“What do travel, art collecting, downsizing and kids have in common,” you ask? Recently friends invited us over to catch up, and as often happens, the conversation mostly revolved around travel, art, downsizing and kids.

These friends were lamenting the fact their adult kids have no interest in any of the art they have collected over the past 40+ years. You would think they might be interested in one or two pieces, but “No,” not one. We shared with them that we recently sold several artworks through Levis Auctions and that they might want to think about that as an option when ready to downsize.

We then wandered their house to look at their art. What quickly became obvious was almost every artwork had been acquired while travelling or while living in a different city. It was obvious their art collection was a visual diary of THEIR lives. The stories behind each artwork were as important as the art itself - stories and memories that, for the most part, aren’t shared by their kids.

Upon arriving home, I couldn’t help but re-examine our art collection, quickly realizing that probably 50% of it also has travel stories associated with them. Collecting art while on vacation is a time-honored tradition, which I am glad we have done for the past 40+ years.

I believe subliminally, every time I wander past an artwork from another place, I am reminded of a positive memory of our adventures, which helps make my home a positive place.

Here are some samples.

Newfoundland

While wandering the streets of St. John’s back in the early 90s, we wandered into a gallery and found a huge artwork wrapped around the walls of the space.

Turns out two emerging artists (from Toronto if I remember correctly) had done the drawing on a huge roll of mylar (a smooth polyester film that you can paint on like paper or canvas) as part of their residency at Fogo Island Arts and then donated it as a fundraiser for the local children’s hospital.

They were selling the piece by the foot - something like $100 per foot. You identified what section you wanted, they took an exacto knife and cut out the section, rolled it up and it was yours. We couldn’t resist.

Side Story: On top of the framed piece is an additional element – an old piano key which we found on a Seattle street. We stumbled upon the guts of a smashed piano on the sidewalk in a residential area one day on our way to a thrift store. We loved the shape of the keys, so grabbed one and kept walking. When we got home the key was placed in various spots around the house, and eventually we noticed it looked a bit like a ship and decided its home would be on the frame of our St. John’s artwork. It has been there ever since.

San Francisco

In the spring of 1994, on our first trip to San Francisco, we visited many commercial galleries as they had lots of artworks by European printmakers (my interest at the time). We fell in love with a Miro lithograph and after much deliberation, we decided to buy it. We are glad we did, as we still enjoy it.

Halifax, Hamilton, Boise

I love art made of found objects. Three folk art figures grace our dining room credenza. One, from a funky James Street South art gallery in Hamilton is made of drumsticks; another from Boise reconfigures a camera into a figure and a third one from Halifax, where the figure is created by combining a pressure gauge with the shaft of a golf club.

Nova Scotia

In 1997, we spent three weeks wandering Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and P.E.I. From that trip we have two folk art pieces by J.M. Poirier. While driving around Cape Breton Island, we happened upon a roadside gallery in Cheticamp with several artworks outside. We quickly stopped and were rewarded with hundreds of his quirky, roughly hewed wood folk art pieces. We decided to each pick one. Our picks were “Two Faced,” a stump with a face painted on two sides, one with a pipe and one with cigar; the other “Polka-Dot Lady With Purse.”

While driving in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia we stopped in at Clementsport Antiques, where we became intrigued by an exhibition of intricate, handmade dolls with porcelain heads, hands and feet and elaborate clothing by Friederike Mittelehner, (also known as Fritzi), the wife of the gentleman who was looking after the shop while she was away. The surrealistic dolls appealed to my love of quirky art. Unfortunately, Fritzi was out of town, but we decided to add “Fish Doll” to our collection.

Victoria

One of our favourite hangouts in Victoria, BC is the huge Value Village store in Chinatown. It seems to have more original art than any Value Village I have ever visited and I am tempted to bring home an artwork every time I visit - and often do.

On our last visit (2020) I couldn’t resist this circular piece with obvious indigenous motifs. However, I did wait until it was Seniors’ Tuesday so I could get 30% off.

Mexico

I have visited Mexico three times - Playa del Carmen, Guadalajara, and Mexico City - each time, bringing home a couple of artworks (not surprising given art is everywhere as it is an integral part of their everyday lives).

Right beside my Toy Lounge TV is a collection of art from these Mexico visits.

One of the pieces is by Gilberto Ortega Mendez, a well-known Mexican folk artist. This snake-like mythical animal appeals to my sense of play and fantasy.

Another by an unknown artist, is a ghost-like skeleton sitting in a chair with over-sized brown glasses (aka Elton John) holding a devil-headed wand in one hand and a book titled “Misterio de Mexico” in the other. I love the duality of the piece - both playful and scary.

Nashville

Our travel destination in 2017 was Nashville. Staying at an Airbnb, near the trendy 12 South district, we decided to explore the nearby Belmont University. Soon after we arrived on campus, we not only happened upon the Watkins College of Art, but two art students loading up the trunk of their small car with dozens of small canvases.

When I asked where they were taking so many artworks, they said, “we are going to throw them out and reuse the stretchers.” I asked if we could have a look and they said “sure!” How could we resist? Fifty dollars later, they were pleased to have some gas money and we had two new artworks.

Paris

For many, Paris is a mecca for art, architecture, and adventure. I have been twice and – by choice - never been to the Louvre Museum. For me, the streets of any city are the greatest attraction. Paris is where I fell in love with the art of window dressing. To me they are like mini art exhibitions.

Paris is also home to perhaps my first dumpster dig. When walking by an overflowing dumpster, a piece of cardboard with a fun abstract expressionist painting on it caught my attention. I quickly grabbed it and carried it around all day. It is part of our collection of unknown artists.

Berlin

In the winter of 2017, we wandered Berlin’s streets for a month. One morning, we saw a grand old church with the door open and couldn’t resist wandering in. While the architecture was amazing, (what old church in Europe doesn’t have amazing architecture), what particularly caught my eye were several display cases in the vestibule, all filled with “rocks.” Turns out these rocks were fragments of the Berlin Wall which was torn down in 1989. Each had authentication (normally I’d be suspicious, but this was in a church, and each piece had a photo showing where on the wall it was from). I had to have one, even if it meant hauling it around all day (it’s about 4” by 3” by 2”).

Today, it sits under a glass dome with a small wooden bird figure (also a Berlin find) in our breakfast nook where we eat all our meals. The two pieces speak nicely to each other - bird symbolizing the freedom gained by destroying the Berlin Wall.

Bali

One of our earliest travel adventures was to Hong Kong and Bali in the late ‘80s. Hong Kong’s markets and neon lights were amazing, but it was Bali where I found the motherload for my budding mask collection. Today, my studio bathroom is also my mask room. It is a regular reminder of our trip to Bali.

New York City

Back in the early 80s when aspiring to become an artist (painter) and fascinated by New York City’s graffiti and street art, I made my first visit there to experience the graffiti art for myself. Today, my writing studio is dominated by paintings created 40 years ago based on that trip.