Dear Friends of Jan Dorer Art, Feb. 2008

It’s past time but now I’m back and with it. Jan is again painting and doing well at it. Have four 30×40 vertical floral abstract paintings to frame soon. I love them all. It’s has been a tough six months but now we are going strong.

I have news about Jan’s art and Jan. First I’d like to talk about our trip through life. We’ve been married 52 years. I remember walking around Central Michigan Univ. in a numb state of mind wondering if I was making a correct decision in marrying Jan. She walked up wondering if I was all right. My fight or flight was apparent. I’m so glad I chose fight. It has been an exciting trip. She has always been the steady one. I have been the dreamer, and the force behind the person with the brush. We started as normal teachers in Utica, Mi. schools. She was a kindergarten teacher and I a High School History, Sociology, and International Relations teacher. Four years later Cyndy was born. I continued teaching. The kids liked me so I was made a Junior High counselor. I loved it and Jan loved being mother. She had time to go back to painting, her major in college.
A friend asked her to share his booth at the famed Ann Arbor Art Fair. She did and sold $75 worth of paintings in the two days there. Next year she sold $375 dollars worth. The year after is was $1075 follow by $4000 and later $9000. I saw her art as an escape from the establishment but also knew the impact her art had on certain people. They loved her art no matter what she painted. She continued at that show for nine years. On Christmas eve one year she got a letter in the mail with a red check in the rejected box for the coming year. The politics of painting had gotten us. As you know, it’s in every business even politics. Gil was furious but it taught us to do art shows here and there and not depend on any one ever again. Judges are often mean teachers with red pencils destroying the creativity and the livelihood of artists. Many of them resent those who can do. Making a living in art is not easy. You must be a workaholic. Must be talented. Must buy your own medical insurance. Must have a vision and follow it and stay true to your art. No one does so without leaving the path occasionally. Our life has been a struggle, sometimes frighteningly so. But most of the time it’s so honest and right.

Years ago I was doing a Tulsa show when a Saudi came up and asked if Jan’s work was a good investment. He meant money. I said that she was still quite young and artist’s work normally went up when they passed on and that I didn’t think that would happen for some time to come. He looked at me and walked on. I’ve missed so many chances to sell our souls. Our gift is images that enhance the beauty in life. Not all connect but so many have that I am now keeping the emails and letters from owners of her work. There are so many who express the richness of owning her work. One woman wrote from northern England stating that her husband was at school at U. of M. and she bought two paintings. She still has the paintings after many moves. Dumped the husband but not the paintings. She wanted Jan to have a gallery show near her home. Great letters are written in the evening with a glass or two of wine where the person expresses inner feelings of what Jan’s art has meant and still means to them. This has been our mission. It has been my dream to see the creation of as many Jan Dorer paintings as comfortably possible to leave to the world. Shon brought a painting for us to see. It was painted in about 1961. Still had that Jan feeling. I upgraded the presentation a bit and it’s still nice.

I decided to number Jan’s paintings a few years back. Of course, I started with #1. On the back of your painting is a number. In about the 700s I started photographing each painting. Have gotten much better at the photography as time has passed. She is now in the 2700s on paintings she has painted. The smaller the number on the back of the painting, the older the painting is. Many of you have unnumbered paintings. They are old. Maybe the Saudi ought to come around now. As many of you know, we send a photo of every painting we sell for insurance purposes. Audie, a buyer of note, says no gallery or artist has ever done this before. We have a photo of your painting, date it was sold, where it was sold, and your address, of course. Collectors have had a fire or two where we were able to satisfy insurance people, not the same collector with multiple fires.

I have noticed a change in her paintings. Around about the 2750 number there is a change. She is expressing new emotions never before expressed by her in some of the new work. Some as Cyndy says, “border genius.” I will be showing some new work in the website shortly, if they are not there now. Remember, the larger the number the more recent the painting. Look for painting numbers 2773, 2778, 2779, 2781. They are emotional change paintings. I have no idea where she will go with the art but am excited with the newness. She is not painting a great deal but never did until mid January and later. I am adding photos to the letters as much as I can to show you the work better than in the website. The website dorerstudio.com is and will be the future vehicle for information about Jan and her art and also the shows we’ll be doing.

We have show announcement. Three shows we will be doing for sure are listed below. If you need any additional information, just call us. It is time to get real busy for the first of the three for it’s only three weeks from now. I like the idea of the excitement of the shows but they are work to do.

March 1 & 2, 2008. FINE ART AT DE VOS PLACE. De Vos Place is located at 303 Monroe NW Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503. Fine Art is in STEELCASE BALLROOM C. Hours are 10:00 to 6:00 Sat. and 11 to 6 Sunday. This is the Flower, Home and Garden Show of Grand Rapids. It has been going on for years and annually draws about 50,000 people. The art is only Saturday and Sunday but the other is there for four days. Jan just finished another 30×40 vertical beautiful abstract floral painting so in keeping with the show. The show will also be mentioned on the website, dorerstuio.com. It’s the first time for the art to be included. Price is $9.00 and $4.00 for kids 6 to 14 with activities for them. Parking is $6.50 per car. It is a huge and beautiful event. The Amway Grand is next door, where we will be staying, and is a many starred hotel. We’re excited and think it will be a blast.

May 17 & 18, 2008. FINE ART AT THE VILLAGE. 104 N. Adams Rd. Rochester Hills, Michigan 48306. It‘s a nice upscale shopping center with great restaurants. The Bravo and Mitchel’s Seafood are both excellent. Hours are 10-8 Saturday and 12-6 on Sunday. Jan will have a double end booth at the west end of the show. We like this little show and hope the weather likes us. It’s in the area where we started, near Utica.

July 16-19, 2008. ANN ARBOR’S SOUTH UNIVERSITY ART FAIR
Hours 10 -9 Wed., Thurs., Fri,. and 10-6 on Saturday. Jan’s booth is on the corner of S. University and E. University #159-160. She has a double booth on the hottest corner in town. Tip of the day. The parking garage at 650 S. Forest Ave 48106 is never full and is two city blocks from Jan’s booth. $10.00 for the day. There are about 1500 artists in town doing the shows. It is the biggest and most known art fair in the country. Get motel reservations early. It’s big, crazy, and more than any one mind can absorb. For more info see our website, dorerstudio.com. or www.a2southu.com. This is about a block from where Jan started her career. The show is under new management but the location the same. Call us 734 475 4300 for more info or details.
This is all we know about the shows for 2008. More info later on the website dorerstudio.com. Oh yes. Armonk Outdoor Art Show, Sept. 27-28, 2008. See website www.armonkoutdoorartshow.org.

We have a nice inventory of paintings and also the screened prints, see website screened prints. They are hand pulled with about 28 colors and cost a bundle to have pulled. We thought we wanted to go big time but did not enjoy selling to the trade. The giclee reproductions, see website giclees, for information on them. We produced 19 giclee prints, 50 images of each, to allow some of her best work to be owned by people at a lesser price. Read about the longevity of the new technology. Not all giclee prints are really as lasting as said. They have to be printed with water based pigment or they are not going to last.

I will be writing monthly in the website, I promise. Now a promise is just that. I’ll do my best to keep it but haven’t kept all promises uttered in life. If you have time on your hands and nothing to do read the old Gil says musings. Sometimes you might agree and then again who knows. Life is such a trip and to much fun most of the time. I’m supposed to be telling you great truths but it’s late and truth from a man doesn’t come easily after dark, if you know what I mean.

REMEMBER

dorerstudio.com

734 475 4300

dorergj@aol.com
Almost forgot. I have macular degeneration. The shots have saved my left eye.
Everything is fine for the time being. If the left eye is affected again, you will be safe for I will only be doing right turns. My dad could take you anywhere in Clearwater, Florida with right turns only. That’s the way he drove. He worried over getting a new drivers license until he talked to a friend who said he didn’t have one but only drove to the grocery store or the liquor store and didn’t feel he needed one.
Sincerely, Gil Friends for life, I hope.
Reminds me of an ad in the newspaper. Lost Dog, Missing one leg, Torn ear, Castrated.

Answers to the name, Lucky.

CHARLES SCHULTZ PHILOSOPHY, ENDORSED BY JAN.“The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care.”