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Art heist, and this one was personal

The one that got away–Lauren Hammond’s color exercise, 9X12, that walked from our Berkshires workshop.

Last week I taught a delightful workshop in the Berkshires. I had demonstrated optical mixing (or broken color), and Lauren Hammond worked hard to execute the concept. Her finished painting was so lovely that I took a photo of it. She set it on the ground while she started something else. Thinking I knew better, I moved it to a nearby table so she didnā€™t inadvertently step on it. Our group was spread out over many acres, so most of the time, Lauren was alone at her easel.

ā€œI think someone stole my painting!ā€ she texted me. In decades of teaching, the closest Iā€™ve ever come to that was when Sue Leoā€™s camera was lifted in Rochesterā€™s Mount Hope Cemetery. But Mount Hope is near a sketchy neighborhood in a crime-ridden city. Lauren was in a place where I wouldnā€™t think twice about leaving my car unlocked.

ā€œSheā€™s just overlooking it,ā€ I told myself, and I went back to help her find it. Other students helped us look and the venue manager contacted all her employees, all to no avail. It was gone. Lauren was the victim of an art heist.

The end of the evidence trail. I photographed it and then cleaned up the mess.

Iā€™m an inveterate reader of mysteries, so I hunted for clues. Aha, I thought, hereā€™s oneā€”a painting imprint on another nearby table. But that, sadly, was where the trail ended. Iā€™m no Miss Marple.

People have posited various alternative theories to me. Perhaps it was mistaken for garbage and thrown away. Perhaps they thought it was left there for someone else to take (as in the Acts of Kindness movement). Perhaps it blew away. Because I saw the scene of the crime, I can tell you with absolute assurance that none of these things happened.

Art heist losses are hard to estimate but theyā€™re estimated at around $4-6 billion US per year. Money laundering in the art market is an even bigger problem. In comparison, Laurenā€™s painting is a drop in a very big bucket. But I take it personally.

Let this be a lesson to you.

Even the safest painting sites need just one bad person to cause trouble, and there are many worse outcomes than losing a painting. Be in the zone but be aware of whatā€™s going on around you. If youā€™re at all in doubt, paint in pairs. Iā€™ve painted all over the world and never had a problem, but then again Iā€™ve never had a studentā€™s painting stolen either.

Why you shouldnā€™t steal paintings. Really.

If youā€™re a regular reader of this blog, you already know this, but humor me. Stealing art is rotten because:

  1. The artist put time, effort, and years of training into creating that work. Itā€™s no different from any other tangible object with value;
  2. Stealing a painting deprives others of the opportunity to experience the work;
  3. Stealing is a crime that usually affects the little guys. Weā€™ve abolished hanging as the punishment for theft, but I sure do understand why stealing riled up our ancestors;
  4. Paintings are personal, so stealing one is personal, too.

But I would never do that!

Photographers are people too, so the next time youā€™re tempted to use someone elseā€™s online photo as reference for your painting, consider their property rights. Go outside and shoot your own reference picture. If thatā€™s impossible, check Creative Commons for open-access images.

Lauren’s last painting of the workshop. Nice broken color, more challenging design.

Allā€™s well that ends well

My goal on the last day was to encourage Lauren to paint something even stronger than the one that got away. I think she did so. Itā€™s more complex and adventurous in design, but the color is just as well-executed.

Reserve your spot now for a workshop in 2025:

8 Replies to “Art heist, and this one was personal”

  1. Having anything stolen feels like such a violation. Itā€™s awful! But look on the bright side. You’re out a sale but as you proved, you can always paint another. And the publicity could work in your favor.
    Iā€™m certainly curious about the rest of Laurenā€™s work. Congratulations for a crime worthy painting!!

  2. Wow! Good memory on the stolen camera Carol. I totally forgot about that, but I still have the painting of the crypt that I did that day. Sorry to hear about the art heist. And $6 billion could keep many artists in paint and canvases!

  3. What an incredibly disturbing thing to happen, not just to you Carol but especially for Lauren. That had to have struck her physically, heart racing, ā€œWhat! Am I crazy!ā€ Mind shattering. Your level headed approach to everything you do more than likely bought her back from that insult that was so physical. And Yeah Lauren! for a great comeback.
    Makes me want to get a dog again, for a painting partner. They are always paying attention. A licking or barking Labrador would stop that sort of behavior.
    Onward!

  4. Thanks Carol for turning something bad around and making something useful out of it. I learned so much from the week of painting in more ways than one, and at least we have a photo! ā€¦ if only I had turned around.

  5. Iā€™ve seen this happen in a class as well. A student left several paintings resting on a bench during class. They were painting close by. Someone cherry picked just the one they wanted out of the collection. They didnā€™t take all of them.

  6. Iā€™m glad you took the photo of Laurenā€™s painting Carol so that at least she still has a record of what she achieved in your workshop. Must have been a great class! Her second painting is really lovely too.
    Be vigilantā€” you never know when there is a mean scoundrel about šŸ˜¢! Unfortunately one canā€™t be too trusting these days!

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