Greetings,

Welcome to the Cooper studio, Jefferson, Iowa.  Today's word of the day is:  Aye.

You know what it means. 

   "Said to express assent; yes: "aye, you're right"  (source, some online dictionary, I forget which one)

Aye is such a bloomin' positive word, how can anyone not love it?  Surely everyone wants an "Aye" tossed (verbally) in their direction.  We all desire the effervescence of feeling that happens upon receiving a hearty and robust "Aye".

Aye!  A loud volley of assent!

Aye!  Yes!

Aye!  You're right!

As artists, professional artists, we doubly crave that vigorously given Aye.  When people give us that good old Aye, they often have their check book open, or their card out.  And to keep on doing what we do, we need the Aye on all counts, the one that comes with dollar signs of course, but also the Aye that means approval.  Someone out there likes what we're doing.

Aye!  You're right!  Aye!  Yes!  Oh, music to my paint splattered ears, that Aye.  When we send images of our work away to be juried for some competition here or there, there are those times we get nothing.  Ab-So-Lute-Ly nuttin' honey.  Well, except that letter that murmurs on about the wonderful entries they received and how hard it was to select from such a qualified group of artists,  blah, blah, blah....

Is it any wonder then, that when we get a letter from one of them that we think really counts, and it's got an AYE in it, that we get a little excited???

Sheesh.  I am really playing this up a little too much, aren't I?  Yes, I just got an acceptance letter to Shaw Neighborhood Art Fair in St Louis.  It's a wonderful event, and after several years in a row of not hearing Aye, I am truly glad that this year they decided that they should give me some assent, a love-that-artist-yes, a big old rousing Aye.  A "we here at Shaw Art Fair think your paintings are awesome".  Don't you just love the word Aye too?  I thought so.

Happy day.

Later, Cooper