All I Want for Christmas Is . . . [List Item #4]
Litigators are creative people. We are storytellers. And we have to piece together a broad narrative based upon small pieces of evidence.
Creative types tend to appreciate the work of other creative types. For example, I love art. Paintings, photography, sculpture -- you name it. I respect the discipline that goes into making a piece of fine art.
Here's something for your litigator's X-mas list: the art of Gavin Zeigler. I have collected a number of his pieces. When I first bought one in the 1990s, his work was primarily paintings in acrylic. But years later, he has branched out into sculpture and even furniture.
His paintings have a number of features that appeal to lawyers. For one thing, he likes to use old stock certificates and canceled checks as media upon which to paint vibrant colors. The details of these underlying papers peek through the paintings -- a pentimento effect.
He also likes to bury coins, keys and grommets under layers of color, and then use a sander to excavate them and their details. This produces a fossil-like effect.
Zeigler also is an accomplished sculptor. Visitors to my office encounter one of his bronzes: "My Ex-Wife's Lawyer."
Zeigler's work is surprisingly affordable, and he is in a number of important public and private collections. Interior designer Thom Felicia used Zeigler's work at the American Pavillion at the 2005 World's Exposition in Japan.
What better way to start the new year than enriching your office environment with a compelling work of fine art?
