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	A MOST UNUSUAL REJECTION LETTER
GO BACK TO *the story of this* HOME A NOTE: When Patrick sent me his response he was giving his impressions of my art as a whole. He did not separate the story of this from my other art. That meant my consciousness was working on a theme of my own design that ran parallel to the intent of my initial, unconscious work. I take that as a huge complement! But it doesn't diminish my impression of the power of the initial images. Once again, I had nothing to do with them so even I believe in their authenticity! Patrick, in his earlier years was a Buddhist Monk. He saw stuff in what I was doing that I didn't even perceive at the time. I credit him with helping me grow in to my capabilities as a healer/artist. When I met him he was in his late seventies. I had the privilege of getting to know him. In fact, he traveled the world visiting many of the "hot spots" that provided a comfortable haven for retirees. Based on his comparisons, he chose Ecuador. Based on his evaluations -- since I couldn't afford the research he did -- I chose Ecuador as well. Although we continued to correspond, I landed on the opposite side of the country and never got to visit him at his home here before he passed on. So here's a toast to you Patrick, and wherever you are, hopefully, I'll get there too!	In 2005, the year the images in the story of this emerged, I was trying to better understand their place. At first -- and to my surprise -- I was invited to show them at a few galleries on the Island of Maui, my home at the time. The response was stunning, but I made few sales. That was okay with me because I had the sense they hadn't shown up to make me rich; they had work to do! I ended up spending lots of time just quizzing the visitors, trying to gauge their responses. Once I realized these were images of healing, personal to the viewer at the time, I started learning how to work with them and the people. I learned how to use my experience to get out of the way and facilitate the viewer to go deeper into his or her own impressions.I built the website you see here around what I learned. Remember, the images in the story of this were pure and not created consciously. Once I knew how to attain the effects, I built a body of work with the intent of creating images to inspire healers. But they were in a separate class for they were conscious creations. Yet, I was curious. If, indeed this was just a unique art form where did it belong? I decided to take a risk and make a query to the Hana Coast Gallery, on Maui, arguably the most prestigious art gallery in the Hawaiian Islands. If anyone could send me in a better direction, they could! In my query, which included links to my then current website that featured *the story of this* along with art that I had developed after the initial "discovery", I made a request: "I turn to you with a dual purpose. Naturally, I'd like you to consider my work for your galleries. Perhaps more important, though, is I could sure use some counsel on positioning the work. I keep getting the message 'this' kind of art is a tough sell on Maui. If so, then where would be the best market?" I made the request on 11/28/2005. It took a while to get answered. I was eventually answered by Patrick Robinson, the gallery's Founding Managing Director, who held that position for 20 years. This is the complete text of his response. "Aloha Russ: I'm not certain how you ended up at the email contact for our 'sister' galleries in California, but in any case it was just forwarded to me here at the Hana Coast Gallery. As you suggested, I spent not merely 'a few moments' but quite a bit of time clicking my way through your web site. It's damned good work, but not at all our cupp'a tea. I've no doubt that you keep hearing that refrain from art dealers. It is the kind of art that is virtually impossible to 'sell', except for venues that specialize in 'spiritual-oriented art' (what ever THAT is). Some of us deal in 'cultural' art, but most are trying to sell stuff that is primarily 'decorative' in nature. Your art doesn't fit in with either of those areas very comfortably, much to your credit. Your work is deeply primal and aboriginal and, as you so beautifully stated, highly metaphorical. In other words, it does indeed require the viewer to ascend to 'different' levels, where what they are seeing can coalesce with what is already stored away in their conscious and unconscious memory. What each viewer sees is a VERY personal artistic interpretation of the reality you are presenting . . . and therein lies the rub. Hand-in-glove with being a fine photographic artist you are also a gifted writer. My feeling when I'd finished journeying through your web pages was that your work will ultimately find its audience by means of the Internet, rather than in commercial galleries. I say that simply because your work demands to be appreciated within the context of language that can flesh-out the metaphors you are using. Oh sure, I realize that the medium is the message. And the images will indeed 'speak' to the viewer. But you aren't creating pretty little landscapes whose colors blend well with the drapes. You have developed a brand new kind of art, one that is reflective of the healing work that you've been called upon to do. That's both a blessing and a curse. But then, too, you've already discovered that. In the art world, anything that doesn't fit neatly into an art 'ism' slot is considered to be outside the mainstream. Your work is anything but mainstream, wouldn't you agree? Unfortunately, with the rents and overheads in today's art marketplace, galleries such as ours can't take that leap of faith that 'outsider' art requires in terms of both artist nurturing and sales representation. What you are probably hearing from the art gallery community is that your work doesn't fit comfortably within the 'standard' mix. As an artist who is pioneering a new dimension in photography, that should be music to your ears. I'm not at all sure that what I've tried to say is helpful, but it is honest and forthright. That's the most any of us can hope for, right? So just keep on keeping on, and the best of good things for you and yours. Me ke aloha pumehana, Patrick"

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A MOST UNUSUAL REJECTION LETTER

GO BACK TO

the story of this HOME

A NOTE: When Patrick sent me his response he was giving his impressions of my art as a whole. He did not separate the story of this from my other art. That meant my consciousness was working on a theme of my own design that ran parallel to the intent of my initial, unconscious work.

I take that as a huge complement! But it doesn't diminish my impression of the power of the initial images. Once again, I had nothing to do with them so even I believe in their authenticity!

Patrick, in his earlier years was a Buddhist Monk. He saw stuff in what I was doing that I didn't even perceive at the time. I credit him with helping me grow in to my capabilities as a healer/artist.

When I met him he was in his late seventies. I had the privilege of getting to know him. In fact, he traveled the world visiting many of the "hot spots" that provided a comfortable haven for retirees. Based on his comparisons, he chose Ecuador. Based on his evaluations -- since I couldn't afford the research he did -- I chose Ecuador as well. Although we continued to correspond, I landed on the opposite side of the country and never got to visit him at his home here before he passed on.

In 2005, the year the images in the story of this emerged, I was trying to better understand their place. At first -- and to my surprise -- I was invited to show them at a few galleries on the Island of Maui, my home at the time. The response was stunning, but I made few sales. That was okay with me because I had the sense they hadn't shown up to make me rich; they had work to do!

I ended up spending lots of time just quizzing the visitors, trying to gauge their responses. Once I realized these were images of healing, personal to the viewer at the time, I started learning how to work with them and the people. I learned how to use my experience to get out of the way and facilitate the viewer to go deeper into his or her own impressions.I built the website you see here around what I learned.

Remember, the images in the story of this were pure and not created consciously. Once I knew how to attain the effects, I built a body of work with the intent of creating images to inspire healers. But they were in a separate class for they were conscious creations.

Yet, I was curious. If, indeed this was just a unique art form where did it belong? I decided to take a risk and make a query to the Hana Coast Gallery, on Maui, arguably the most prestigious art gallery in the Hawaiian Islands. If anyone could send me in a better direction, they could!

In my query, which included links to my then current website that featured the story of this along with art that I had developed after the initial "discovery", I made a request:

"I turn to you with a dual purpose. Naturally, I'd like you to consider my work for your galleries. Perhaps more important, though, is I could sure use some counsel on positioning the work. I keep getting the message 'this' kind of art is a tough sell on Maui. If so, then where would be the best market?"

I made the request on 11/28/2005. It took a while to get answered. I was eventually answered by Patrick Robinson, the gallery's Founding Managing Director, who held that position for 20 years. This is the complete text of his response.

"Aloha Russ:

I'm not certain how you ended up at the email contact for our 'sister' galleries in California, but in any case it was just forwarded to me here at the Hana Coast Gallery.

As you suggested, I spent not merely 'a few moments' but quite a bit of time clicking my way through your web site. It's damned good work, but not at all our cupp'a tea.

I've no doubt that you keep hearing that refrain from art dealers. It is the kind of art that is virtually impossible to 'sell', except for venues that specialize in 'spiritual-oriented art' (what ever THAT is).

Some of us deal in 'cultural' art, but most are trying to sell stuff that is primarily 'decorative' in nature. Your art doesn't fit in with either of those areas very comfortably, much to your credit.

Your work is deeply primal and aboriginal and, as you so beautifully stated, highly metaphorical. In other words, it does indeed require the viewer to ascend to 'different' levels, where what they are seeing can coalesce with what is already stored away in their conscious and unconscious memory.

What each viewer sees is a VERY personal artistic interpretation of the reality you are presenting . . . and therein lies the rub.

Hand-in-glove with being a fine photographic artist you are also a gifted writer. My feeling when I'd finished journeying through your web pages was that your work will ultimately find its audience by means of the Internet, rather than in commercial galleries.

I say that simply because your work demands to be appreciated within the context of language that can flesh-out the metaphors you are using. Oh sure, I realize that the medium is the message. And the images will indeed 'speak' to the viewer.

But you aren't creating pretty little landscapes whose colors blend well with the drapes. You have developed a brand new kind of art, one that is reflective of the healing work that you've been called upon to do.

That's both a blessing and a curse. But then, too, you've already discovered that. In the art world, anything that doesn't fit neatly into an art 'ism' slot is considered to be outside the mainstream. Your work is anything but mainstream, wouldn't you agree?

Unfortunately, with the rents and overheads in today's art marketplace, galleries such as ours can't take that leap of faith that 'outsider' art requires in terms of both artist nurturing and sales representation. What you are probably hearing from the art gallery community is that your work doesn't fit comfortably within the 'standard' mix. As an artist who is pioneering a new dimension in photography, that should be music to your ears.

I'm not at all sure that what I've tried to say is helpful, but it is honest and forthright. That's the most any of us can hope for, right? So just keep on keeping on, and the best of good things for you and yours.

Me ke aloha pumehana,

Patrick"