The Van Gogh project had, I thought, reached a natural and
satisfying conclusion. I auctioned off
Charlie’s painting and donated the money to ArtWorks945; and I had started to
plan a new project with Tyler Helfrich, the director of ArtWorks945. We decided that we would try to get the city
of Charlotte to donate a wall so that the artists of ArtWorks945 could paint Falling Down Man as a mural.
Although I had given up my dream of owning a Van Gogh, I
really couldn’t have been happier with the way that the Van Gogh Project finished. I met some great people, traded for some
amazing art, and raised some money for a truly deserving organization. What else could I have wanted?
But then Friday evening I received a text from Tyler. She said that she was at Summit Coffee Shop and had a present for me.
I had no idea what to expect. I anxiously waited for Lisa to get home so
that we could head over to Summit together.
And as we drove over there, I kept asking: what could it be? What could it be? I had a feeling that Lisa knew what was going
on – she seemed to have a wry smile on her face that betrayed her protestations
of ignorance – but before I could wrestle anything out of her, we arrived at Summit.
When I saw what Tyler had, I couldn’t believe my eyes. She presented me with a Van Gogh, not an
actual Van Gogh but a replication of one that the artists at ArtWorks945
painted for me. You can see the original
and then the replication up above.
What a painting!
Thirty different artists over four months worked together to
produce it. It is, without a doubt, the
most moving gift anyone has ever given to me.
I wish I could be more articulate about it. But all I can muster is: what a painting!
Tyler said that originally the canvas was divided into eight
horizontal sections and that eight artists were each assigned a section. But as the project unfolded, thirty
different artists ended up contributing to the painting.
It really is one of a kind.
Indeed, it is more one of a kind than any Van Gogh painting. Van Gogh’s paintings all have a price
tag. This painting, however, in some genuine
sense of the term, is priceless.
Thank you, Tyler!
Thank you artists of ArtWorks945!
Thank you Universe!
