And the Winner is

Summary

Mr. Pam won a lithograph by Sven Birger Sandzen in a drawing he entered during a visit to an art gallery with his grandson, but he and his wife do not appreciate the artwork and are considering how to proceed with it.

Abstract

Mr. Pam unexpectedly won a framed, signed lithograph of The Garden of the Gods by Sven Birger Sandzen, an artist from Sweden who spent most of his life in Lindsborg, KS, after entering a drawing at a local art gallery. Despite its listed value of $1,800, the couple does not like the artwork and is unsure about its fate. They ponder whether it would be appropriate to sell it, and if so, through which channels, or whether to gift it to a family member whose home office lacks art. The couple visited the gallery, run by an elderly couple and their nephew, to collect the prize and had their picture taken with the artwork, though the nephew did not offer them a copy.

Opinions

Mr. Pam entered the drawing on a whim without much thought, as he felt it was "the right thing to do at the time."
The couple feels conflicted about winning an artwork they do not appreciate, especially if other contestants might have valued it more.
They are not interested in purchasing art they do not like, emphasizing the subjective nature of art appreciation.
The couple considers FB marketplace an inappropriate platform for selling the lithograph, deeming it a place where people are not typically looking for art.
They view the classified column in the newspaper as an expensive option for listing the artwork for sale.
The idea of gifting the lithograph to their son-in-law is considered, as his home office is currently decorated with only a deer head and lacks other artwork.

He entered a drawing and won a framed, signed lithograph he doesn’t even like

author’s photo 2023'

This is a picture of the lithograph. What are you suppose to do when you win something that you really don’t want?

It’s a lithograph of The Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. We’re familiar with this popular tourist attraction because we went on horseback riding tours through it on a couple of family vacations years ago.

The artist is Sven Birger Sandzen born in Sweden in 1871 and died in 1954 in Lindsborg, KS. where he lived out most of his life. There is an art gallery there that features most of his works.

Mr. Pam entered the drawing while he and our grandson were visiting an art gallery in town. He took him there just for fun, and hopefully a little education, and he enjoyed it. Especially since they didn’t spend much time there and Papa promised him an ice cream cone on the way home.

When I asked him why he even entered the drawing, he said “it seemed to be the right thing to do at the time.” So okay. He didn’t give it much thought and now it’s ours. Hmm

I hate thinking that others who entered the drawing may have really wanted to win it. Isn’t that the way it goes?

I’d never been to this gallery before so I went with him to pick up his winnings. It’s a small gallery run by a couple in their 90’s with the help of their 60 some year old nephew. We met him, but not the owners who we learned couldn’t make it in that day.

The nephew took a picture of us holding it, just for his records, but he didn’t offer to send it to us and we’re good with that.

The lithograph was listed for $1,800 in the gallery, but it’s not worth that to us. And we wouldn’t have purchased it even for a reduced price because it’s not our thing. In art, you either really like a piece, or you don’t.

So lesson learned — Don’t sign up to win something you wouldn’t buy.

So here’s the question, what should we do now. Should we try to sell it, and if so, how?

FB marketplace doesn’t seem like the right place because most aren’t looking for art on there. The classified column in the newspaper is an expensive way to list, or maybe we should just give it to our son in law. After all he has a nice home office with only a deer head on the wall, and no art works, so far. And his birthday is in two weeks.

Any suggestions?