Turns out Hick's Art Gallery grand opening in Shackytown will not reach fruition. Nor will we be able to retire (whoops, we're already retired) on the profits from his storage unit paintings. But we already knew that, didn't we? Hick, the eternal optimist, was the one holding out hope. In fact, he even told the ex-mayor my sister's husband that he saw one of those naked lady painting on eBay for $15,000. When we all know it was offered for $10,000.
Anyhoo...Hick and The Veteran took their paintings to the city, first to Selkirk, which has a last-Tuesday open appraisal every month. Hick said they walked in and saw two girls (most likely WOMEN) behind desks, so he assumed they were receptionists, but they were the ones doing the appraising. Except the one who looked at the paintings said she didn't really know anything about paintings, but that later in the day, another guy would be there. Hick didn't plan to wait, so this gal looked up the paintings ON THE INTERNET! Which Hick had done, and The Veteran, and Val too. So Hick was not impressed. He did not feel like filling out a contract and leaving his paintings there to be auctioned.
Next, Hick and The Veteran took their paintings to Kodner, after first calling and being told they could get a free appraisal before 11:30 or after 1:30. I guess people in the city take long lunches. Anyhoo...Hick said the Kodner guy, who does appraisals for Antiques Roadshow, seemed to know what he was talking about. Here are the details, as best I remember them from Hick's soliloquy with me a passive lump on the short couch.
This gal, sans her lacy bra courtesy of Val and Paint, is worthless according to Kodner, because she has a crack (heh, heh) in her paint, and a portion of her canvas that sags. Though he did say that a painting like her (by the same painter, Larry Vincent Garrison), sold for $150 according to their records.
Hick has a buddy up at the storage units who wanted this lady-painting, so he's going to offer and counter-offer her to him. He's pretty sure they'll reach a fair price. He's hoping to end up with $50 minimum.
The stallion on black velvet by Mexican artist Ortiz was valued at $50-75 by Kodner. The owner of the whole storage unit complex has shown great interest. In fact, he told Hick that if he'd seen it first, it would not have been in that storage unit when he sold it to Hick. So Hick is going to give him first chance at it. I would imagine the guy will get it for a good price, because Hick knows that one hand washes the other (probably not a good reference for Hick), and he likes getting notified of good units as they become available.
As Kodner was looking over this desert painting, Hick joked, "I could have painted that one!" And Kodner agreed. He said the paint was just dabbed on, that the brush strokes did not indicate an artist who knew what they were doing. Not in so many words, but that's the gist of it. He said Hick might be able to get $50 for it, but it would need a better frame.
Hick knows two gals who were looking at it, commenting that it would go great in a certain room at their local cowboy church. So he's going to offer it to them. He didn't state his price, but with them being gals, and it going in a church, I'm guessing he'll be reasonable, and that they'll think they got a bargain.
Kinkade's "A New Day Dawning" might bring $50-75, according to Kodner. The Ex-Mayor has expressed his liking for this one, but I don't know if his pockets are deep enough for Hick's liking. I think Ex-Mayor was willing to take it off Hick's hands and give it a home, though not necessarily be a purchaser.
This dark beach scene is actually some kind of metal, not a velvet painting as I first thought. The receptionist gal at the first gallery sent a picture to the painting guy who wasn't there. So they at least found it interesting. Kodner told Hick that it needs to be washed. That nothing will come off of it. And that it might bring $50-100. Something about it gives me the creeps.
So...that's where we stand on Hick's gallery. The grand reveal wasn't what he'd hoped for, but he's already moving on. He's put some of them on Buy/Sell/Trade. The Kinkade had 3 views, but no offers, when I last talked to him about an hour after he listed it. He put it up for $100, but is hoping for $50.
Like Hick said, "Even if we can get a total of $300-$350 out of them, that's pretty good money." He and The Veteran only have $50 each invested in this storage unit, and $65 already taken in from other items.
Disappointing, I thought the art work might be worth a bit more, especially the Kinkade.
ReplyDeleteI guess there are too many Kinkades. Even Walmart sells them.
DeleteHick is not disappointed! He sent a text to the Cowboy Church gals about the desert scene. Said he'd take $25 for it. I don't know if he's heard back yet.
So, Hick is dabbling in art? Will he next start wearing a beret and an ascot?
ReplyDeleteHick will start wearing a beret and an ascot when he finds them in a storage unit.
DeleteThat Kodner fella doesn't mess around. He plain out told me mine were worthless. Hick has an eye for beauty; tell him to keep looking for valuable art work. He might get rich quick.
ReplyDeleteWell, you gotta appreciate a straight-shooter who doesn't lead you on with false hope.
DeleteI thought that dark beach scene was metal. It looks a lot like the 'beaten copper" works I remember from last century, about late 60s to mid 70s? Or a bit later I don't remember exactly.
ReplyDeleteWow! You know your art!
DeleteHick says Kodner told him that the beach scene was indeed copper, worth $100-150 if he washed it and put it in a new frame. He said it was Hawaiian, and that a collector of Hawaiian art might pay a little more. He thought it was from the late 1950s. Hick says there was a newspaper stuffed in the back from 1962, so it's at least that old, because it was framed in 1962.