Stories

"And if the cloudbursts thunder in your ear
You shout, and no one seems to hear"
~ Roger Waters ~

When we listen, really listen, Mother Nature has endless stories to tell us. My paintings represent those stories as they reside in my heart, so marketing them as mere commodities to sell goes a bit against the grain of my being. But I want those stories to be told and I feel art should be seen, so I still find myself seeking opportunities to display my works and share their stories with others. Realizing that most art exhibit venues rely on sales in order to survive, I do ultimately put prices on my paintings when necessary, but sales are not what I fundamentally seek. What I most desire is the sharing of the stories I hear from Nature through my artworks, and the hope that after I’m gone from this earth there will be someone to tell my story as well.

"And Long I Stood There Peering Deep Into That Darkness"
© 2020 Tammy Kaufman
7" x 9.25" soft pastel on Pastelmat

Perhaps it’s selfish, but I imagine my paintings carrying on after I’ve shaken off this mortal coil. I’d like to believe the abundant trove of artwork I’ve produced over the years will allow not only the stories Nature told me to be preserved, but also my own story to be told. My story. It sounds so self-serving, my story. But I think we all have a narrative and I believe we all want to know it will be told long after our departure. And I do hope someone will tell my story after I’m gone. The story of someone with a deep love of our natural world and the desire to show Nature’s beauty as seen through those eyes. The story of an artist who never achieved real commercial success but who, during a brief flurry of sales over several short months, was able to donate the profits from those sales to charities working for our environment and animal welfare. The story of a tormented spirit who made countless catastrophically poor life decisions but who eventually tried, albeit most often futilely, to set things right. The story of an artist who gifted far more paintings than she sold but found the greater joy in giving over selling. The story of an anguished soul struggling with mental illness that darkened their internal world but through art was able to dream of the hope of Nature’s light and beauty.

"When In Silence The Light Dances"
© 2020 Tammy Kaufman
5.75" x 9.25" soft pastel on Pastelmat

Nature has given me so much and I want my paintings to share her beautiful stories with others, so I’ll continue to seek opportunities to share these works and their tales with all who are interested. And maybe, just maybe, someday after I’m gone, someone will continue to be there to let these paintings tell Nature’s stories and, in the process, tell mine as well.

"To Walk Alone With the Universe"
© 2020 Tammy Kaufman
5.75" x 7.75" soft pastel on Gessoed Matboard