Artist wants his works spread far and wide
You can get a respite from traditional holiday shopping from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today at Jim Weisen’s art sale. Signs will guide you to his Spokane Valley home, 1613 S. McCabe Road, where he will have dozens of his original watercolors available to purchase.
Weisen, 85, has had sales before, putting up signs during garage sale season. Many of those visitors had been strangers to art galleries. Just as well, Weisen doesn’t particularly care for galleries; a home setting does the trick and allows for a more relaxed environment.
Loose, matted or framed, his traditional pieces are reasonably priced, with smaller pieces averaging $40 and larger ones at $200. Weisen’s reasoning is that he wants people to have original art in their homes.
“There’s so much beauty in the world,” he said, “and we don’t always see it. I like to capture the beauty and bring good memories to people. That’s what it’s all about to me.”
Weisen calls his pieces “romantic nostalgia,” and he would rather have 14 people purchase smaller, less expensive paintings than have one person purchase a large, high-dollar piece. He has his paintings all over the world, and he wants to continue to spread his art around.
Weisen, a Valley resident since 1956, started working as an artist at 19. A graduate of the Minneapolis School of Art, Weisen has worked in design and advertising for many years. Now retired, he spends his time painting and teaching watercolor, cartooning and drawing. Recently, after a triple bypass, he traveled to Boston to teach classes in advertising at Eastern Nazarene College.
He teaches Mondays at Spokane Art Supply, 14401 E. Sprague Ave.
Marv Patrick has been Weisen’s student for about 18 years. Patrick had a bad motorcycle accident in 1984, which led to his retirement from the sheriff’s department.
“Painting relaxes me and gives me a pacified feeling,” he said, “It also helped a lot with hand-eye coordination during my recovery.”
Patrick considers Weisen a great teacher. “It’s neat to see all of his stuff … if I could only paint like that. He just tells me to practice, practice, practice.”
Tammy Poldervart has been taking Weisen’s class for only six months. She learned to appreciate the medium from her mother.
“My mom was an artist, and when she passed away, she left me her watercolors,” she said, “Jim is so knowledgeable. He makes it easy and makes you believe that you can do it.”
Weisen plans to keep painting and teaching. He says that doing it energizes him. Opening his home to others will hopefully spread his enthusiasm and inspire others.
“The important thing,” he said, “is that I’m having a good time.”