Just recently, Earl Norem's grandson Mike found my blog post on Elaine, the painting I got from an estate sale in Cheshire, CT last year. Below is his comment and my reply:
mike: hi, I'm Earls Grandson..i saw this picture and then i saw your comment, so i just got home from school, and i showed him, this is his painting. He said he did this painting for an art director, it's of the art directors daughter.
My grand father brought it to him, and the man didnt like it, so my grandfather said he never got paid for it, but the man kept it.....my grandfather is curious did you pay for the picture? if so, how much?
Alicia: Mike -- I hope you subscribed to these comments, because I can't find you by clicking on your name (to see your "blogger profile").
Anyway, how cool that you found this and are commenting! I've been meaning to contact your grandfather for awhile now, and I'm excited to hear some of the back story for the painting. Unlike the art director (who I think might have been cheating your grandfather -- I'm not sure how someone could argue with this portrait), I really like it, and as I wrote, it's been hanging in my living room for about a year now.
I got the picture from an estate sale that was happening in Cheshire, CT. I assume the art director (or his daughter, maybe) had either died or was selling his house and belongings. It was early, and there wasn't anyone around, so I didn't speak with anyone at the house. But the estate sale had just started (9 a.m.), and three other people were milling around in the garage, so I stepped in for a minute -- but then was creeped out by the idea of wandering around someone's home potentially without their knowledge, so I left.
As I went back to my car, I found a small pile of stuff marked "free." That's where the painting was. I figured it was free because there's a small hole in the upper right corner of the canvas -- probably an inch or inch and a half or so. (I can't remember if you can see this in the picture.)
Anyway, I liked it, and I liked the idea that it had a history I didn't know about, so I picked it up.
I'm shocked to hear that your grandfather was never paid for it, especially since it was kept for thirty years -- if the people whose house I got it from were the same art director or his family -- and I'm interested to hear anything else you or your grandfather care to tell me about the painting, art, (not) getting paid for art, or anything, really.
I'll also post your comment and mine as a regular post on my blog in case you aren't subscribed to these comments and happen to come back and check CU. If you're willing to chat about it, leave your email address, or IM chat name, or facebook info or whatever you feel comfortable with, and I'll get in touch. Then I'll erase your info from my comments so they're not available to the whole world.
Nice to hear from you, Mike! I hope to hear from you again.
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