about Taormina, and always were the more realistic works. Abstract pictures just didn't go at all, and it was abstract work in which Gary was really interested. However, a living is a living, so Gary got to work and began turning out what he describes as "corny crud for the tourists," in rather wholesale quantities. In fact, he finds he can average about two or three oils a day of the type that sell best, or five or six watercolors. When I saw his "show" he had removed practically all the abstract things which he really likes and had filled up the shop with "tourist crud." Most of the pieces were priced at about 65,000 lire ($75) although a few larger ones had more ambitious price tags. Gary had been running his "one man show" for the better part of a year and saw no particular reason for ever shutting it down. A new batch of tourists came in each week, usually spent a short time, and left again. He had an endless flow of potential customers. His commercial efforts took up about half of his time and Gary spent the balance working at his more serious stuff. I gained the impression that he hated what he was doing, but rationalized that you have to eat, which is true enough. And Gary was eating very well indeed, since he averaged something like $450 a week net. Could you do this? You could if you had the necessary basic minimum of ability to turn out artistic "tourist crud." Gary isn't the only artist doing it, I've seen similar deals in the art colonies in America and Europe. Next: Chapter 12 - Austria
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