Bob's Daughter

Bob collected art.

Recently we had a birthday party for our friend Carolee Schneemann.
We invited her friends, may of whom we did not know well. It was a "lovely evening", as Linda would call such an affair. After dinner, while guests were relaxing in the living room I hear, "Why do you have a Will Barnet??" Susan Quasha, an artist and writer pulled my attention away from the kitchen. She really wanted to know the answer. I must have looked puzzled because she added, "I was just at a party in his honor at the Art Students League!" The room turned towards me, "I don't don't know why. It was my father's and my mother gave it to me." "Ohhh, how interesting. Who was your father?" Silence...I had no idea how to answer that question. Finally I said, "He was an architect and interior designer." This did not answer the question in terms of the lithograph on my wall - Dawn, a unique piece by Barnet. I proceeded to say, "My father died when I was 11 years old and I am learning about him through his art collection. I'm writing about it on a blog called Bob's Daughter". People were interested to find out more and internally I thought, "I haven't answered this question."

Was Bob at the Art Students League? I know that in 1957 Linda took a painting class there with her friend Judy Lowry. A fact I learned from Judy after Linda's death. She also told me that Linda was dating a divorced man at the time and that it was a secret because it was shameful to be divorced in those days. I did not remark that Linda married a divorced man, my father, Bob.

I do not know how Bob came to purchase this artwork. It is much darker than most of Barnet's other work. It is beautiful and quiet. I love it and look at it everyday.