Yes every artist has collected artwork, my first two original pieces were acquired just before flying out from South West Africa, Namibia two canvases that were rolled up in my hand luggage and later framed- I still have them yet know nothing about the artist. A impulse buy as a student? No I still love them.
More recently we acquired an absolutely amazing wooden sculpture of a Blue eyed pleco Panaque suttonorum by Garold W. Sneegas that literally stopped me in my tracks. What makes this artwork special and valuable is that Garold carve's from inspiration and rarely repeats the same carving- each carving is one of a kind.
Art has the ability to evoke memories and this piece is the exact image we have of our Blue eyed pleco from our Africa fish keeping days, this was a tropical Amazon fish that had anxiety separation issues and required baby marrow every time my husband had to travel away for work and yet he was a absolute delight when Steve arrived home. A one of a kind fish and yes his eye was this blue!
I Thank Garold for creating, allowing me to discover this piece online and for sending him to Australia and I know that it will make my husband smile each day he sees it as well- the perfect gift!
I also am so glad that Art exists to connect people, time and places, it has been fantastic to hear about wild blue eyed plecs and meet someone else with art and fish appreciation. For me as a artist I collect art based on what I appreciate and space to house it comes later. This piece will stay with our baby Bristlenose plecs.
Smiling!
