Smiling Like Mona Lisa

I got a nice surprise this week!

I very unexpectedly received an email and phone call from the Louvre in Paris.

It seems the curator for their American wing, M. Pierre Delacroix, was recently online and saw my art blog (http:orbisplanis.blogspot.com) and my website (http://sites.google.com/site/orbisplanisart/home). He has a friend at the NewArtistsToday website who was “surfing the web” and just happened to run across my paintings.

Turns out, he was so impressed with my work that the Louvre wants to include several of my paintings in their next “big show” starting in May.

At first I thought it was a practical joke from an old friend of mine who was pulling my leg. But when M. Delacroix called me up personally and spoke French and English-with-a-French-accent, well, I knew it must be legitimate.

I never thought this would happen. I’ve been trying to get my artwork out there for the world to see, but it’s hard to get noticed in the art world nowadays. I guess where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Anyway, I’ll be sending five of my favorite paintings to Paris this month: Koi Pond, Mustang Island View, Rehearsal Dinner, On the Deck, and Pennsylvania Avenue.

M. Delacroix also wanted to know if I were related to John Singer Sargent, the famous American watercolorist. Imagine that. I was flattered, of course, but told him no, I was just a fan of Sargent’s paintings.

Then to top it all off, M. Delacroix said my paintings would be hanging opposite from the famous Mona Lisa by Da Vinci. I guess my paintings will get plenty of exposure now.

This must be what it’s like to win the lottery. My advice to all aspiring artists is to hang in there, you just never know when your art will be discovered.

I want you to know that I’m smiling just like Mona Lisa.

(By the way, Happy April Fool’s Day.)

Cheers!