Copyright 2003 Janai-Ami

Palm Springs Desert Museum 2004 National Juried Show,  Award 

Private Collection,   Germany

See Painting,  Once Upon A Time

When Once Upon A Time was shown at the California Art Club's event at the Gene Autry Museum,  the art experts didn't have much to critique.  More than one called it a "contemporary masterpiece" and one said it was "one of a kind,  most striking and unusual in its design."  The only negative comment came from one expert who quietly admitted that he hated the color yellow.  The other experts all laughed.  Oh well!  You can't please everyone!   

This was my first foray back into the art world after a several year hiatus.  I had lost all interest in painting after  the events of November 2004. I was gingerly making my way back,  or at least trying to.  I had suffered terrible post-traumatic stress that November and after.  There on the large screen,  the intricacy and some of the many details were easily visualized.  Others remained well camouflaged as I had planned and would continue to remain that way until someone took a magnifying glass and got up real close and actually studied every corner of the work.  That made me smile to myself.   And I heard audible gasps when it appeared on the screen.  It was truly a masterpiece and every artist in the room could recognize that including myself - and I knew it would be commented upon years after I was long gone.  

This was the first time I'd seen it - since selling it on November 1, 2004,  the day of the alleged surgery.  And sitting there in the auditorium,  I was filled with many mixed and conflicting emotions.  It was most beautiful and spectacular - and  yet forever tied to the darkest day in my life.  Memories flooded back.  And tears welled up in my eyes.  I turned and left the room and returned home.