format, the person willing to make the greatest sacrifice receives the offering. In this case the currency of exchange is the good old greenback. Ideally, the sacrifice could be measured with respect to resources -i.e. the wealthy pay more and the less wealthy pay less. Some of my most meaningful sales have come from fellow artists who have had to pay monthly installments over a long period of time. That’s sacrifice! I havent found a way to accommodate this difference in resources yet, but my interest in making the art available to anyone is significant in my decision to handle my exhibition and sales independent of a third party gallery or art dealer.

As it is my intention to re-describe the transfer of value (sale of art) in these terms, it is also important to me to energize the moment of value transfer via the incantation of the auctioneer. Auction chant is beautiful. Beauty conducts value like gold conducts electricity. Here is a beautiful example of Cecil Ward’s chant at a livestock auction in 1964. And here is Stenson Clontz in 1985. Amazing!

For the Legs Icon Auction on November 23rd, 2008, the bidding will be guided by the chant of auctioneer Michael Powers. Michael cut his auctioneering teeth at large vintage car sales in Puerto Rico. We are in for a ride and a treat - but dont worry! - he will only chant as fast as you can hear him!

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