If you are interested, I am selling my original visual works online, at https://tonychen.bigcartel.com

Selected exhibitions

In the year 2017 A.D., an art therapist recommended that I make a visual journal. Elaborating on what such a journal was, she said to write down what my artwork was about, or, if I am not mistaken in my recollection, my thoughts and/or feelings at the point in time that I made my artwork. She said that it would be a record for my own reference in the future.

I chose to make my visual journal public at the following URL: https://alls-futility.tumblr.com

When a No to my sales became a Yes, and what it means for me

I remember, in the winter of the year 2013, in the city of Taipei, I was trying to sell a bicycle.

I got some interest from a fellow exchange-student, a Japanese male, young. He came over to my dorm, on my invitation, viewed my bicycle, and, coming up to my room for a chat, told me he wasn't buying my bicycle after all.

At that time, I didn't ask him for his reason for turning down my sales-offer - I was too upset by this rejection, maybe - and after chatting a little more, he said he was going back to his dorm.

I was crest-fallen but I said to him, "I'll accompany you back to your dorm, then."

And I was on my bike, while he walked - or, I let him take my bike, while I walked, I don't remember - either way, we matched our respective paces, and got to his dorm - where and when he let me know he was buying my bicycle.

I tried to get him to buy it at the price I had set earlier, but he said many times he only had so-and-so amount of money.

"Ok, I'll sell it to you," I said, thinking that even if he was feigning insufficient money to match my price, he seemed to be putting up a consistent enough pretence.

So, what does this mean to me today, nearly six years later?

First, six years on, I realised that I got the sale only after I had given up on it. So I want to challenge myself, to question myself, in my sales today, "If I knew that I wouldn't make any money from these interactions, what would I do with these people?"

Six years ago, thinking that I wouldn't make any money anyway, I offered to accompany that exchange-student back to his dorm. On a cold night. It seems to me, in hind-sight, that I valued my friendship with him, more than any potential sales he represented.

So, today, I'm selling my original abstract visual artwork. If I assume that I'm not going to make any money from these pictures, what would I do?

I value responses from my audience. If those who view my works have- if they experience my works resonating with them, if they have an interpretation of my works, I want to hear about it. I love hearing these kinds of things: how my works come alive in their eyes, or in their lives.

So I extend this invitation now to the reader - my works are at https://tonychen.bigcartel.com , and also I blog about my works at https://alls-futility.tumblr.com , so go ahead, check them out, if you want - and tell me if it means something to you.

That's my first take-away from my bicycle-sales six years ago. To find a more meaningful aspect to my sales than money.

I have no second take-away; I have come to the limit of the pocket of time that I've set aside for this little piece of writing.

Thank you.