robot on a swing

Sweetie with his new painting

What have I been doing for the last year or so? Besides continuing to work three jobs and write and volunteer work and trying to keep the house from falling down around my ears, I've been dating this guy. 

As much as I'm a put-it-all-out-there sort of person, Sweetie would be happy to live under the radar. 

He's a great guy - thoughtful, generous, age-appropriate, and likes my parents. And as you can see from this fuzzy photo, he's handsome too. Sweetie has been working even more than I have for the last year, working to rebuild his brother's restaurant. Remind me to tell you the story of the fire that destroyed the restaurant later. I can almost tell it without blushing. 

Friday we went to a raucous event, Art vs. Art.  It involves making noise to vote and a Wheel of Death. Yep. A spin of the wheel determines the fate of the losing painting in each round. Artists gathered two weeks ago and were all given the same supplies. Through a series of judging the field of over 100 paintings is narrowed down to 16.  

Final judging involved four rounds of head-to-head competition. Two randomly selected paintings square off on stage as the audience cheers wildly for their favorite. The electronic applause meter sends the winner to the next round; the losing painting faces the threat of destruction (by chainsaw,  samurai sword, etc.) as determined by a spin of the ominous Wheel of Death. The “losing” painting can only be saved from its impending doom if someone purchases the painting for the minimum purchase price. Artists take home 70% auction price.

My contention has always been that the paintings are easy to see from the stage tend to win. It's harder to see fine art from the balcony. This year the bout ended this way: 

The final round came down to the Angry Care Bear and Robot on a Swing (my titles). Keep in mind the audience had been drinking...well, hell, even I can't defend the Care Bear audience choice. 

After each round the Wheel of Death is spun and the only way to save it is if someone purchases the painting. An professional auctioneer comes to the stage and the bidding begins - the minimum bid increasing with each round. No one was bidding on Robot on the Swing  and the auctioneer was counting down, "goooingggg once, goooinggg twice" when I saw out of the corner of my eye a hand shooting up and heard a hearty "YEP!" 

Sweetie bought the painting! I was a little shocked. As he confirmed later, it was the first piece of original art work he'd ever purchased. The painting is fun and well done and you smile when you see it - to me the true test of art that you want hanging on your wall.

Happily, after over a year of dating he still surprises me. In a good way.