Romare Bearden Artist as Storyteller This Week at LiveAuctionTalk.com
Rosemary McKittrick is a storyteller. She focuses on the history behind the art, antiques and collectibles sold at auction in her weekly syndicated column. Visit the site. Sign up for a free weekly subscription.

SANTA FE, NM, May 29, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Life's lessons sometimes come from the most unexpected places. For 20th century artist Romare Bearden it was chance meeting with a prostitute on the street in Harlem. Standing there shaking her keys and shouting out prices Romare knew immediately what her profession was.

She was the homeliest woman he had ever seen. But he couldn't stop thinking about her. He went to his mother for help asking her to find the woman a new occupation. She did.

As a thank you the woman cleaned Romare's studio for him every Saturday.

One Saturday as she was cleaning the woman noticed a huge brown sheet of paper Romare was using as canvas.

"Is this the same brown paper I saw last week and all the weeks before?" It was. Romare told her he was stuck, not able to get his mind or his paint brush going.

Why don't you paint me she asked?

From the expression on the young artist's face she could tell he wasn't interested.

"When you can look into me and find what is beautiful, you'll be able to paint something," she said. It was the greatest lesson in painting Romare said he ever received.

On Feb. 7, Swann Galleries, New York, featured a selection of Romare's work in its African American Fine Art auction.

Tidings; a collage of various paper and mixed media; mounted on masonite; signed; circa 1973; 17 inches by 16 inches; sold in the auction for $96,000.

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