I am the Best

According to readers of the Sacramento News and Review, I am the best painter in Sacramento, snagging the number 1 spot out of five highly talented artists.

Now, my first reaction is to discount this. The best? Really? There are some talented artists in this city with enviable skill behind the brush. But you know what? I deserve a little happy. I'm going to accept the title with relish because its so rare I get recognition like this.

What it really means, however, is not as simple as "the best". I mean, that's the opinion of those who voted. There was no juried art show to make this determination. These top five were not collectively critiqued together to make an educated determination. On the other hand, this was not a multiple choice vote. You had to actually know my name and type it into a text box, or otherwise submit it to the paper to give me a vote. Not just you, but a lot of people; a majority, in fact.

The fact is, I spent the past year working myself to the brink of insanity trying to promote myself and my shop. I stuck my nose in every art event I could find happening in town. I walked from door to door like an oldschool politician stuffing flyers into them. I stood there and shook hands and talked about me until I was sunburned and hoarse.

Through all of that, I barely mentioned this poll. My goal was to secure customers. To make sure people knew I was there. To hope that they would buy my work before I went under. I didn't campaign for this title, but I sure as hell earned it.

What I really won was the fact that normal people know who I am. I am not a super successful artist, whom art school snobs namedrop in order to appear "in". I am the common man's artist: accessible, sans-ego, nice, and normal like you. The fact that this publication lists me as the best says just how much I've worked in the past year for you to know who I am.

It's refreshing. A big fear of mine was that despite all my hard work, some people would think I did nothing this year after all is said and done.

This publication is proof that I worked my ass off.