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Blah day…indoors watching sports. Dipping into the archives for today’s blip.

To earn money for my last year of university, I returned home to work in the local paper mill. Shortly after arriving, my sister said, ‘Robbie want to paint you.’

I did not know a Robbie. It turns out he was an aspiring artist, a friend of my brother who is also an artist, who had decided he wanted to try to make a living from art. He wanted to perfect his portraiture skills, and would paint anyone who would sit for him. Since he lived a very short distance away, I agreed to oblige him.

He rented a very rustic attic with butcher paper walls held up by tacks, and a cot as the only furniture. I sat on the cot and in about an hour he produced a portrait. I left and didn’t think much more about it.

A couple of years later, I asked my brother what had become of the portrait. Robbie had left town and had stored a couple of dozen paintings in my brother’s attic. I asked if he could ask Robbie if I could have my portrait. He graciously gave it to me. On the back it had a sticker that said, ‘Joe’s Brother- $150.’ I would say it was grossly overpriced, because my eyes are BLUE!

Seems Robbie did OK. His paintings the size of the portrait seem to be selling for from $4500 to $6000. Not bad for a couple of hours work.


Here is a link to official information about Robbie.

https://koymangalleries.com/artist/robert-f-m-mcinnis/