I opened a pleasant surprise this morning, a gift from a collector. This gift was very specific and well thought out, it truly touched me. As I opened my morning deliver I LAUGHED LOUDLY, A bottle of cognac, and a Cuban Cigar the note said “I decided we should properly celebrate a successful transaction between artist and collector.Even now I’m raising a glass to you.” I was stunned I even stumbled, a calm serenity over came me as I realized what these gifts signified. Success, sent to me by some one who has watched my journey, and knew what symbols would speak to me. I took a chair from inside to outside to enjoy the Morning sun .I sparked the cigar and opened the cognac and took a sip, I would take the morning off celebrate and contemplate success and what it means to me. I then thought about how part of success would mean never having to worry about another monetary thing.

 They say every person has a price I thought about mine. I then thought of the works I have saved for my private collection (not to be mistaken with my Imaginary Collection). I believe these pieces are priceless and intend to save them for my families’ collection. These works are to be sold after my death at the price a work is sold after work will no longer be created by that hand. I decided I could be convinced to sell some pieces if all my material desires in this life were met. I figure that would be about million dollars +taxes I then thought about what I would do with my million dollars.

 The first thing I would with a million dollars is buy a duplex for me and a duplex for the mother of my child. You can buy a duplex for to my liking for about 300000$ in my area of town. That would give my daughter stability and be a solid investment, and as we are both planning to stay in Montreal till our daughter is raised it would be a waste to pay fifteen years rent. Of course I would keep working first though I would take a vacation for fifteen days, to some exotic location. I would lie on the beach drinking fruity drinks like a real tourist. I would spend a maximum of five thousand on that. Then back to work. My home schedule would be the same I would have my daughter Sunday to Wed and every second Saturday.   The first thing I would do at work would be write two checks one for Five Hundred Dollars and one for Six Hundred Fifty dollars. Respectively they would go to my mother and to Percy Yap. The one to my mother would be to knock her socks off the one to Percy would be for along over due loan. Then a bottle of Crown Royal would be sent to my dad. (I don’t think he can get that in Taiwan) Those would be my first administrative acts. Then back to being an Artist.

 As an artist work changes constantly for me, so I would continue on my goal of mastering the ART of ART, immersing myself, in the study  of creation, and the understanding of making visual images. I would take a technical oil painting class at the Academy of Art in Ontario and start figure drawing again. I would make it my mission to create and help teach how to create from every pore of my body possible.

Part of that creation would include writing for A+C. As a contributor to Art + Culture I would continue to upload Canadian Artists I love to educate myself with the various artists I study and would like help educate the world of Canada’s rich and wonderful history of art.

 As a matter of fact I would increase my dedication to A+C. I would buy a car, I’ve got my eye on the 2009 VW Routan(40000$) I would buy it used if possible, I know it’s a mini van and I said I would never own one, I like the size as I believe it would great for moving my paintings though. I would get in my mini van, grab Sabrina Cost and drive the six hours to New York to shake the hands of Marc Lafia and Chris Vroom, and then we would go for lunch at a posh New York Restaurant they could choose as long as I could eat some meat. We wouldn’t worry about the bill as drinks and food would flow freely. Then we would go out clubbing with Adam Fields, after sleeping that off it would be off to the galleries of New York and then back to Montreal to cover my beat. I figure this trip would cost over a 1000$ under and under 2000$ I know it’s a lot for a two day trip most of that would be dinner and drinks.

 After returning, I would get back to my regular routine of creating four to seven days a week .On days with my daughter I would wake at five in the morning read for an hour, write my goals then cook breakfast, after she was off to school. I would retreat to the studio and either write, draw or paint until it was time to pick her up from school. I would help her with school and then put her to bed, go back to work or work out. I would then finish my day with meditation. On days my daughter was not with me I would I sleep in waking anytime after seven, read then write my goals then to the studio (this is my current schedule).

  I would also increase my interest in helping others. I would dedicate one day a week to working on art as therapy or work with children on art. I would donate a  portion of my money to the Mission Brewery (a homeless shelter), and I would also buy flats and flats of canned food: tomatoes, beans, fruit and take it to Share the Warmth a local food bank, and they would never have a shortage of food again.

 I would then take approximately 30000$ to live on for a year and put the rest in some sort of investments I could not touch. Out of that 30000$ I would take approximately 10000$ and fix my teeth and gums, get some laser hair removal and buy a nice set of clothes. I would also settle up my gym fees and take accreditation to become a Senshido affiliate and continue to train and work out of LERIKEN training center.

 The work I would continue to create would be for sale at the various prices close to what they are now, unless the market called for a dramatic increase due to demand.. Some of these works would be donated to some of my favorite art intuitions (ACAD, Canadian National Gallery, A+C) and charities (children’s Hospital) for permanent collections, or auctions. I would also give a free work to each person who has supported this far by buying art so far. Those people would include John McCrank, Kevin Wallace, Percy Yap, Dawn Cain, Ruth Spysksma as well as various others.

 Other creative projects I also might get involved in would be a reunion tour with Hippy Chick, a ricHard photo series and some independent acting gigs I would hope these artistic endeavors would pay for themselves. I would also still keep my part time bartending job.

 A break down to see how it all works 1000000$ minus 600000$ for property equals, 400000$ minus 5000$ for vacation equals $395000 minus 1100$ for debt equals 393900$ another 2000$ for my trip to New York, and 40000$ for my Routan equals 351900$ minus aproximatly 20000$ for my first donations to charity, equals 331900$ minus 30000$ for a years living expenses equals 301900$ to save and pay taxes, I would love to pay taxes on that type of money. With that amount of money I could more than live off for the rest of my life comfortably continuing to making creation my priority.

 Here are the works of art that are on sale for a million dollars. The first is entitled “Je suis une Monster” a continuous line drawing from 2001 and the second is “As Darkness Fell Upon Us All” an Automatic Word Drawing created from 2002-2007. Both are pen ink drawings are approximately 9 x 11 inches on paper. Both were made during prime creative periods, both come with authenticity papers and are marked with a thumb print. Only one is for sale after the first one is sold the other will be taken off the market.  Also please note these works where priced on my web site at these prices long before this piece was written, As Darkness Falls is even marked a 2000000+ tax, I could sell it for a 1000000$ though as I realize my the value of having my worldly needs taken care of rather than having this piece as an investment..

 These prices were calculated with knowledge based on the value of art upon a great painters death and will not go down. Also taken into consideration is that the majority of work from these periods has already been sold. As I stated these are part of my permanent collection and my daughter has been raised to understand the value of art and in particular the value of her fathers art and its contribution to the world. She is under instructions to raise the price upon my death.

 When considering the asking price for these works. I would like you to consider Van Gogh is said to have sold very little or nothing in his life, yet one of his “Sun Flowers” most recently sold for 82.5 million dollars. Lars Ulrich of Metallica is selling a Basquiat he owned for ten years for 12 million dollars. Klimit’s portrait of Adele Bloch Bauer last sold for 135 million dollars. Natalia Gonocharova’s “Blue Bells” sold for 79.8 million dollars and I have never even heard of her (not that I am an art historian or anything) that is not even mentioning what contemporary artists are getting for their work. How much does a Koons sell for (does he even touch the product any more) what about Hirst? How much will their work increase in value after their deaths? With these things considered I believe the only thing to consider is what valuable art is. As you are here at Art + Culture I would assume you have knowledge and interest to make such an observation and judgment, otherwise you would be reading something else. Now the only question is do these works fall into these categories. If you are interested in contacting me about these works or other investments please fell free to contact me at rossettoink @gmail.com. If you would like to converse about art or anything else please contact me at rossetta99 @gmail.com. Is this a good investment or not only you can decide I believe the answer is staring you in the face.

Je Suis Une Monstre 2001

And Darkness Fell Upon Us All 2002-2007

Other works

http://www.artandculture.com/users/2959-richard-rossetto#Works

Here is an article about art as an investment by Reuters Journalist John McCrank

http://in.reuters.com/article/fundsNews/idINN172609520091120