Yesterday I met with the faculty member who is over the gallery, I wanted to make sure he didn't have the painting (the string on the back may have broken and I just wanted to make sure he hadn't picked it up) before I claimed it was stolen. He was surprised that had happened and was very concerned and polite. He will do what he can, but I can't expect much to happen. Apparently it is rare for work to be stolen, perhaps I should feel complimented. Naturally it was the one I liked that was taken- I wouldn't have cared about the other one!
I think the lack of respect bothered me more than the missing painting- how do they think they have the authority to change another artist's space? They didn't attend the long meeting last Spring. They didn't present their show idea. They didn't vote on exhibits. They didn't set this up. They didn't help clean up. I'm responsible for filling and painting all my nailholes. I had to be responsible for the mess. It takes a long time to set up/take down and it took nearly an hour to sweep up their leaf mess. My faux leaves only took five minutes to pick up!
Don't get me started on the topic of theft- I hate it SO much. A few years ago people broke into our storage rooms and stole things, the most important were my dad's tools- they were valuable and that's what he used to make his livelihood when he was young and some were from his grandfather and someone took them. We still are sensitive to that attack on my dad. We've had cars stolen or broken into as well. One of my friends from class had her bike stolen on campus recently. Didn't we all learn in kindergarten to keep our hands to ourselves? What makes someone think that something should belong to them?
There is a relationship between the artist and the viewer- that trust can't be violated or the whole system won't work. I plan on writing a letter to the student newspaper. There needs to be a surveillance camera installed- I think that would cut down on theft and inappropriate actions in the gallery. It worked in the storage complex where we used to have our things. Even the gallery at my old community college had a camera in its gallery.
I had already decided to take a break and not do a show next semester- after all this I'm definitely not doing a show for awhile!
The small painting on the left is the one that was stolen:
Sorry these aren't the greatest pics. I wouldn't have cared if it was this painting:
I was pretty pleased with how all these wire leaves (almost 40 of them!) came together.
Where's Veronica Mars when I need her??? She could track my painting down! 
2 comments:
I'm so sad and angry for you. Yes, where is Veronica, she would have this cleared up by the end of the week.
Try to focus on it as a compliment. I hate theft, you feel so violated.
That is so sad. Oneday, they will get what's coming to them. I hope in the meantime that the man will be able to track down who did this to you. Definitely write a letter. The picture is small so it is hard to see your painting but from far away it looks really good. I can see why someone really wanted it.
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