Zero Degrees From a Poorer Relation

Postscript to my Bradley Walker Tomlin piece.... When Tomlin changed his painting style to pure abstract expressionism, he destroyed (actually burned) all the paintings that reflected his earlier technique (similar to Cezanne). He contacted my grandparents who had some of these paintings, which Tomlin had given to them as a wedding gift, so that he could add these to the bonfire. In exchange, Tomlin bargained, he would give them some new paintings. My grandparents declined because the paintings meant so much to them. Fifty years later, Tomlin's abstract expressionist paintings easily fetch half a million dollars (Number 15, pictured right, sold for $900,000 in 2003), while his earlier work may garner about what I can collect in unemployment checks annually. Oh, well. That's the price you pay when you fall in love with a piece of art.