ARROW - 56. Chapter 56

Now I needed to furnish the apartments and then I can announce they are available for rent. Walking back to the office, “Mom, it looks like they will be finished painting soon. I need to think about finishing an apartment to show to possible renters.”

“Have you given any consideration as to what the rent will be?”

“There were some students who inquired about renting. I need to check what the dorm fees are.”

“You are going to need to charge more than the dorm fees. You’ll have utilities to pay which you don’t have living in a dorm.”

“The bedroom is large enough for two twin beds, so maybe two students might want to share an apartment. Once I check the dorm fees, and the current utilities costs, I’ll come up with a rental fee. I’ll also get Colin to help.”

Mary agreed to furnish one apartment for show. That will be the last apartment I will rent.

Later that evening after the club had closed, sitting on the roof, I brought Colin up to date on the apartments.

“Armand, I’ll check the papers and might call a few Realtors to see what the current rentals are charging.”

“I have a portrait to paint this week. I thought I’d use the mural or the roof area for the background. What do you think?”

“Using the mural may stir an interest in seeing the mural and I’m not in favor of using our roof. This area is special to us and I don’t want to share it to the public. Can’t you add the background after you do the portrait?”

“Yes.”

“Maybe you can asked the person what background they want?”

“I can do that. They may just want a plain background. That would be the easiest.”

“Have you set a fee?”

“Yes. It’ll depend on the size, the larger the size the higher the fee. That one of Angela was a surprise and I’ll use that as my base fee.”

The following Monday, we went and got our tuxedos. I picked up information on cruises from France to New York.

I spent Tuesday and Wednesday evenings preparing my paints. I would use the third floor as my studio.

Monday I went to the gallery to view the prices on my paintings. Walking around with Mary, taking several blank cards, I repriced my paintings. If a painting of Angela sold for 50,000 then these paintings were under priced. I also notified Mrs. McNiel that I would tell her the minimum price for the paintings I sent her. I included a photo of the painting of Angela with the price and marked sold.

That night GG visited and said I was making progress but I still needed to paint from my soul. My problem, I never felt comfortable depending on my imagination. I told Colin what GG said. He wasn’t much help, he said use your imagination.

When I told the Professor about the need to move beyond reality but still stay true to my style, he replied, “Paint you dreams.”

I thought about that. Surely Michelangelo didn’t have the people in front of him when he painted the Sistine Chapel. I need to try and recall my dreams and see if I can remember enough to put them on canvases. My problem, I usually don’t remember my dreams.

Colin helped, as soon as I awoke in the morning he would ask what I dreamt. I couldn’t answer him all of the time but one night I had a dream and I remembered that I needed to tell Colin in the morning. When Colin asked in the morning, I remembered some of my dream but not all. Colin kissed me and in my ear, “Paint what you remember.”

I started to paint what I remembered in my dream. As I painted, I began to remember more of the dream. When I finished the painting, it was a painting of someone sitting on a bridge overlooking the ocean. Only it wasn’t the ocean where we lived. There was something in the ocean that had drawn my attention. I looked closely and it was a whale that had just blown a column of moist air into the air as it surfaced to breathe. I was confused, I have never seen a whale do that and I wondered why I dreamed that. When Colin saw it, he hugged me.

“I want that painting for my office.”

“Why? Haven't you seen whales before?”

“No, but this was your dream. It must mean something. Maybe GG will tell you.”

Three weeks before we were to leave for Europe, there was a seminar sponsored by the International Fund for Animal Welfare. Colin had made contact with them and showed them the painting. They wanted to buy the painting to use in their promotion material.

“Gentlemen, I’m sorry but the painting isn’t for sale. But you may use it if you include the artists name.”

At first they declined the offer. One of the members asked the committee to reconsider. “Look at our posters for the last ten years. We have had domesticated animals, gorillas, elephants, and other animals that we have highlighted as endangered species. The photos we used were the animals, but this painting tells a different story. This photo brings it home. Animals destined for extermination need to be connected to humans on a personal level. This painting does just that. If we don’t show a personal connection, we are doomed.”

The committee wasn’t in agreement but this member was an important member of this group. They were not about to offend him, Armand’s painting became the photo on their pamphlet.

Colin took a pamphlet home. “Armand, look.” There was his painting with Arrow clearly displayed on the photo.

“Is that why you wanted the painting?”

“No, I wanted it for my office. We were approached for advertising this meeting. As I listened to what they where thinking, your picture was discussed. Your painting will always be in my office.”

Colin sent the pamphlet to Armand’s mom, Mrs. McNiel and one for the gallery. Mary framed the pamphlet and posted it. She priced the pamphlet for 1000 dollars with the attached note that the proceeds would go to the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

Three days later Mary asked Colin for another signed pamphlet, she had sold the posted pamphlet.