I’m searching for new “Surfaces” for Coffee Art— trying to keep money in the equation while I explore and experiment. Why is pricing art work so difficult? It’s always been to easy for me to just give my paintings away rather than come up with some kind of price. I came upon an unexpected Aha moment with the discovery of coffee merging with $100 bills. That’s just about a close as I can come to seeing money in my art. The fabric of the $100 bills is not a absorbent as watercolor paper for coffee painting but the price couldn’t be more obvious. It feels good to comfortably say “The minimum price for this piece of art is $100.” There are probably some legal issues involved in “defacing” money but I like to think the bills are being enhanced as they becomes works of art and not “just money” At least in this case I most likely won’t just give them away —  or, maybe I will.

Before and After. Coffee painted on money and pressed Japanese Maple leaves.

Plus, the more I look at Ben Franklin the more he is beginning to look like my new “Mr. Right” He seems to be soaking up the coffee just fine. He’ll have to move over when Christmas comes around because my all time Number one Mr. Right is Santa Claus.

Now I’m moving on to dried, pressed leaves,  my next coffee surface.