17 October 2008, Market Square, Saint John
John HAMMOND (1843-1939), Evening, Saint John, New Brunswick, c. 1886, oil on canvas. 62.3 x 75.3 cm. Purchase 1989. New Brunswick Museum Collection, accession no. 1989.71.1 (Reproduced from an email message to the artist from P. Larocque, September 22, 2008)
I spent the week at the Tantramar Motel. Every morning I would make the bed and leave the room. When I came back little had changed. Perhaps I would have a new towel, but the bed had always been remade. Today I left the John Hammond from Saint John behind for the bed maker.
The note says:
Please accept this painting in thanks for your invisible labour this week.
It is a painting of Saint John in 1886.
I made it there last week before I came here.
Kind regards,
Felicity
Dear Felicity,
I Left My Heart in Tantramar
When I was 15 yr old
I had 2 part-time jobs
to support my family: breakfast waitress at a highway truckstop and office building cleaner at night.
One office building had a small corner office.
The waste paper basket in it was always
full of charcoal sketches.
On my last day cleaning there
I left a note thanking the artist for making my nightly job
more interesting — every night I looked forward to cleaning his office and emptying his trash.
Invisible art.
Invisible witness.
Invisible labour.
I really like your blogg.
xooxox
MD aka Lady J
Thank you Lady J.
and extremely famous cleaning lady.
what a wonderful gesture!
yes. your “performance” of painting landscapes and meeting people, listening to their stories and re-telling their stories through the blog feels very genuine. i like the straight-forward way you honour the people you come into contact with. thanks.
The quality of being genuine and straight-forward is important to me. It is a hard thing to do. Most of the messages and exchanges around us are not.
However, before I left this painting in the room I did ask myself whether the recipient would prefer a $10 or $20 tip. For some reason that gesture of leaving cash did not feel genuine and this one did. But the recipient did not have much choice in the matter so I am conflicted over that.
There’s much value in such a touching, unexpected message/gesture addressed to someone who is not meant to be seen. For sure, money is good, but your gift makes for a better story. I really enjoyed reading up on your last excursions. xox