A realisation

I had a lovely experience recently, which I want to share.

I remember my art teacher once said when you finish a painting, signing it is not as simple as writing your name. Your signature on art needs to represent you and who you feel you want the world to know you as. She would say you think carefully how and where you put your signature. I have had 3 different signatures through the 20 years of doing Art I realised when reflecting on this.

All my signatures when I’ve looked back reflect my journey at the time, where I was and what I wanted. For example my first signature was unrecognisable because I felt my Art wasn’t good to be recognised. My second was an assumption signature, as I assumed my signature had to have my surname attached to it. When I looked at it on work something was off about it so I tried signatures in different places, even hidden in the image. Then I realised that my signature is apart of my whole Art experience creating and selling. Then F was born. One singular letter doesn’t seem much, I know, but when on a piece of Art it has a significances that goes along with the image. The image needs it, as much as the signature needs the image, so why not just be F from Faye.

I’ve lately been thinking about this a lot mainly because of a heart warming experience I had. I sold an original painting recently, which was a particular favourite of mine. After transaction the customer very eagerly said, “ please sign it. I need it signed.” I reassured it was signed and showed the signature. He sighed,” I am relieved! “ smiled and went on his way.

Although I sell my Art it’s taken 18 years for me to do so. A mixture of doubt, imposture syndrome and low confidence. What this customer said to me about wanting my signature gave me such a high for the whole day! This one innocent comment left me so alive and warmed my heart.

It reminded me, even on days when things are slow or feel like giving up or question my self. My customer wanted my signature because the art piece is not complete without it, he wanted the artist and me to be on the Art.

F had taken along time to find but I feel I now have a vision for the world to see and who I am and F is very much a part of that.