Black Friday Blues

It black Friday tomorrow. What is it with with the US holidays becoming world wide marketing events? In my opinion black Friday was all the recent shootings in Paris. It makes think hard on the value of life and our modern consumerist society. I’m not saying shopping is bad, but we have most other days of the year to shop. Why fight for something I don’t really want or need. There was an article recently on why minimalists like to shop. It asks the question… I do a need it, is it the best I can afford and will it give me years of pleasure? I know when I have given a well thought of gift that is wrapped in newspaper stuck closed with a plaster and a quick squiggle for decoration these gifts have been cherished for years.   Yes, I will be marketing my artworks in the run up to Christmas. It's silly not to but I hope people will buy for a love of the painting and and cherish for it years to come and not just for the sake of giving. Garth Bayley